Information processing and storage in a cochlear stimulation system

• US 20070260292A1
• Filed: 05/05/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Faltys, Michael, Starkweather, Timothy, Arnold, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,818,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36039 fitting procedures
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware

Abstract

Information can be stored in a cochlear stimulation system by determining an item of patient specific information, transferring the item of patient specific information to an implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system, and permanently storing the item of patient specific information in the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system. The item of patient specific information can comprise a parameter for use in generating a stimulation current. The implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system also can be configured to permanently store one or more items of patient specific information in an alterable fashion. Further, an item of patient specific information can be retrieved from the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system. Additionally, an item of non-patient specific information for use in processing a received acoustic signal can be determined and permanently stored in an external portion of the cochlear stimulation system.

Claims

1. A method of storing information in a cochlear stimulation system, the method comprising:

determining an item of patient specific information;

transferring the item of patient specific information to an implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system; and

permanently storing the item of patient specific information in the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the item of patient specific information comprises a parameter for use in generating a stimulation current.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system is configured to permanently store one or more items of patient specific information in an alterable fashion.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

initializing the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system using one or more of the permanently stored items of patient specific information.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining an item of non-patient specific information for use in processing a received acoustic signal; and

permanently storing the item of non-patient specific information in an external portion of the cochlear stimulation system, wherein the external portion comprises a speech processor.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining a substitute item of non-patient specific information;

permanently storing the substitute item of non-patient specific information in the speech processor in place of the item of non-patient specific information;

retaining the one or more items of patient specific information permanently stored in the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system; and

generating a stimulation current using the substitute item of non-patient specific information and the one or more items of patient specific information.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

replacing the speech processor with a substitute speech processor;

retaining the one or more items of patient specific information permanently stored in the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system; and

operating the cochlear stimulation system using the substitute speech processor.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving the item of patient specific information from the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a write protection with the item of patient specific information permanently stored in the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the associated write protection is reversible.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a substitute item of patient specific information;

transferring the substitute item of patient specific information to the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system; and

permanently storing the substitute item of patient specific information in the implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system in place of the item of patient specific information.

12. A system for stimulating a cochlea, the system comprising:

an implantable portion comprising circuitry configured to receive an item of patient specific information; and

an internal memory in the implantable portion configured to permanently store the received item of patient specific information, wherein the internal memory is capable of storing one or more items of patient specific information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the internal memory comprises one of an EEPROM, a flash EEPROM, an FRAM, and an embedded programmable non-volatile memory.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

processor electronics in the implantable portion configured to protect at least a portion of the internal memory from alteration.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

processor electronics in the implantable portion configured to initialize the implantable portion using one or more items of stored patient specific information.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

processor electronics in the implantable portion configured to communicate one or more items of stored patient specific information to an external device.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

an external portion comprising circuitry configured to receive an item of non-patient specific information; and

an external memory in the external portion configured to permanently store the received item of non-patient specific information, wherein the external memory is capable of storing one or more items of non-patient specific information.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

processor electronics in the external portion configured to communicate sound data to the implantable portion;

circuitry in the implantable portion configured to receive the sound data; and

processor electronics in the implantable portion configured to generate a stimulation current using the sound data and one or more items of patient specific information.

19. A method of initializing a cochlear stimulation system, the method comprising:

initializing an implantable portion of the cochlear stimulation system using one or more items of patient specific information, wherein the patient specific information is permanently stored in the implantable portion; and

initializing an external portion of the cochlear stimulation system using one or more items of non-patient specific information, wherein the non-patient specific information is permanently stored in the external portion.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

communicating control data from the external portion to the implantable portion, wherein the control data defines a status of one or more user controls.