Speech processor headpiece
First Claim
1. A headpiece for use with a cochlear implant, the headpiece comprising:
- a core component defining a bottom surface that faces the wearer'"'"'s head during use and a top surface that is smaller than the bottom surface, and including a sound processor, a microphone that is operably connected to the sound processor, a top surface aperture for the microphone, a magnet that is attracted to the cochlear implant, and a transmitter that transmits signals to the cochlear implant; and
a detachable power supply component, including at least one power source, configured to supply electrical power to the core component and to releasably engage the core component such that the entire core component bottom surface is not covered by the detachable power supply component;
wherein the core component and the power supply component together define a head-wearable headpiece that is not a behind-the-ear sound processor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cochlear implant system includes: an electrode array implanted within a cochlea; an internal processor in communication with the electrode array; an implanted antenna which is electrically coupled to the internal processor; and a modular external headpiece which is removably positioned over the implanted antenna, the modular external headpiece including a core containing a sound processor for processing sound and providing a corresponding signal to the implanted antenna; and a modular component configured to releasably engage the core and supply electrical power to the core. A modular speech processor headpiece includes a core comprising a microphone and sound processor for producing a signal representing ambient sound to be transmitted to a cochlear implant, the core further comprising a number of electrical contacts; and a modular component containing a number of electrical contacts corresponding to the electrical contacts of the core; wherein the core is configured to engage with the modular component such that electrical communication is made between the core and the modular component.
138 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A headpiece for use with a cochlear implant, the headpiece comprising:
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a core component defining a bottom surface that faces the wearer'"'"'s head during use and a top surface that is smaller than the bottom surface, and including a sound processor, a microphone that is operably connected to the sound processor, a top surface aperture for the microphone, a magnet that is attracted to the cochlear implant, and a transmitter that transmits signals to the cochlear implant; and a detachable power supply component, including at least one power source, configured to supply electrical power to the core component and to releasably engage the core component such that the entire core component bottom surface is not covered by the detachable power supply component; wherein the core component and the power supply component together define a head-wearable headpiece that is not a behind-the-ear sound processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A headpiece for use with a cochlear implant, the headpiece comprising:
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a core including a core housing that has a portion with a convex curved surface, a microphone a sound processor that processes signals from the microphone, and a transmitter that transmits processed signals to the cochlear implant, the microphone, the sound processor and the transmitter being located within the core housing, and a core electrical connector; a detachable power supply including a power supply housing that has a portion with a concave curved surface, at least one battery carried by the power supply housing, and a power supply electrical connector carried by the power supply housing; wherein the core and the detachable power supply are respectively configured such that an electrical connection is made between the core electrical connector and the power supply electrical connector when the concave surface is adjacent to the convex surface; and wherein the core housing and the power supply housing together define a head-wearable headpiece housing that is not a behind-the-ear sound processor housing. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A headpiece for use with a cochlear implant, the headpiece comprising:
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a core including a core housing, a microphone, a sound processor that processes signals from the microphone, and a transmitter that transmits processed signals to the cochlear implant, the microphone, the sound processor and the transmitter being located within the core housing, and a core electrical connector, a core magnet, wherein a portion of the core has a convex curved surface; and
a detachable power supply includinga power supply housing that has a portion with a concave curved surface, at least one battery carried by the power supply housing, and a power supply electrical connector carried by the power supply housing; wherein the core and the detachable power supply are respectively configured such that an electrical connection is made between the core electrical connector and the power supply electrical connector when the concave surface mates with the convex surface such that the convex surface is located inwardly of the concave surface and a curved intersection is defined therebetween; and wherein the core housing and the power supply housing together define a head-wearable headpiece housing that is not a behind-the-ear sound processor housing. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification