Speech processor headpiece
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use with a cochlear implant implanted within a wearer'"'"'s head, the apparatus comprising:
- a main component, including a single common housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, in which a microphone, a sound processor and a transmitter that transmits signals to the cochlear implant are located; and
a detachable modular component that is rotatable relative to the main component between a locked position, where the detachable modular component is locked to the main component, and an unlocked position, where the detachable modular component is removable from the main component;
whereinthe main component and the detachable modular component are respectively configured such that, when the detachable modular component is locked to the main component, no portion of the main component housing bottom surface is covered by the detachable modular component; and
the detachable modular component and the main component together define a head-wearable headpiece that is not a behind-the-ear sound processor.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cochlear implant system includes: an electrode array implanted within a cochlea; an internal processor in communication with the electrode array; an implanted antenna which is electrically coupled to the internal processor; and a modular external headpiece which is removably positioned over the implanted antenna, the modular external headpiece including a core containing a sound processor for processing sound and providing a corresponding signal to the implanted antenna; and a modular component configured to releasably engage the core and supply electrical power to the core. A modular speech processor headpiece includes a core comprising a microphone and sound processor for producing a signal representing ambient sound to be transmitted to a cochlear implant, the core further comprising a number of electrical contacts; and a modular component containing a number of electrical contacts corresponding to the electrical contacts of the core; wherein the core is configured to engage with the modular component such that electrical communication is made between the core and the modular component.
133 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for use with a cochlear implant implanted within a wearer'"'"'s head, the apparatus comprising:
-
a main component, including a single common housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, in which a microphone, a sound processor and a transmitter that transmits signals to the cochlear implant are located; and a detachable modular component that is rotatable relative to the main component between a locked position, where the detachable modular component is locked to the main component, and an unlocked position, where the detachable modular component is removable from the main component; wherein the main component and the detachable modular component are respectively configured such that, when the detachable modular component is locked to the main component, no portion of the main component housing bottom surface is covered by the detachable modular component; and the detachable modular component and the main component together define a head-wearable headpiece that is not a behind-the-ear sound processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method, comprising the steps of:
-
rotating a detachable modular component of a cochlear implant headpiece relative to a main component of the cochlear implant headpiece such that the detachable modular component moves from a locked position, where the detachable modular component is locked to the main component, to an unlocked position, where the detachable modular component is removable from the main component; and removing the detachable modular component from the main component; wherein the main component includes a single common housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, in which a microphone, a sound processor and a transmitter that transmits signals to a cochlear implant are located; the main component and the detachable modular component are respectively configured such that, when the detachable modular component is locked to the main component, no portion of the main component housing bottom surface is covered by the detachable modular; and the main component and the detachable modular component are respectively configured such that, when the detachable modular component is locked to the main component, the detachable modular component and the main component together define a head-wearable headpiece that is not a behind-the-ear sound processor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification