TWO-WIRE MEDICAL IMPLANT CONNECTION

• US 20120116479A1
• Filed: 11/08/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Meskins, Werner, Nygard, Tony
• Application Number:
  US12/941,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20120116479A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A two-wire medical implant, method and system for transferring power and data over a two-wire connection between a first medical implant and a second medical implant. The second medical implant comprises a clamping circuit for extracting the data. In one form, the second medical implant also comprises a voltage multiplier which is formed in part by the clamping circuit. In one embodiment, the second medical implant also comprises a DC decoupling capacitor which forms a part of the clamping circuit. The medical implant and medical implant system may be used in a cochlear implant system.

Claims

1. A medical implant comprising:

a clamping circuit for extracting data received by the medical implant via a signal on a two-wire connection and for rectifying the received signal to provide a rectified signal.

2. A medical implant as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a power storage device for storing power from the rectified signal.

3. A medical implant as claimed in claim 1 wherein the clamping circuit forms part of a voltage multiplier circuit for multiplying the signal received on the two-wire connection.

4. A medical implant as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a DC decoupler and wherein the DC decoupler forms part of the clamping circuit.

5. A medical implant as claimed in claim 4 wherein the DC decoupler comprises at least one DC decoupling capacitor.

6. A medical implant as claimed in claim 5 wherein the clamping circuit comprises the at least one DC decoupling capacitor connected to a diode.

7. A medical implant as claimed in claim 3 further comprising at least one DC decoupling capacitor which forms part of the voltage multiplier.

8. A medical implant as claimed in claim 7 wherein the voltage multiplier comprises the at least one DC decoupling capacitor connected to a first diode and a second diode.

9. A medical implant as claimed in claim 8 wherein the voltage multiplier is a voltage doubler.

10. A medical implant as claimed in claim 1 wherein the signal uses Universal Asynchronous Receive Transmit (UART) protocol.

11. A medical implant as claimed in claim 10 wherein the signal is generated without line coding.

12. A medical implant as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a transformer interface to the two-wire connection.

13. A medical implant as claimed in claim 12 wherein the signal is encoded using Manchester coding.

14. A medical implant as claimed in claim 13 wherein the signal uses Universal Asynchronous Receive Transmit (UART) protocol.

15. A medical implant system comprising:

a first medical implant comprising;

a power source; and

a data source,

a two-wire connection between the first medical implant and a second medical implant for transmitting a signal comprising a power component and a data component between the first medical implant and the second medical implant; and

the second medical implant comprising; and

a clamping circuit for extracting data received by the second medical implant via the signal on the two-wire connection and for rectifying the signal to provide a rectified signal.

16. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a power storage device for storing power from the rectified signal.

17. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the clamping circuit forms part of a voltage multiplier circuit for multiplying the signal received on the two-wire connection.

18. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a DC decoupler and wherein the DC decoupler forms part of the clamping circuit.

19. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the DC decoupler comprises at least one DC decoupling capacitor.

20. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the clamping circuit comprises the at least one DC decoupling capacitor connected to a diode.

21. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 17 further comprising at least one DC decoupling capacitor which forms part of the voltage multiplier.

22. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the voltage multiplier comprises the at least one DC decoupling capacitor connected to a first diode and a second diode.

23. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the voltage multiplier is a voltage doubler.

24. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the signal uses Universal Asynchronous Receive Transmit (UART) protocol.

25. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 24 wherein the signal is generated without line coding.

26. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a transformer interface to the two-wire connection.

27. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the signal is encoded using Manchester coding.

28. A medical implant system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the signal uses Universal Asynchronous Receive Transmit (UART) protocol.

29. A cochlear implant system comprising:

an external component for receiving audio signals and for converting the received audio signals into control signals and for transmitting the control signals; and

an internal component for implantation in a user and for receiving the transmitted control signals and for generating stimulation signals in accordance with the received control signals, the internal component comprising;

a first medical implant comprising;

a power source; and

a receiver for receiving the control signals,

a two-wire connection between the first medical implant and a second medical implant for transmitting a signal comprising a power component and a data component corresponding to the control signals between the first medical implant and the second medical implant; and

the second medical implant comprising;

a clamping circuit for extracting data received by the second medical implant via the signal on the two-wire connection and for rectifying the signal to provide a rectified signal; and

a stimulator for stimulating the user in accordance with the stimulation signals.

30. A cochlear implant system as claimed in claim 29 wherein the second medical implant further comprises a power storage device for storing power from the rectified signal.

31. A cochlear implant system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the clamping circuit forms part of a voltage multiplier circuit for multiplying the signal received on the two-wire connection.

32. A cochlear implant system as claimed in claim 31 further comprising a DC decoupler and wherein the DC decoupler forms part of the clamping circuit.

33. A medical implant comprising:

a power storage device for storing power received by the medical implant via a signal on a two-wire connection; and

a clamping circuit for extracting data received by the medical implant via the signal on the two-wire connection.

34. A method of processing a signal comprising a data component and a power component on a two-wire connection of a medical implant, the method comprising:

receiving the signal on the two-wire connection;

rectifying the signal using a rectifier to extract the power component; and

clamping the signal using the rectifier to extract the data component.