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Multichannel cochlear implant system including wearable speech processor

  • US 5,603,726 A
  • Filed: 02/26/1993
  • Issued: 02/18/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Term
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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