Data and power system based on CMOS bridge

• US 8,248,141 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Inventors: Zierhofer, Clemens M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DINH THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/399,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20090225576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 327306-307, 327/330, 327/333, 363/125
• US Class Current: 327/330
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/219 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/2195 the switches being synchronously commutated at the same frequency of the AC input voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A signal processing circuit includes an input inverter and an output inverter. Each inverter has a signal input for receiving an input rectangular signal, a signal output for providing an inverted output rectangular signal, and a pair of voltage outputs for developing a rectified dc output voltage. A first circuit input terminal is connected to the output of the input inverter and the input of the output inverter. A second circuit input terminal is connected to the input of the input inverter and the output of the output inverter, wherein the signal input terminals receive an input signal having a data component. A pair of supply voltage output terminals is connected to the voltage output terminals of the inverters for providing a rectified dc supply voltage output. A first circuit output terminal is connected to one of the supply voltage output terminals, and a second circuit output terminal connected to the second circuit input terminal, wherein the circuit output terminals provide an output signal including the data component.

Claims

1. A method of signal processing, the method comprising:

generating at a first component a rectangular wave form;

transmitting the rectangular wave form to a second component via a wired interface between the first component and the second component, the second component including a CMOS bridge rectifier; and

applying the rectangular wave form across a first input terminal and a second input terminal of the CMOS bridge rectifier, the CMOS bridge rectifier including a first output terminal and a second output terminal for providing a rectified power component, wherein a load is operatively coupled between the first and second output terminals, the load being substantially resistive, without a discrete parallel capacitor coupled between the first and second output terminals,

wherein the second component is implanted within a living body.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second component is implanted in a retina of the living body.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second component includes one or more electrodes, the method further comprising activating the one or more electrodes, and wherein activating the one or more electrodes is powered, at least in part, by the rectified power component.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first component is implanted within the living body.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first component is implanted behind an ear of the living body.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second components are part of a cochlear implant, and wherein the method includes implanting at least one of the first and second components in the living body.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second component includes a microphone and the first component includes one or more electrodes, the method further comprising:

powering the microphone using, at least in part, the rectified power component; and

activating the one or more electrodes so as to stimulate an acoustic nerve within the living body.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the CMOS bridge rectifier further includes output data terminals, wherein the rectangular wave form includes a data sequence, and wherein the data output terminals coupled to the CMOS bridge rectifier provide an output signal representative of the data sequence.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second components include one or more electrodes, the method further comprising:

activating the one or more electrodes to provide neural stimulation.

10. A system for signal processing, the system comprising:

a first component for generating and transmitting a rectangular wave form;

a second component including a CMOS bridge rectifier, the second component receiving the rectangular wave form from the first component via a wired interface between the first component and the second component, the CMOS bridge rectifier including a first input terminal and a second input terminal for receiving the rectangular wave form, the CMOS bridge rectifier further including a first output terminal and a second output terminal for providing a rectified power component, wherein a load is operatively coupled between the first and second output terminals, the load being substantially resistive, without a discrete parallel capacitor coupled between the first and second output terminals and the second component is implanted within a living body.

11. The system according to claim 10, second component is adapted for implantation in a retina of a living body, the second component including one or more electrodes, wherein the electrodes are activated using, at least in part, the rectified power component.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the first and second components are adapted to be part of a cochlear implant, the second component including a microphone powered, at least in part, by the rectified power component, the first component including an electrode array for stimulating the acoustic nerve.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the CMOS bridge rectifier further includes output data terminals, wherein the rectangular wave form includes a data sequence, and wherein the data output terminals coupled to the CMOS bridge rectifier provide an output signal representative of the data sequence.