SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLANTABLE LEADLESS COCHLEAR STIMULATION
First Claim
1. A method for stimulating within the cochlea of the ear comprising:
- generating acoustic energy at an implantation site using a controller-transmitter, wherein the acoustic energy contains both energy and signal information;
receiving said acoustic energy at a cochlea stimulation site using a receiver-stimulator, wherein the receiver-stimulator comprises one or more stimulation electrodes such that the stimulation electrodes lie in electrical communication with the cochlea stimulation site, wherein said acoustic energy is converted into electrical cochlea stimulation output by the receiver-stimulator;
delivering said cochlea electrical stimulation output to the cochlea stimulation site using the stimulation electrodes;
sensing the cochlea electrical stimulation output; and
adjusting the acoustic energy transmission from the controller-transmitter to compensate for changes in the cochlea electrical stimulation output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed to enable hearing in the deaf by stimulating sites in the cochlea. The invention uses electrical stimulation in the cochlea, where vibrational energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the cochlear nerve. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be located either externally or implanted. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-stimulator, which contains multiple electrodes to stimulate along selected sites in the cochlea.
103 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for stimulating within the cochlea of the ear comprising:
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generating acoustic energy at an implantation site using a controller-transmitter, wherein the acoustic energy contains both energy and signal information; receiving said acoustic energy at a cochlea stimulation site using a receiver-stimulator, wherein the receiver-stimulator comprises one or more stimulation electrodes such that the stimulation electrodes lie in electrical communication with the cochlea stimulation site, wherein said acoustic energy is converted into electrical cochlea stimulation output by the receiver-stimulator; delivering said cochlea electrical stimulation output to the cochlea stimulation site using the stimulation electrodes; sensing the cochlea electrical stimulation output; and adjusting the acoustic energy transmission from the controller-transmitter to compensate for changes in the cochlea electrical stimulation output. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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2. A method for stimulating within the cochlea of the ear comprising:
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placing one or more stimulation electrodes at a cochlea stimulation site, wherein the stimulation electrodes lie in electrical communication with the cochlea stimulation site; generating acoustic energy at a first implantation site using a controller-transmitter, wherein the acoustic energy contains both energy and signal information; receiving said acoustic energy at a second implantation site using the receiver-stimulator wherein said acoustic energy is converted into cochlea electrical stimulation output by the receiver-stimulator; delivering the cochlea electrical stimulation output to the cochlea stimulation site using the stimulation electrodes via electrical connection to the stimulation electrodes; sensing the cochlea electrical stimulation output; and adjusting the acoustic energy transmission from the controller-transmitter to compensate for changes in the cochlea electrical stimulation output.
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Specification