Micro-charge stimulation
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- receiving one or more sound signals via at least one sound input element of a stimulating auditory system implanted in a recipient; and
at a sound processor of the stimulating auditory system, generating processed sound signals representative of the one or more sound signals;
at a stimulator unit of the stimulating auditory system, generating, based on the processed sound signals, a first set of positive polarity micro-charge pulses;
delivering the first set of positive polarity micro-charge pulses in sequence to a group of nerve cells of the recipient via a single stimulation channel, wherein the first set of positive polarity micro-charge pulses collectively evoke perception of at least a portion of the processed sound signals, wherein each micro-charge pulse is generated by the discharge of a single capacitor having a sufficiently small size such that each micro-charge pulse in the first set of micro-charge pulses is delivered at a peak current that delivers insufficient charge alone to activate the group of nerve cells;
at the stimulator unit, generating a second set of micro-charge pulses each having a negative polarity; and
following delivery of the first set of micro-charge pulses, delivering the second set of negative polarity micro-charge pulses in sequence to the group of nerve cells of the recipient to withdraw a charge associated with the first set of micro-charge pulses from the group of nerve cells.
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Abstract
Presented herein are stimulation techniques for implantable tissue-stimulating systems. The stimulation techniques generate and deliver sets of micro-charge pulses to a recipient. The micro-charge pulses within a set collectively cause the firing of a recipient'"'"'s nerve cell(s).
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving one or more sound signals via at least one sound input element of a stimulating auditory system implanted in a recipient; and at a sound processor of the stimulating auditory system, generating processed sound signals representative of the one or more sound signals; at a stimulator unit of the stimulating auditory system, generating, based on the processed sound signals, a first set of positive polarity micro-charge pulses; delivering the first set of positive polarity micro-charge pulses in sequence to a group of nerve cells of the recipient via a single stimulation channel, wherein the first set of positive polarity micro-charge pulses collectively evoke perception of at least a portion of the processed sound signals, wherein each micro-charge pulse is generated by the discharge of a single capacitor having a sufficiently small size such that each micro-charge pulse in the first set of micro-charge pulses is delivered at a peak current that delivers insufficient charge alone to activate the group of nerve cells; at the stimulator unit, generating a second set of micro-charge pulses each having a negative polarity; and following delivery of the first set of micro-charge pulses, delivering the second set of negative polarity micro-charge pulses in sequence to the group of nerve cells of the recipient to withdraw a charge associated with the first set of micro-charge pulses from the group of nerve cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method, comprising:
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generating, at a sound processor of a stimulating auditory system, processed sound signals; generating, at a micro-charge pulse injection circuit implanted in a recipient, a first plurality of micro-charge pulses based on the processed sound signals; delivering, via a switching circuit implanted in the recipient, the first plurality of micro-charge pulses to a group of nerve cells of the recipient in sequence via a stimulation channel so as to evoke perception of at least a portion of the processed sound signals, wherein each of the first plurality of micro-charge pulses has a first polarity and is generated by the discharge of a single capacitor having a sufficiently small size such that each micro-charge pulse delivers insufficient charge alone to activate the group of nerve cells; generating, at the micro-charge pulse injection circuit implanted in a recipient, a second plurality of micro-charge pulses; and following delivery of the first plurality of micro-charge pulses, delivering, via the switching circuit implanted in the recipient, the second plurality of micro-charge pulses to the group of nerve cells of the recipient in sequence to withdraw a charge associated with the first plurality of micro-charge pulses from the group of nerve cells. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A stimulating auditory system, comprising:
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at least one sound input element configured to receive one or more sound signals; a sound processor configured to generate processed sound signals representative of the one or more sound signals; and an implantable stimulator unit configured to; generate, based on the processed sound signals, a first set of micro-charge pulses each having a positive polarity; deliver the first set of micro-charge pulses to a group nerve cells of a recipient via a single stimulation channel, wherein the first set of micro-charge pulses collectively activate the group of nerve cells to evoke perception of a portion of the processed sound signals, and wherein each micro-charge pulse is generated by the discharge of a single capacitor having a sufficiently small size such that each micro-charge pulse in the first set of micro-charge pulses delivers insufficient charge alone to activate the group of nerve cells; generate a second set of micro-charge pulses each having a negative polarity; and following delivery of the first set of micro-charge pulses, deliver the second set of micro-charge pulses to the recipient to collectively withdraw a charge associated with the first set of micro-charge pulses from the group of nerve cells. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification