Implantable auditory stimulation system and method with offset implanted microphones
First Claim
1. An implantable auditory stimulation system, comprising:
- a plurality of microphones, including at least a first microphone, operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a first microphone output signal in response thereto, and a second microphone operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a second output signal in response thereto;
a processor, operatively interconnected to said first microphone and to said second microphone, adapted to use said first microphone output signal and said second microphone output signal to generate a drive signal; and
,an implantable auditory stimulation device, operatively interconnected to said processor, adapted to stimulate an auditory system of a patient in response to said drive signal, wherein said first microphone has a first predetermined minimum sensitivity across a first predetermined frequency range, wherein said second microphone has a second predetermined minimum sensitivity across a second frequency range, and wherein said first and second predetermined frequency ranges are at least partially non-overlapping,wherein the first and second predetermined minimum sensitivities are sensitivities corresponding to a specified output signal having a given signal-to-noise ratio for an input having a given magnitude.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved implantable auditory stimulation system includes two or more implanted microphones for transcutaneous detection of acoustic signals. Each of the implanted microphones provides an output signal. The microphone output signals may be combinatively utilized by an implanted processor to generate a signal for driving an implanted auditory stimulation device. The implanted microphones may be located at offset subcutaneous locations and/or may be provided with different design sensitivities, wherein combinative processing of the microphone output signals may yield an improved drive signal. In one embodiment, the microphone signal may be processed for beamforming and/or directionality purposes.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An implantable auditory stimulation system, comprising:
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a plurality of microphones, including at least a first microphone, operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a first microphone output signal in response thereto, and a second microphone operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a second output signal in response thereto; a processor, operatively interconnected to said first microphone and to said second microphone, adapted to use said first microphone output signal and said second microphone output signal to generate a drive signal; and
,an implantable auditory stimulation device, operatively interconnected to said processor, adapted to stimulate an auditory system of a patient in response to said drive signal, wherein said first microphone has a first predetermined minimum sensitivity across a first predetermined frequency range, wherein said second microphone has a second predetermined minimum sensitivity across a second frequency range, and wherein said first and second predetermined frequency ranges are at least partially non-overlapping, wherein the first and second predetermined minimum sensitivities are sensitivities corresponding to a specified output signal having a given signal-to-noise ratio for an input having a given magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An implantable auditory stimulation system, comprising:
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a plurality of microphones, including at least a first microphone, operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a first microphone output signal in response thereto, and a second microphone operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a second output signal in response thereto; a processor, operatively interconnected to said first microphone and to said second microphone, adapted to use said first microphone output signal and said second microphone output signal to generate a drive signal; and
,an implantable auditory stimulation device, operatively interconnected to said processor, adapted to stimulate an auditory system of a patient in response to said drive signal, wherein said first microphone has a first predetermined minimum sensitivity across a first predetermined frequency range, wherein said second microphone has a second predetermined minimum sensitivity across a second frequency range, and wherein said first and second predetermined frequency ranges are at least partially non-overlapping, wherein said first microphone has a first predetermined minimum sensitivity of approximately −
60 to −
50 dBV/0.1 Pa across a first frequency range of 50 Hz to 3000 Hz, and wherein said second microphone has a second predetermined minimum sensitivity of approximately −
60 to −
50 dBV/0.1 Pa across a second predetermined frequency range of 1500 Hz to 10000 Hz. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An implantable auditory stimulation system, comprising:
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a plurality of microphones, including at least a first microphone, operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a first microphone output signal in response thereto, and a second microphone operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a second output signal in response thereto; a processor, operatively interconnected to said first microphone and to said second microphone, adapted to use said first microphone output signal and said second microphone output signal to generate a drive signal; an implantable auditory stimulation device, operatively interconnected to said processor, adapted to stimulate an auditory system of a patient in response to said drive signal; a flexible communication cable having an end that is one of interconnected to, and interconnectable to and disconnectable from, said processor; and a connector that is one of interconnected to, and interconnectable to and disconnectable from, another end of said flexible communication cable, wherein said connector includes a first port, and wherein said second microphone is selectively interconnectable to and disconnectable from said first port of the connector, wherein said first microphone has a first predetermined minimum sensitivity of approximately −
60 to −
50 dBV/0.1 Pa across a first frequency range of 50 Hz to 3000 Hz, and wherein said second microphone has a second predetermined minimum sensitivity of approximately −
60 to −
50 dBV/0.1 Pa across a second predetermined frequency range of 1500 Hz to 10000 Hz. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification