Optical cochlear stimulation devices and methods
First Claim
1. A method of stimulating tissue, the method comprising:
- transmitting multiplexed light energy to the tissue to stimulate the tissue with the multiplexed light energy, wherein the multiplexed light energy is transmitted through an eardrum, andwherein the eardrum acts as a transmission medium for the transmitted multiplexed light energy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An output assembly is sized for placement in the middle and inner ear, such that removal of bone can be decreased. The output assembly may comprise at least one photo detector, a demultiplexer and an optical array sized to pass through an incision in the eardrum. An input transducer assembly is configured to transmit a multiplexed optical signal to the output assembly. The input assembly can be configured to transmit the multiplexed optical signal through the eardrum, such that tissue removal can be decreased and the device can be placed without removal of bone, for example. The multiplexed optical signal may comprise a pulse width modulated signal so as to decrease the effect of non-linearities of the light source and light detector and provide quality sound to the user.
339 Citations
80 Claims
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1. A method of stimulating tissue, the method comprising:
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transmitting multiplexed light energy to the tissue to stimulate the tissue with the multiplexed light energy, wherein the multiplexed light energy is transmitted through an eardrum, and wherein the eardrum acts as a transmission medium for the transmitted multiplexed light energy.
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2. A method of transmitting a sound to a user having an eardrum, the user having a cochlea comprising a tissue, the method comprising:
- transmitting a multiplexed optical signal to the tissue of the cochlea such that the user hears the sound in response to the multiplexed optical signal and wherein the multiplexed optical signal is transmitted through the eardrum, and
wherein the eardrum acts as a transmission medium for the transmitted multiplexed optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
- transmitting a multiplexed optical signal to the tissue of the cochlea such that the user hears the sound in response to the multiplexed optical signal and wherein the multiplexed optical signal is transmitted through the eardrum, and
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36. A system to stimulate tissue of a user having an eardrum and a middle ear, the system comprising:
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a plurality of openings configured for placement at least partially within the tissue; circuitry configured to receive a signal from a source; a least one light source coupled to the circuitry and configured to emit a multiplexed optical signal comprising a plurality of light pulses; and at least one waveguide configured to receive the multiplexed optical signal and pass light through the openings in response to the light pulses to stimulate the tissue; wherein the multiplexed optical signal is transmitted through the eardrum of the user to the at least one waveguide, the at least one waveguide affixed to the middle ear to receive the multiplexed optical signal transmitted through the eardrum, wherein the eardrum acts as a transmission medium for the multiplexed optical signal.
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37. A system to transmit an audio signal to a user having an eardrum and a middle ear, the system comprising:
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an optical array comprising a plurality of openings configured for placement at least partially within a cochlea of the user; circuitry configured to receive the audio signal from a sound source; at least one light source coupled to the circuitry and configured to emit a multiplexed optical signal comprising a plurality of light pulses; and at least one waveguide configured to receive the multiplexed optical signal and pass light through the openings in response to the light pulses; wherein the multiplexed optical signal is transmitted through the eardrum of the user to the at least one waveguide, the at least one waveguide affixed to the middle ear and coupled to the optical array positioned at least partially within the cochlea, and wherein the eardrum acts as a transmission medium for the multiplexed optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A method of providing a hearing prosthesis for a user, the method comprising:
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making an incision in an eardrum of the user, the eardrum comprising an annulus; and passing an optical array, at least one waveguide, and a demultiplexer through the incision; wherein the demultiplexer is placed to receive multiplexed light energy transmitted through the eardrum, and wherein the eardrum acts as a transmission medium for the multiplexed optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A device to stimulate tissue of a user having an eardrum, the device comprising:
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means for generating a multiplexed optical signal; means for transmitting the multiplexed optical signal through the eardrum, wherein the eardrum acts as a transmission medium for the transmitted multiplexed optical signal, and means for stimulating tissue in response to the optical signal.
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Specification