Implantable hearing system having multiple transducers
First Claim
1. An apparatus for improving hearing, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of mechanical-to-electrical transducers adapted to be placed in a middle ear, including first and second mechanical-to-electrical transducers having substantially nonidentical respective first and second mechanical-to-electrical frequency responses, the first and second mechanical-to-electrical transducers each capable of receiving a mechanical vibration from an auditory element and transducing the mechanical vibration into respective first and second electrical signals;
an electronics unit, electrically coupled for receiving the first and second electrical signals from the first and second transducers; and
a programmer, adapted for communicative coupling to the electronics unit.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for improving a frequency response of a piezoelectric input or output transducer in an implantable hearing system. Multiple input or multiple output transducers obtain optimized mechanical-to-electrical or electrical-to-mechanical frequency response. Output mechanical coupling is directly to the inner ear, or through an ossicular element such as the malleus, stapes, or incus. Input mechanical vibrations are obtained from an auditory element such as the tympanic membrane, malleus, or incus. Substantially nonidentical frequency responses are obtained such as using transducers of different dimensions, different number of transducer elements, different material properties, different mounting techniques, or different auditory elements for coupling.
165 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An apparatus for improving hearing, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of mechanical-to-electrical transducers adapted to be placed in a middle ear, including first and second mechanical-to-electrical transducers having substantially nonidentical respective first and second mechanical-to-electrical frequency responses, the first and second mechanical-to-electrical transducers each capable of receiving a mechanical vibration from an auditory element and transducing the mechanical vibration into respective first and second electrical signals; an electronics unit, electrically coupled for receiving the first and second electrical signals from the first and second transducers; and a programmer, adapted for communicative coupling to the electronics unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for improving hearing, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of electrical-to-mechanical transducers adapted to be placed in a middle ear, including a signal driver for producing a first signal and a second signal, first and second electrical-to-mechanical transducers having respective first and second mechanical vibration frequency responses, the first electrical-to-mechanical transducer having a different mechanical vibration frequency response than the second electrical-to-mechanical transducer, the first and second electrical-to-mechanical transducers producing mechanical vibration frequency responses in response to respective first and second input electrical signals, the first and second electrical-to-mechanical transducers adapted to be coupled to an inner ear, thereby forming a combined output mechanical vibration comprising a superposition of the first and second mechanical vibration frequency responses; an electronics unit, electrically coupled for providing the electrical input signal to the transducers; and a programmer, adapted for communicative coupling to the electronics unit. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification