IMPLANTABLE HEARING ASSISTANCE APPARATUS AND CORRESPONDING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20160375243A1
• Filed: 03/22/2014
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: KULKARINI, Abhijit, ROEHRLEIN, Gerhard, LAUNER, Stefan, HARTLEY, Lee F., MISHRA, Lakshmi, PALMER, Logan P., DOWNING, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,195,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/67 Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/607 of earhooks

Abstract

Hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods that involve the use of distributed power.

Claims

1. A headpiece for use with an implanted cochlear stimulator, which includes a position element and data and power receiver apparatus, and an external sound processor that creates stimulation data, the headpiece comprising:

a housing;

a battery carried by the housing;

a magnet carried by the housing that is magnetically attracted to the position element; and

a data/power transmission apparatus adapted to receive stimulation data from the external sound processor, to transmit the received stimulation data to the cochlear stimulator, and to transmit power from the battery to the cochlear stimulator;

wherein the headpiece does not include sound processor circuitry.

2. A headpiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing defines a diameter no greater than three inches.

3. A headpiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a primary battery or a secondary battery.

4. A headpiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data/power transmission apparatus comprises a transmitter and a coil antenna.

5. A headpiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein data/power transmission apparatus is adapted to wirelessly receive stimulation data from the external sound processor.

6. A headpiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein data/power transmission apparatus is adapted to receive stimulation data from the external sound processor by way of a wired connection.

7. A hearing assistance system, comprising:

an implantable cochlear stimulator including a position element, receiver apparatus adapted to wirelessly receive power and stimulation data, an electrode array, and a stimulation processor operably connected to the receiver apparatus and to the electrode array;

a hearing assistance device including a battery, sound processor circuitry that converts electrical signals from a microphone into stimulation data, and a data communication apparatus configured to transmit the stimulation data; and

a headpiece including a battery, a magnet that is magnetically attracted to the position element, and a data/power transmission apparatus adapted to receive the stimulation data, to wirelessly transmit the received stimulation data to the cochlear stimulator receiver apparatus, and to wirelessly transmit power from the battery to the cochlear stimulator receiver apparatus.

8. A hearing assistance system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the implantable cochlear stimulator does not include a battery or sound processor circuitry.

9. A hearing assistance system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a speaker.

10. A hearing assistance system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the hearing assistance device does not transmit power to the headpiece.

11. A hearing assistance system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the hearing assistance device data communication apparatus and the headpiece data/power transmission apparatus are respectively configured to establish a wired link therebetween.

12. A hearing assistance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein wherein the data/power transmission apparatus comprises a transmitter and a coil antenna.

13. A hearing assistance system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the headpiece does not include sound processor circuitry.

14. A hearing assistance method, comprising the steps of:

transmitting stimulation data from an external hearing assistance device associated with a user'"'"'s head to a headpiece that is mounted on the exterior of the user'"'"'s head by way of magnetic attraction between the headpiece and a cochlear stimulator implanted within the user'"'"'s head;

wirelessly transmitting the stimulation data from the headpiece to the implanted cochlear stimulator;

wirelessly transmitting power stored in a battery of the headpiece to the implanted cochlear stimulator; and

electrically stimulating the user'"'"'s auditory nerve with the implanted cochlear stimulator in response to receipt of the stimulation data from the headpiece.

15. A hearing assistance method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of:

converting electrical signals from a microphone into the stimulation data with a sound processor located within the external hearing assistance device.

16. A hearing assistance method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of:

powering the implanted cochlear stimulator solely with power wirelessly received from the battery of the headpiece mounted on the exterior of the user'"'"'s head.

17. A hearing assistance method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the headpiece does not include sound processing functionality.

18. A hearing assistance method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of transmitting stimulation data comprises wirelessly transmitting stimulation data from the external hearing assistance device to the headpiece.

19. A hearing assistance method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of transmitting stimulation data comprises transmitting stimulation data from the external hearing assistance device to the headpiece by way of a wired link.

20. A hearing assistance system, comprising:

an implantable cochlear stimulator including a position element, receiver apparatus adapted to wirelessly receive power and stimulation data, an electrode array, and a stimulation processor operably connected to the receiver apparatus and to the electrode array;

a headpiece including a battery, a magnet that is magnetically attracted to the position element, and a data/power transmission apparatus adapted to receive the stimulation data, to wirelessly transmit received stimulation data to the cochlear stimulator receiver apparatus, and to wirelessly transmit power from the battery to the cochlear stimulator receiver apparatus;

a notification source that transmits a notification signal; and

a retransmission apparatus, including a data communication apparatus, that wirelessly receives the notification signal and wirelessly transmits stimulation data to the headpiece in response to receipt of the notification signal.

21. A hearing assistance system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the notification signal comprises one or more of an electronic representation of a notification sound, a trigger signal, and an audible notification.

22. A hearing assistance system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the head mountable power supply does not include sound processor circuitry.