Estimating flap thickness for cochlear implants
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling transmission to an implanted cochlear implant, the method comprising:
- collecting, at the implanted cochlear implant, a collection of measurement data indicative of amounts of electrical energy received by the implanted cochlear implant at different values of least one parameter affecting transmission to the cochlear implant;
comparing the collected measurement data with predetermined calibration data; and
controlling transmission to the cochlear implant based at least in part on a result of the comparison.
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Abstract
A flap thickness measurement system includes a reference cochlear stimulation system. The reference cochlear stimulation system includes a sound processor, a transmitter that transmits a telemetric signal, and a cochlear stimulator having a receiver that receives the telemetric signal and transmits a signal back to the transmitter. The system further includes one or more flap simulators having one or more known thicknesses that is positioned between the transmitter and receiver. Also included is a microprocessor that receives and processes data representative of tank voltage from the reference cochlear stimulation system.
151 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of controlling transmission to an implanted cochlear implant, the method comprising:
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collecting, at the implanted cochlear implant, a collection of measurement data indicative of amounts of electrical energy received by the implanted cochlear implant at different values of least one parameter affecting transmission to the cochlear implant; comparing the collected measurement data with predetermined calibration data; and controlling transmission to the cochlear implant based at least in part on a result of the comparison. - 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 method of obtaining calibration data for use in controlling transmission of electrical energy to a cochlear implant, the method comprising:
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transmitting energy at a first power level from a transmitter, across a first flap simulator having a first thickness, to a receiver and measuring energy received by the receiver at the receiver to thereby obtain a first set of calibration data; and transmitting energy at the first power level from the transmitter, across a second flap simulator having a second thickness different from the first thickness, to the receiver and measuring energy received by the receiver at the receiver to thereby obtain a second set of calibration data. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of obtaining calibration data for use in controlling transmission to a cochlear implant, the method comprising:
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obtaining two or more first measurements of tank voltage at a receiver, wherein the tank voltage characterizes energy transmission to the receiver across a flap simulator of a first thickness, wherein a different power level is applied with respect to each of the two or more first measurements; and obtaining two or more second measurements of tank voltage at the receiver, wherein the tank voltage characterizes energy transmission to the receiver across a flap simulator of a second thickness, wherein a different power level is applied with respect to each of the two or more second measurements, wherein the first thickness differs from the second thickness.
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21. A method of obtaining calibration data for use in controlling transmission to a cochlear implant, the method comprising:
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measuring, at the cochlear implant, an amount of electrical energy stored in the cochlear implant as a consequence of transmitting energy to the cochlear implant using a first stimulation load and a first power level; altering at least one of the first stimulation load and the first power level; and repeating the electrical energy storage measurement to determine a consequence of transmitting energy to the cochlear implant using the at least one altered value. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method of obtaining calibration data for use in determining flap thickness, the method comprising:
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transmitting energy to a receiver of a cochlear implant at a first power level across a flap simulator having a first thickness; and at the first power level, varying current across a range while collecting, at the cochlear implant, data characterizing a tank voltage of the cochlear implant. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A flap thickness measurement system comprising:
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a reference cochlear stimulation system comprising a sound processor, a transmitter that transmits a telemetric first signal, and a cochlear stimulator comprising a receiver that receives the first signal, a measurement system to measure an amount of energy received via the first signal, and a transmitter to transmit a second signal back to the transmitter, wherein the second signal characterizes the measured amount of energy; one or more flap simulators having one or more thicknesses, the flap simulators dimensioned to be positionable between the transmitter and receiver; and a microprocessor to receive and process data characterizing the amount of energy measured by the reference cochlear stimulation system. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification