Fully implantable cochlear implant system
First Claim
1. A fully implantable cochlear implant system, comprising:
- an implantable, hermetically-sealed, cochlear stimulator (ICS) unit (212), the ICS unit having electrical circuitry therein;
an implantable, hermetically-sealed speech processor (ISP) unit (210), the ISP unit having processing circuitry therein, the ISP unit further having a case on which a connector is mounted, the connector having a plurality of feedthrough terminals through which electrical contact may be made with the processing circuitry located inside of the ISP unit;
a power source (216) housed within the ISP unit for providing operating power for the cochlear implant system;
a cochlear electrode array (114) permanently connected to the ICS unit via a first multi-conductor cable (116) and adapted to be insertable into a human cochlea;
a second multi-conductor cable (222) having a first end permanently connected to the ICS unit, and having a second end detachably connected to the ISP unit through the connector mounted to the ISP case, whereby the ISP unit is wired to the ICS unit; and
a subcutaneous microphone (218);
wherein microphone signals sensed by the microphone are processed by the processing circuitry within the ISP unit, and stimulation signals representative of the sensed microphone signals are coupled to the electrical circuitry within the ICS unit, and wherein the electrical circuitry within the ICS unit responds to the received stimulation signals and generates stimulation pulses that are sent to the electrode array through the first cable for the purpose of electrically stimulating cochlear tissue in the vicinity of the array.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fully implantable cochlear implant system (170) and method includes an implantable cochlear stimulator (ICS) unit (212) that is connected to an implantable speech processor (ISP) unit (210). Both the ISP unit and the ICS unit reside in separate, hermetically-sealed, cases. The ICS unit has a coil (220) permanently connected thereto through which magnetic or inductive coupling may occur with a similar coil located externally during recharging, programming, or externally-controlled modes of operation. The ICS unit further has a cochlear electrode array (114) permanently connected thereto via a first multi-conductor cable (116). The ICS unit 212 also has a second multi-conductor cable (222) attached thereto, which second cable contains no more than five conductors. The second cable is detachably connected to the ISP unit via a connector (224) located on the case of the ISP unit. The ISP unit includes an implantable subcutaneous microphone (218) as an integral part thereof, and further includes ISP circuitry (214) and a replenishable power source (216), e.g., a rechargeable battery.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A fully implantable cochlear implant system, comprising:
-
an implantable, hermetically-sealed, cochlear stimulator (ICS) unit (212), the ICS unit having electrical circuitry therein;
an implantable, hermetically-sealed speech processor (ISP) unit (210), the ISP unit having processing circuitry therein, the ISP unit further having a case on which a connector is mounted, the connector having a plurality of feedthrough terminals through which electrical contact may be made with the processing circuitry located inside of the ISP unit;
a power source (216) housed within the ISP unit for providing operating power for the cochlear implant system;
a cochlear electrode array (114) permanently connected to the ICS unit via a first multi-conductor cable (116) and adapted to be insertable into a human cochlea;
a second multi-conductor cable (222) having a first end permanently connected to the ICS unit, and having a second end detachably connected to the ISP unit through the connector mounted to the ISP case, whereby the ISP unit is wired to the ICS unit; and
a subcutaneous microphone (218);
wherein microphone signals sensed by the microphone are processed by the processing circuitry within the ISP unit, and stimulation signals representative of the sensed microphone signals are coupled to the electrical circuitry within the ICS unit, and wherein the electrical circuitry within the ICS unit responds to the received stimulation signals and generates stimulation pulses that are sent to the electrode array through the first cable for the purpose of electrically stimulating cochlear tissue in the vicinity of the array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A fully implantable system comprising two implantable units, each unit having electrical circuitry therein that in combination performs a desired implant function, one of the units having a power source therein, one of the units having a coil attached thereto through which external power and control signals may be received;
- one of the units having an electrode attached thereto through which stimulation or sensing functions may be performed; and
a detachable cable electrically connecting the two units so that the power and data signals originating in one of the units may be shared with the other unit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- one of the units having an electrode attached thereto through which stimulation or sensing functions may be performed; and
-
19. A method of providing a fully implantable stimulation system comprising:
-
(a) partitioning the functions of the stimulation system into a plurality of functional groups;
(b) placing electrical circuitry associated with each functional group into separate, implantable, hermetically sealed cases;
(c) placing a power source in one of the implantable cases;
(d) attaching an antenna coil to another one of the implantable cases, wherein the antenna coil is adapted to receive power and data signals from a remote source;
(e) attaching a means for delivering stimulating pulses to body tissue to one of the implantable cases;
(f) implanting each of the implantable cases; and
(g) electrically coupling each of the implantable cases to at least one other of the implantable cases so that power and data may be shared between the electrical circuitry contained within the respective implantable cases;
whereby the circuitry and system components contained in or attached to each of the implantable cases combine to provide the desired implant function, thereby providing a fully implantable simulation system. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification