Electrically stimulated hearing with signal feedback

• US 3,267,931 A
• Filed: 01/09/1963
• Issued: 08/23/1966
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1963
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henry K. Puharich, Joseph L. Lawrence
• Original Assignee: Henry K. Puharich, Joseph L. Lawrence
• Inventors: Puharich, Henry K., Lawrence, Joseph L.
• Application Number:
  US04/250,301
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/04 Methods or devices for enabling ear patients to achieve auditory perception through physiological senses other than hearing sense, e.g. through the touch sense electronic stimulation of auditory nerves A61N1/36036
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window

Claims

1. A SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICALLY STIMULATING HEARING IN A HUMAN SUBJECT, WHICH COMPRISES (A) A SIGNAL SOURCE OF AUDIO MODULATED ELECTRICAL SIGNALS INCLUDING AN AMPLIFICATION STAGE, (C) MEANS ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO VIABLE NERVES OF THE FACIAL NERVE SYSTEM OF A SUBJECT TO EFFECT A HIGH IMPEDANCE CAPACITIVE COUPLING BETWEEN SAID SIGNAL SOURCE AND SAID FACIAL SYSTEM OF THE SUBJECT, AND (C) MEANS ADAPTED TO EFFECT A HIGH IMPEDANCE CAPACITIVE FEEDBACK COUPLING BETWEEN THE BODY OF THE SUBJECT AND SAID SIGNAL SOURCE ON THE INPUT SIDE OF SAID AMPLIFICATION STAGE.