Multichannel cochlear implant system including wearable speech processor
First Claim
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1. A system for electrically stimulating sensory nerves in the cochlea via electrically powered stimulating electrodes, said system including:
- a wearable speech processor comprising;
means for generating a plurality of channels of electrical information in response to an external audio stimulus,means for generating a power signal,means for transmitting said plurality of channels of electrical information and said power signal across the skin of a patient to an implantable device, and power means for providing operating power to said wearable speech processor; and
an implantable cochlear stimulator (ICS), said ICS comprising;
power receiving means for receiving said power signal from said power signal generating means of said wearable speech processor,feedback means for controlling the amount of power received by said ICS through said power signal,a plurality of storage means for storing an electrical charge from power received through said power receiving means,signal receiving means for receiving the plurality of channels of electrical information and converting the electrical information in each channel to a corresponding data signal, thereby providing a plurality of data channels, each containing data signals,an intracochlear electrode array comprising a plurality of cochlea-stimulating electrodes, andcoupling means for selectively coupling each cochlea-stimulating electrode of said electrode array to a respective one of said plurality of storage means and for sourcing an amount of current therefrom that varies as a function of the data signals present within a corresponding one of the plurality of data channels.
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Abstract
A tissue stimulating system including an external transmitter for transmitting data to an implanted stimulator including a processor for generating stimulation signals for application to a plurality of tissue stimulating electrodes. The processor selectively monitors the electrodes and/or voltages generated in the stimulator and generates stimulator status indicating signals for transmission to the external transmitter. The external processor receives and processes such status indicating signals.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for electrically stimulating sensory nerves in the cochlea via electrically powered stimulating electrodes, said system including:
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a wearable speech processor comprising; means for generating a plurality of channels of electrical information in response to an external audio stimulus, means for generating a power signal, means for transmitting said plurality of channels of electrical information and said power signal across the skin of a patient to an implantable device, and power means for providing operating power to said wearable speech processor; and an implantable cochlear stimulator (ICS), said ICS comprising; power receiving means for receiving said power signal from said power signal generating means of said wearable speech processor, feedback means for controlling the amount of power received by said ICS through said power signal, a plurality of storage means for storing an electrical charge from power received through said power receiving means, signal receiving means for receiving the plurality of channels of electrical information and converting the electrical information in each channel to a corresponding data signal, thereby providing a plurality of data channels, each containing data signals, an intracochlear electrode array comprising a plurality of cochlea-stimulating electrodes, and coupling means for selectively coupling each cochlea-stimulating electrode of said electrode array to a respective one of said plurality of storage means and for sourcing an amount of current therefrom that varies as a function of the data signals present within a corresponding one of the plurality of data channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for electrically stimulating sensory nerves in the cochlea comprising:
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a wearable processor comprising means for sensing external audio stimuli and generating a plurality of data signals in response thereto; a headpiece electrically connected to said wearable processor, said headpiece including a transmitting coil and a receiving coil; said wearable processor including means for generating a power signal that is modulated by said data signals, thereby producing a modulated power signal, and means for transmitting said modulated power signal through said transmitting coil to an implantable receiver coil; said wearable processor further including means for demodulating a telemetry signal received through said receiving coil in order to extract informational signals therefrom, said wearable processor further including means for responding to said informational signals so as to adaptively modify said data signals and power signal; and an implantable cochlear stimulator (ICS) that includes; receiver means for receiving said modulated power signal, said receiver means including said implantable receiver coil; data recovery means coupled to said receiver means for recovering the data signals that modulate said modulated power signal; power supply means coupled to said receiver means for recovering power contained within said modulated power signal and generating a plurality of operating voltages therefrom, said plurality of operating voltages providing power for the operation of said ICS; an intracochlear electrode array comprising a plurality of cochlea-stimulating electrodes; a plurality of output stage means, each comprising a storage capacitor, a current source connected to the storage capacitor, an electrode switching matrix, means responsive to a set of control signals for connecting the current source through the electrode switching matrix to at least one of the cochlea-stimulating electrodes included within said intracochlear electrode, and means for storing an isolated electrical charge on said storage capacitor, said stored electrical charge being obtained from said power supply, said current source including means for generating an electrical current of a specified amplitude and polarity as a function of the set of control signals; command decoder means for generating said set of control signals as a function of select data signals recovered by said data recovery means, which recovered data signals correspond to the data signals generated by said wearable processor, which data signals, in turn, are generated as a function of the sensed audio stimuli, whereby the cochlea-stimulating electrodes have electrical currents of a specified amplitude and polarity applied thereto as a function of the sensed audio stimuli; back telemetry means for sensing specified operating parameters associated with said power supply means, plurality of output stage means, and command decoder means, and for generating said informational signals as a function thereof, and further for generating said telemetry signal, modulating said telemetry signal with said informational signals, and transmitting said telemetry signal back to the receiving coil included within said headpiece. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification