Low power signal transmission
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A low-power hearing system comprising:
- a first external signal processor for providing information to one of a hearing aid and an implant; and
a second external signal processor;
the second external signal processor capable of communicating with the first external signal processor via ultra wideband pulses,wherein at least one of the first external signal processor and the second external signal processor have a receiver for receiving ultra-wideband pulses, the receiver including;
a time-gated amplifier having an input, the amplifier for amplifying the pulses received at the input; and
a controller that synchronizes turning on of the time-gated amplifier with the possible receipt of pulses based, at least in part, on a pulse received at the input.
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Abstract
A low-power implant system. The system includes an implant for implantation into a person, such as a cochlear implant or a middle ear implant. The implant is capable of communicating with a device via transmission of ultra wideband pulses. The device may be adapted to be worn external to the person, or may be a second implant. So as to conserve battery power, the transmitted ultra wideband pulses may have a low duty cycle of approximately 1/1000 or less. Power savings may also be realized by using time-gating amplifiers in the implant and/or device receiver.
23 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A low-power hearing system comprising:
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a first external signal processor for providing information to one of a hearing aid and an implant; and a second external signal processor;
the second external signal processor capable of communicating with the first external signal processor via ultra wideband pulses,wherein at least one of the first external signal processor and the second external signal processor have a receiver for receiving ultra-wideband pulses, the receiver including; a time-gated amplifier having an input, the amplifier for amplifying the pulses received at the input; and a controller that synchronizes turning on of the time-gated amplifier with the possible receipt of pulses based, at least in part, on a pulse received at the input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of low-power communication for a hearing system, the method comprising:
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providing a first external signal processor that communicates with one of a hearing aid and a cochlear implant; providing a second external signal processor; transmitting ultra wideband pulses by one of the first external signal processor and the second external signal processor; receiving the pulses at an input to a time-gated amplifier of the other one of the first external signal processor and the second external signal processor, the amplifier for amplifying the pulses received at the input; and synchronizing turning on of the time-gated amplifier with the possible receipt of transmitted pulses based, at least in part, on a transmitted pulse received at the input. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification