Cochlear Implant Power System and Methodology

• US 20080009918A1
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Inventors: Hochmair, Ingeborg, Zierhofer, Clemens
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/057
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A cochlear implant system has an implantable portion that includes a stimulator module for producing for the auditory system of a user an electrical stimulation signal representative of an acoustic signal. The implantable portion further includes a battery for supplying power to the stimulator module, a receiver module for receiving an electrical power signal across the skin of a user, and a recharge module that uses the electrical power signal to recharge the battery. The recharge module recharges the battery at less than the maximum recharge rate.

Claims

1. A cochlear implant system comprising:

an implantable portion including;

a stimulator module for producing for the auditory system of a user an electrical stimulation signal representative of an acoustic signal;

a battery for supplying power to the stimulator module, the battery having a maximum recharge rate;

a receiver module for receiving an electrical power signal across the skin of a user; and

a recharge module that uses the electrical power signal to recharge the battery at less than the maximum recharge rate.

2. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, further comprising an external portion adapted for placement at a specific location on the external skin of a user, the external portion including:

a power signal transmission module for transmitting the electrical power signal across the skin of a user; and

a second battery for supplying power to the power signal transmission module.

3. The cochlear implant system according to claim 2, wherein the second battery is rechargeable.

4. The cochlear implant system according to claim 2, wherein the external portion is housed in a single enclosure, the external portion including a first magnet, the implantable portion including a second magnet, the external portion adapted to be held in place on the user based substantially on the magnetic forces between the first magnet and the second magnet.

5. The cochlear implant system according to claim 2, wherein the external portion is housed in a single enclosure, the external portion including a first magnet, the implantable portion including a second magnet, the external portion adapted to be held in place on the user using an ear hook.

6. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, wherein the electrical power signal is free of modulated programming data.

7. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, wherein the electrical power signal. includes low-rate modulated programming data.

8. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, wherein the recharge module recharges the battery at less than 50% the maximum recharge rate.

9. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, wherein the recharge module recharges the battery at less than 10% the maximum recharge rate.

10. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, wherein the battery powers the stimulator module when the electrical power signal is not received by the receiver module.

11. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, wherein the recharge module recharges battery while the battery is supplying power to the stimulator module.

12. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, wherein the stimulator module is adapted to be powered by the electrical power signal when the battery is non-operational.

13. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, wherein the stimulator module includes:

an electrode array;

a microphone for receiving acoustic signals; and

a signal processor for converting acoustic signals received by the microphone into the electrical stimulation signal representative of the acoustic signal, the signal processor stimulating the electrode array with the electrical stimulation signal.

14. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver module includes a receiver coil for receiving the electrical power signal.

15. A cochlear implant system comprising:

an external portion adapted for placement at a specific location on the external skin of a user, the external portion including;

a power signal transmission module for transmitting an electrical power signal across the skin of a user; and

a battery for supplying power to the power signal transmission module; and

an implantable portion that receives the electrical power signal and produces for the auditory system of the user an electrical stimulation signal representative of an acoustic signal, wherein the implantable portion does not have a battery.

16. The cochlear implant system according to claim 15, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

17. The cochlear implant system according to claim 15, wherein the external portion is housed in a single enclosure, the external portion including a first magnet, the implantable portion including a second magnet, the external portion adapted to be held in place on the user based on the magnetic forces between the first magnet and the second magnet.

18. The cochlear implant system according to claim 15, wherein the electrical power signal is free of modulated programming data.

19. The cochlear implant system according to claim 15, wherein the electrical power signal. includes low-rate modulated programming data.

20. The cochlear implant system according to claim 15, wherein the implantable portion includes:

an electrode array;

a microphone for receiving acoustic signals; and

a signal processor for converting acoustic signals received by the microphone into the electrical stimulation signal representative of the acoustic signal, the signal processor stimulating the electrode array with the electrical stimulation signal.

21. The cochlear implant system according to claim 15, wherein the implantable portion includes a receiver coil for receiving the electrical power signal, and wherein the external portion includes a magnet for securing the external portion in a position adjacent the receiver coil.

22. A method of operating a cochlear implant system, the method including:

receiving, by an implanted portion, an electrical power signal, the implantable portion including a battery having a maximum recharge rate; and

recharging the battery at less than the maximum recharge rate using the electrical power signal.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising transmitting the electrical power signal across the skin of a user to the implanted portion.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the electrical power signal is free of modulated programming data.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the electrical power signal. includes low-rate modulated programming data.

26. The method according to claim 23, further comprising providing an external portion adapted for placement at a specific location on the external skin of a user, the external portion including:

a power signal transmission module for transmitting the electrical power signal across the skin of a user to the implanted portion; and

a second battery for supplying power to the power signal transmission module.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising recharging the second battery.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the external portion is housed in a single enclosure, the external portion including a first magnet, the implantable portion including a second magnet, the method further comprising holding the external portion in place on the user based substantially on the magnetic forces between the first magnet and the second magnet.

29. The method according to claim 22, wherein recharging the battery includes recharging the battery at less than 50% the maximum recharge rate.

30. The method according to claim 22, wherein recharging the battery includes recharging the battery at less than 10% the maximum recharge rate.

31. The method according to claim 22, the method further comprising using the battery to power the implantable portion when the electrical power signal is not being received by the implanted portion.

32. The method according to claim 22, further comprising using the electrical power signal to simultaneously recharge the battery and provide operational power to the implantable portion so as to stimulate the auditory system of the user.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein recharging the battery consumes less power than providing operational power.

34. The method according to claim 22, further comprising using the electrical power signal to power the implantable portion when the battery is non-operational.

35. The method according to claim 22, further comprising producing, by the implantable portion, an electrical stimulation signal representative of an acoustic signal.

36. The method according to claim 22, wherein the implantable portion includes an electrode array, a microphone, and a signal processor, the method further comprising:

at the signal processor, converting acoustic signals received by the microphone into the electrical stimulation signal representative of the acoustic signal, and stimulating the electrode array with the electrical stimulation signal.

37. The method according to claim 22, wherein the implantable portion includes a receiver coil for receiving the electrical power signal, and wherein the external portion includes a magnet, the method further comprising securing the external portion in a position adjacent the receiver coil using the magnet.

38. A method of operating a cochlear implant, the system including:

providing an external portion adapted for placement at a specific location on the external skin of a user, the external portion including;

a power signal transmission module for transmitting an electrical power signal across the skin of a user; and

a first battery for supplying power to the power signal transmission module;

receiving the electrical power signal with an implanted portion, wherein the implantable portion does not have a battery; and

producing, by the implanted portion, an electrical stimulation signal representative of an acoustic signal.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the electrical power signal is free of modulated programming data.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein the electrical power signal. includes low-rate modulated programming data.

41. The method according to claim 38, wherein the implantable portion includes an electrode array, a microphone, and a signal processor, the method further comprising:

at the signal processor, converting acoustic signals received by the microphone into the electrical stimulation signal representative of the acoustic signal, and stimulating the electrode array with the electrical stimulation signal.

42. The method according to claim 38, wherein the implantable portion includes a receiver coil for receiving the electrical power signal, and wherein the external portion includes a magnet, the method further comprising securing the external portion in a position adjacent the receiver coil using the magnet.

43. The method according to claim 38, further comprising recharging the battery.

44. The cochlear implant system according to claim 38, wherein the external portion is housed in a single enclosure, the external portion including a first magnet, the implantable portion including a second magnet, the method further comprising holding the external portion in place on the user based on the magnetic forces between the first magnet and the second magnet.

45. A cochlear implant system comprising:

an external portion adapted for placement at a specific location on the external skin of a user, the external portion including;

a first magnet;

a power signal transmission module for transmitting the electrical power signal across the skin of a user to an implantable portion, the implantable portion having a second magnet; and

a battery for supplying power to the power signal transmission module, wherein the external portion is housed in a single enclosure, and wherein the external portion is adapted to be held in place on the user based substantially on the magnetic forces between the first magnet and the second magnet.

46. The cochlear implant system according to claim 45, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

47. The cochlear implant system according to claim 45, wherein the electrical power signal is free of modulated programming data.