WEARABLE ALARM SYSTEM FOR A PROSTHETIC HEARING IMPLANT

• US 20090292338A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Tankongchumruskul, Kiangkai, Leigh, Roger, Gordon, Brian, Jurkiewicz, Tadeusz
• Granted Patent: US 9,630,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37258 Alerting the patient

Abstract

A prosthetic hearing implant kit is disclosed. The prosthetic hearing implant kit comprises internal components configured to be implanted in a recipient and comprises an internal coil; external components configured to be worn by the recipient and comprises an external coil adapted to be inductively coupled with said internal coil; and an alert system having a second external coil and adapted to receive an external alarm and to transmit signals to said implanted components via said external coil for providing the recipient with a corresponding alarm indication.

Claims

1. An alert system for use in a prosthetic hearing implant comprising:

an event detection module comprising at least one microphone and a transmitter configured to transmit a signal representative of received audio signals; and

a wearable alarm module configured to receive and analyze one or more characteristics of the representative signal, and to transmit an alarm signal to an implanted component of the prosthetic hearing implant to generate an alarm indication when, based on the analysis, the representative signal represents a received audio signal constituting an alarm event.

2. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise one or more of the group consisting of amplitude, frequency, and duration.

3. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the at least one microphone is configured for wide-angle, normal or directional sound pick up.

4. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter of the event detection module comprises an FM wireless transmitter.

5. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the wearable alarm module is configured to transmit alarm signals of a limited number of predetermined types.

6. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the alarm signal comprises a specific stimulation signal for the prosthetic hearing implant.

7. The alert system of claim 6, wherein the wearable alarm module is configured to transmit the alarm signal as a predefined data sequence.

8. The alert system of claim 7, wherein the alert system is adapted for use with a cochlear implant, and the alarm signal corresponds to any one of an instruction to apply a constant amplitude stimulus sequence to an electrode, an instruction to sequentially apply a sequence of pulses to a group of predefined electrodes, or an instruction to apply a sequence stimulation with a steady increase in the amplitude of the stimulation to at least one electrode.

9. The alert system of claim 1, wherein received audio signal is an ambient sound signal.

10. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the received audio signal is selected from the group comprising one or more of a phone ring, an alarm clock, a smoke alarm, a doorbell, an intruder alarm, a baby monitor, or a sound having greater than a predetermined level.

11. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the event detection module is configured to transmit the signal representative of the received audio signal by electrical, electronic or radio means.

12. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the wearable alarm module is configured to be removably held externally adjacent the prosthetic hearing implant.

13. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the wearable alarm module comprises:

a helmet adapted to be worn on the recipient'"'"'s head, the helmet comprising a rigid cover over a shock-absorbing material; and

a transmission coil positioned inside the helmet and configured to transmit the alarm signal to the implanted component of the prosthetic hearing implant.

14. The alert system of claim 13, wherein the transmission coil is positioned between the shock-absorbing material of the helmet and the recipient'"'"'s head when the helmet is worn on the recipient'"'"'s head.

15. The alert system of claim 14, wherein the transmission coil is a flexible printed circuit board.

16. The alert system of claim 15, wherein the transmission coil further comprises:

a flexible overmolding secured to the surface of the flexible printed circuit board.

17. The alert system of claim 13, wherein the transmission coil is positioned between the shock-absorbing material and the rigid cover of the helmet.

18. The alert system of claim 1, further comprising:

a protective headgear adapted to be worn on the head of the recipient; and

wherein the transmission coil is fixed to the inside of the protective headgear.