Wearable alarm system for a prosthetic hearing implant

• US 7,571,006 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2006
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Tankongchumruskul, Kiangkai, Jurkiewicz, Tadeusz, Leigh, Roger, Gordon, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman; Mark W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinga; Roland
• Application Number:
  US11/487,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20070055321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 607/55, 607/57, 607/60, 607/63
• US Class Current: 607/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37258 Alerting the patient

Abstract

A prosthetic hearing implant kit is disclosed. The prosthetic hearing implant kit comprises internal components configured to be implanted in a recipient and comprises an internal coil; external components configured to be worn by the recipient and comprises an external coil adapted to be inductively coupled with said internal coil; and an alert system having a second external coil and adapted to receive an external alarm and to transmit signals to said implanted components via said external coil for providing the recipient with a corresponding alarm indication.

Claims

1. A prosthetic hearing implant kit comprising:

internal components configured to be implanted in a recipient and comprising an internal coil;

external components configured to be worn by the recipient and comprising an external coil adapted to be inductively coupled with said internal coil; and

an alert system having a second external coil, the alert system adapted to receive and analyze one or more characteristics of an external signal and to transmit an alarm signal to said implanted components via said second external coil for providing the recipient with corresponding alarm indication when said alert system determines said external signal to constitute an alarm event based at least on the analysis of said one or more characteristics.

2. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 1, wherein said alert system comprises:

a wearable alarm module; and

an event detection module comprising at least one microphone and an FM wireless transmitter configured to transmit said external signal to said wearable alarm module;

wherein said wearable alarm module analyzes said one or more characteristics of said external signal and determines whether said external signal constitutes an alarm event.

3. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 2, wherein said characteristics comprise one or more of the group consisting of amplitude, frequency, and duration.

4. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 2, wherein said at least one microphone is configured for wide-angle, normal or directional sound pick up.

5. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 2, wherein said external signal is communicated to said alarm module by electrical, electronic or radio means.

6. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 1, wherein said alert system is adapted to transmit said alarm signals of limited predetermined types.

7. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 1, wherein said alarm signal correspond to specific stimulation signals for said prosthetic hearing implant.

8. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 6, wherein said alarm signal is transmitted to the prosthetic hearing implant as a predefined data sequence.

9. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 8, wherein said alert system is adapted for use with a cochlear implant, and the alarm signal corresponds to an instruction to apply any one of a constant amplitude stimulus sequence directed to one of the active electrodes, a sequence of pulses applied sequentially to a group of predefined electrodes, or a steady increase in the amplitude of the electrode stimulation.

10. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 1, wherein said external signal is an ambient sound signal.

11. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 1, wherein said external signal is selected from the group comprising one or more of a phone ring, an alarm clock, a smoke alarm, a doorbell, an intruder alarm, a baby monitor, or a sound having greater than a predetermined level.

12. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 1, wherein said alert system includes a transmitter module and a receiver module, wherein said transmitter module is adapted to transmit said alarm signals to the prosthetic hearing implant, and is removably held externally adjacent the prosthetic hearing implant.

13. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 12, wherein said receiver module is adapted to receive and transmit said external signal to said alarm module.

14. The prosthetic hearing implant kit of claim 1, further comprising:

a helmet adapted to be worn on the recipient'"'"'s head, said helmet comprising a rigid cover over a shock-absorbing material,

wherein said transmission coil is positioned inside said helmet.

15. The prosthetic implant kit of claim 14, wherein said transmission coil is positioned between said shock-absorbing material of said helmet and the recipient'"'"'s head.

16. The prosthetic implant kit of claim 14, wherein said transmission coil is a flexible printed circuit board.

17. The prosthetic implant kit of claim 16, wherein said transmission coil further comprises:

a flexible overmolding secured to the surface of the flexible printed circuit board.

18. The prosthetic implant kit of claim 14, wherein said transmission coil is positioned between said shock-absorbing material and said rigid cover of said helmet.

19. The prosthetic implant kit of claim 1, further comprising:

a protective headgear adapted to be worn on the head of the recipient,

wherein said transmission coil is fixed in position to the inside of said protective headgear.