Capacitive input transducer for middle ear sensing

• US 6,190,306 B1
• Filed: 08/17/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Envoy Medical Corporation (Envoy Medical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: St Croix Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Kennedy, Joel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARMOR II, CHARLES ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/375,886
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 600/25, 607/55, 607/56, 607/57, 181/129, 181/130, 181/131, 181/132, 181/133, 181/134, 181/135
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• 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

Abstract

A hearing assistance system senses sound vibrations of an auditory element in the middle ear and provides a stimulus to an auditory sensory element. The vibrations are received through the tympanic membrane, and sensed at the tympanic membrane, malleus, incus, or other auditory element. A capacitive sensor is mechanically or magnetically coupled to a vibrating auditory element, such as the malleus, and time-varying capacitance values resulting from the vibrations are detected. One embodiment allows pivotable mechanical coupling of the capacitive sensor to at least one of the auditory element and a carrier secured within the middle ear. A resulting electrical output signal is provided to the output stimulator for assisting hearing.

Claims

1. An at least partially implantable hearing assistance system, comprising:

a capacitive sensor pivotably coupled to an auditory element for receiving vibrations therefrom and varying a capacitance value in response thereto;

an electronics unit, operatively interfaced with said capacitive sensor for processing a signal resulting from the varying capacitance value; and

an output stimulator, receiving a processed signal based on said varying capacitance value, and providing a resultant stimulus to an auditory element.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a programmer adapted for communicative coupling to said electronics unit.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said programmer is adapted for inductive coupling.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the programmer is adapted for radio-frequency coupling.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the programmer is adapted for infrared coupling.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the programmer is adapted for ultrasonic coupling.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the programmer is adapted for acoustic coupling.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the programmer is adapted for transdermal communication.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising an inductive element.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the inductive element is a coil.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the communicative coupling is bi-directional.

12. The programmer of claim 2, further comprising means for adjusting hearing assistance parameters.

13. The programmer of claim 12, wherein said hearing assistance parameters include parameters selected from the group consisting of on/off, standby mode, type of noise filtering, frequency response, volume, gain range, maximum power output, delivery of a test stimulus on demand, and any combination thereof.

14. The programmer of claim 12, wherein at least one of the hearing assistance parameters is adjustable by a patient.

15. The programmer of claim 12, wherein at least one of the hearing assistance parameters is adjustable by a physician.

16. The programmer of claim 2, further comprising means for hearing assistance parameter verification.

17. The programmer of claim 2, further comprising means for hearing assistance parameter diagnosis.

18. A method of transducing a mechanical vibration of an auditory element in a human ear into at least one electrical signal, the method comprising:

pivotably coupling a capacitive sensor to the auditory element for receiving vibrations thereby creating capacitance variations;

sensing the capacitance variations with an electronics unit, the electronics unit being disposed proximate a patient'"'"'s middle ear;

processing a resulting capacitance variation related electrical signal; and

sending the electrical signal to an electrical to vibrational transducer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronics unit has programmable parameters.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a programmer is adapted for communicative coupling to the electronics unit.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the programmer is adapted for electromagnetic coupling to the electronic unit.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the programmer is adapted for electro-optical coupling to the electronics unit.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the programmer is adapted for radio frequency coupling to the electronics unit.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the programmer is adapted for ultrasonic coupling to the electronics unit.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the programmer is adapted for acoustic coupling to the electronics unit.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the programmable parameters include parameters selected from the group comprising on/off, standby mode, type of noise filtering, frequency response, volume, gain range, maximum power output, delivery of a test stimulus on demand, and any combination thereof.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the parameters is programmable by a patient.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the parameters is programmable by a physician.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising communicatively coupling a programmer to the electronics unit.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising adjusting programmable parameters of the electronics unit via the programmer.