Active vibration attenuation for implantable microphone

• US 7,775,964 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otologics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Otologics, LLC
• Inventors: Miller, Scott Allan III
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk; John P
• Application Number:
  US11/330,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 600/25, 381312-331, 381 711- 717
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/016 for microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/67 Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window

Abstract

The invention is directed to an implanted microphone having reduced sensitivity to vibration. In this regard, the microphone differentiates between the desirable and undesirable vibration by utilizing at least one motion sensor to produce a motion signal when an implanted microphone is in motion. This motion signal is used to yield a microphone output signal that is less vibration sensitive. In a first arrangement, the motion signal may be processed with an output of the implantable microphone transducer to provide an audio signal that is less vibration-sensitive than the microphone output alone. Specifically, the motion signal may be scaled to match the motion component of the microphone output such that upon removal of the motion signal from the microphone output, the remaining signal is an acoustic signal.

Claims

1. A method for use in an implantable hearing system for generating a system model to match an output response of a motion sensor to at least a portion of an output response of an implanted microphone, comprising:

operating an implanted auditory stimulation device;

first sampling a microphone output response of an implanted microphone during operation of said implanted auditory stimulation device;

second sampling a motion sensor output response of a motion sensor during operation of said implanted auditory stimulation device; and

generating a system model of a relationship of said microphone output response and said motion sensor output response.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing said system model to alter at least a first characteristic of subsequent motion sensor output responses thereby generating altered motion sensor output responses.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

combining said altered motion sensor output responses with microphone output responses to generate combined output responses.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein combing comprises subtracting said altered motion sensor output responses from said microphone output responses to generate net output responses.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating said system model comprises generating a model of ratios of said output responses.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said model of ratios is generated for a plurality of ratios of said output responses at a plurality of different frequencies.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said model of ratios comprises a mathematical function approximating said plurality of ratios.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said mathematical function comprises an IIR filter function.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

implementing said IIR filter function as an IIR digital filter to alter subsequent motion sensor output responses, thereby generating filtered motion sensor output responses.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

combining said filtered motion sensor output responses from microphone output responses to generate combined output responses.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein combining comprises subtracting said filtered motion sensor output responses from said microphone output responses.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring said IIR digital filter for instability.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein upon identifying instability of said IIR digital filter, resetting coefficients of said IIR digital filter to predetermined values.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said first sampling and said second sampling are performed for a common time period.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first and second sampling are performed simultaneously.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second sampling each comprise taking a plurality of data samples for each said output response.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transforming said data samples to generate frequency domain data, wherein said frequency domain data is utilized to generate said system model.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said generating step further comprises:

transcutaneously transmitting said plurality of data samples form an implanted sampling device to an external processing device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said system model is generated by said external processing device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transcutaneously transmitting said system model from said external processor to an implanted storage device.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said plurality of data samples are taken for a desired frequency range.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said desired frequency range is between about 0 Hz and about 10,000 Hz.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said desired frequency range is between about 100 Hz and about 8000 Hz.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein operating said implanted auditory stimulation device further comprises:

providing a known signal to said implanted auditory stimulation device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said known signal is provided transcutaneously.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said known signal is provided from an implanted memory structure associated with said implanted auditory stimulation device.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein providing said known signal comprises providing a maximum length sequence (MLS) signal.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein operating said implanted auditory stimulation device comprises operating an electromechanical transducer for mechanical stimulation of one of a middle ear auditory component and an inner ear auditory component.

29. A method for use in an implantable hearing system for generating a system model to match an output response of a motion sensor to at least a portion of an output response of an implanted microphone, comprising:

measuring, in response to a common stimulation, first and second output responses of an implanted microphone and a motion sensor, respectively;

generating a relationship model of said first and second output responses; and

implementing said relationship model as a filter to adjust subsequent output responses of one of said implanted microphone and said motion sensor.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

generating ratio information associated with ratios of the first and second output response; and

utilizing said ratio information to generate said relationship model.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

transforming said first and second output responses to produce first and second frequency domain responses, respectively, and utilizing said frequency domain responses to generate said relationship model.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein generating a relationship model comprises fitting a digital filter function to said ratio information over a predetermined frequency range.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprises selecting a first set of coefficients for said digital filter function, wherein said first set of coefficients correspond to a first relationship model of said first and second output responses to a first common stimulation.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising, selecting at least a second set of coefficients for said digital filter function, wherein said at least a second set of coefficients correspond to a second relationship model of said first and second output responses to at least a second common stimulation.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

adaptively selecting between available sets of filter coefficients based on current operating conditions of said implantable hearing system.

36. A method for use in an implantable hearing system for matching an output response of a motion sensor to at least a portion of an output response of an implanted microphone, comprising:

measuring first and second outputs of an implanted microphone and a motion sensor, respectively, in response to the operation of an implanted auditory stimulation device;

using said first and second outputs to generate a digital filter indicative of a relationship of frequency responses of the implanted microphone and the motion sensor; and

implementing said digital filter to filter subsequent outputs of said motion sensor to produce filtered outputs.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein:

said first output measures feedback transmitted through a first tissue path between said implanted auditory stimulation device and said implanted microphone; and

said second output measures feedback transmitted through a second tissue path between said implanted auditory stimulation device and said motion sensor.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said first and second tissue paths are substantially the same tissue path.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

removing said filtered outputs from subsequent outputs of said implanted microphone.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

operating said implantable auditory stimulation device in response to a known drive signal, wherein said first and second outputs are measured during operation of said implantable auditory stimulation device in response to said known drive signal.

41. A method for use in an implantable hearing system for generating a system model to match an output response of a motion sensor to at least a portion of an output response of an implanted microphone, comprising:

measuring first and second output responses of an implanted microphone and a motion sensor, respectively, to a common stimulation source;

generating a first and second ratios of the first output responses to the second output responses for first and second frequency ranges, respectively;

utilizing said first and second ratios to adjust subsequent output responses of said motion sensor for said first and second frequency ranges, respectively.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

generating a plurality of ratios of the first output responses to the second output responses for a corresponding plurality of frequency ranges.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein utilizing said ratios to adjust subsequent output responses comprises:

using said ratios to substantially match said subsequent output responses of said motion sensor, in response to a stimuli, to subsequent output responses of said implanted microphone to said stimuli.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein after adjustment, said subsequent output responses of said motion sensor are removed from said subsequent responses of said implanted microphone.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein generating said ratios comprises a sub-band processing of said first and second output responses.

46. An implantable hearing system operative to match an output response of a motion sensor to at least a portion of an output response of an implanted microphone for noise cancellation purposes, comprising:

a microphone adapted for subcutaneous positioning and being operative to receive signals including motion and acoustic components and generate microphone output responses;

a motion sensor operative to receive signals including motion components and generate a motion sensor output responses;

a digital filter adapted to utilize a ratio of said microphone output responses and said motion sensor output responses to generate a transfer function, wherein said digital filter is operative to apply said transfer function to said motion sensor output responses to produce filtered motion sensor output responses; and

a summation device for combining said filtered motion sensor output responses and said microphone output responses and generating a net output response,

an implantable auditory stimulation device operative to stimulate an auditory component of a patient in accordance with said net output response.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said digital filter comprises an IIR digital filter.

48. The system of claim 46, further comprising:

a digital signal processor, wherein said digital signal processor receives said net output response and further processes said not output response prior to said net output response being provided to said implantable auditory stimulation device.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein said auditory stimulation device comprises a mechanical actuator for physically stimulating said auditory component.