Identifying hearing prosthesis actuator resonance peak(s)
First Claim
1. A method for identifying one or more resonance peaks of an actuator of an auditory prosthesis configured to deliver mechanical stimulation to a recipient, comprising:
- applying a test voltage to the actuator at a plurality of frequencies over an operational frequency range of the actuator to cause actuation of the actuator;
measuring at least one of a voltage across the actuator or a current through the actuator for each of the applied test voltages at the plurality of frequencies;
analyzing the measured values to identify at least one resonance peak of the actuator;
generating a driver signal based on the identified at least one resonance peak; and
providing the driver signal based on the identified at least one resonance peak to the actuator thereby to cause a hearing percept by the recipient, whereinthe actuator is configured to move in a reciprocating manner to output vibrations to evoke a hearing percept by the auditory prosthesis, andmeasuring at least one of the voltage or the current comprises;
at least one of;
obtaining a signal from opposite sides of the actuator;
orobtaining a signal from opposite sides of an electrical component in series with the actuator; and
at least one of obtaining a difference of the signals from opposite sides of the actuator or obtaining a difference of the signals from opposite sides of the electrical component in measuring the voltage or current.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An auditory prosthesis comprising an actuator for providing mechanical stimulation to a recipient. The auditory prosthesis comprises a measurement circuit for use in determining the resonance peak(s) of the actuator. In an embodiment, the measurement circuit measures the voltage drop across the actuator and/or current through the actuator during a frequency sweep of the operational frequencies of the actuator. These measured voltages and/or currents are then analyzed for discontinuities that are indicative of a resonance peak of the actuator. In another embodiment, rather than using a frequency sweep to measure voltages and/or currents across the actuator, the measurement circuit instead applies a voltage impulse to the actuator and then measure the voltage and/or current across the actuator for a period of time after application of the impulse. The measured voltages and/or currents are then analyzed to identify resonance peak(s) of the actuator.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for identifying one or more resonance peaks of an actuator of an auditory prosthesis configured to deliver mechanical stimulation to a recipient, comprising:
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applying a test voltage to the actuator at a plurality of frequencies over an operational frequency range of the actuator to cause actuation of the actuator; measuring at least one of a voltage across the actuator or a current through the actuator for each of the applied test voltages at the plurality of frequencies; analyzing the measured values to identify at least one resonance peak of the actuator; generating a driver signal based on the identified at least one resonance peak; and providing the driver signal based on the identified at least one resonance peak to the actuator thereby to cause a hearing percept by the recipient, wherein the actuator is configured to move in a reciprocating manner to output vibrations to evoke a hearing percept by the auditory prosthesis, and measuring at least one of the voltage or the current comprises; at least one of; obtaining a signal from opposite sides of the actuator;
orobtaining a signal from opposite sides of an electrical component in series with the actuator; and at least one of obtaining a difference of the signals from opposite sides of the actuator or obtaining a difference of the signals from opposite sides of the electrical component in measuring the voltage or current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for identifying one or more resonance peaks of an actuator of an auditory prosthesis configured to apply mechanical stimulation to a recipient, the method comprising:
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applying a voltage impulse to the actuator to cause actuation of the actuator; measuring, over a duration of time, at least one of the voltage across the actuator or a current through the actuator; analyzing the measured values to identify at least one resonance peak of the actuator; generating a signal using the identified at least one resonance peak; and providing the generated signal based on the at least one resonance peak to the actuator to cause actuation of the actuator to cause a hearing percept by the recipient, wherein the voltage impulse comprises a driving signal; and the method further comprises; substantially blocking flow of the driving signal to the actuator after the voltage impulse is applied such that; substantially no drive signal reaches the actuator for a period of time longer than the voltage impulse was applied. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An auditory prosthesis comprising:
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an actuator configured to apply mechanical stimulation to a recipient to cause a hearing percept by the recipient; a driver configured to provide a signal to the actuator to cause actuation of the actuator; a measurement circuit configured to measure at least one of a voltage across the actuator or a current through the actuator; a control circuit configured to direct the driver to apply a test voltage to the actuator at a plurality of frequencies over an operational frequency range of the actuator; wherein the measurement circuit is configured to measure at least one of a voltage across the actuator or a current through the actuator for each of the applied test voltages at the plurality of frequencies; wherein the control circuit is further configured to; analyze the measured values to identity at least one resonance peak of the actuator; generate a driver signal based on the identified at least one resonance peak; and to direct the driver to apply the driver signal based on the identified at least one resonance peak to the actuator thereby to cause a hearing percept by the recipient, wherein, the actuator is configured to move in a reciprocating manner to output vibrations to evoke a hearing percept by the auditory prosthesis, and the measurement circuit is configured to measure at least one of the voltage or the current by; at least one of; obtaining a signal from opposite sides of the actuator;
orobtaining a signal from opposite sides of an electrical component in series with the actuator; and at least one of obtaining a difference of the signals from opposite sides of the actuator or obtaining a difference of the signals from opposite sides of the electrical component in measuring the voltage or current. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An auditory prosthesis comprising:
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an actuator configured to apply mechanical stimulation to a recipient to cause a hearing percept by the recipient; a driver configured to provide a signal to the actuator to cause actuation of the actuator; a measurement circuit configured to measure at least one of a voltage across the actuator or a current through the actuator; a control circuit configured to direct the driver to apply a voltage impulse to the actuator; and wherein the measurement circuit is configured to measure the voltage over a duration of time; wherein the control circuit is further configured to analyze the measured values to identify at least one resonance peak of the actuator; wherein the control circuit is configured to use the identified at least one resonance peak in directing the driver to generate and provide a signal to the actuator to cause actuation of the actuator to cause a hearing percept by the recipient, wherein the voltage impulse comprises a driving signal, and the prosthesis is configured to substantially block flow of the driving signal to the actuator after the voltage impulse is applied such that substantially no drive signal reaches the actuator for a period of time longer than the voltage impulse was applied. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification