SHORT RANGE COMMUNICATIONS FOR BODY CONTACTING DEVICES

• US 20090124201A1
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Meskens, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0028 Body tissue as transmission medium, i.e. transmission systems where the medium is the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/607 of earhooks

Abstract

A communication system for wirelessly transmitting at least one signal, the system comprising: a first device configured to receive and modulate the at least one signal, the first device having a first conductive element operatively adapted to contact a first human body and a second conductive element isolated from the first human body, wherein the first and second elements operate to wirelessly transmit the modulated signal; and a second device having a first conductive element operatively adapted to contact a second human body, and a second conductive element isolated from the second human body, wherein the first and second elements operate to receive the transmitted modulated signal from the first device.

Claims

1. A communication system for wirelessly transmitting at least one signal, the system comprising:

a first device configured to receive and modulate the at least one signal, the first device having a first conductive element operatively adapted to contact a first human body and a second conductive element isolated from the first human body, wherein the first and second elements operate to wirelessly transmit the modulated signal; and

a second device having a first conductive element operatively adapted to contact a second human body, and a second conductive element conductively isolated from the second human body, wherein the first and second elements operate to receive the transmitted modulated signal from the first device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second device is further configured to demodulate the received signal and to output the at least one signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first human body and the second human body are the same human body.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the modulated signal is transmitted in at least one of the decimeter or centimeter frequency bands.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second conductive elements are connected by an impedance matching circuit.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the impedance matching circuit comprises a balun.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second devices are components of a medical device system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second device is implanted in a recipient of the medical device system.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a component of a medical device system.

9. A transmitter for wirelessly transmitting at least one signal to a receiver, the transmitter comprising:

a first module configured to receive the at least one signal;

a second module configured to modulate the at least one signal; and

a third module comprising;

a first conductive element operatively adapted to contact a human body, and

a second conductive element conductively isolated from the human body,

wherein the first and second elements operate to wirelessly transmit the modulated signal to the receiver.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the modulated signal is transmitted in at least one of the decimeter and centimeter frequency bands.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first and second conductive elements are connected by an impedance matching circuit.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the impedance matching circuit comprises a balun.

14. A method for wireless communication between a first device and a second device, comprising:

receiving at least one signal at the first device for transmission to the second device;

modulating at the first device the at least one signal; and

wirelessly transmitting to the second device the modulated signal via first and second conductive elements, the first conductive element contacting a human body and a second conductive element isolated from the human body.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving by the second device the transmitted modulated signal.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

demodulating the received signal at the second device; and

outputting by the second device the at least one signal.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein wirelessly transmitting the modulated signal comprises:

transmitting the modulated signal in at least one of the decimeter and centimeter frequency bands.