Cochlear Limited

Telectronics Pty. Limited

Telectronics N.v.

Other

Christopher Newton Daly

Akira Nakazawa

Paul Michael Carter

David K Money

Peter Scott Single

Ibrahim H Ibrahim

Hugh Joseph McDermott

Tony M Nygard

Peter Misha Seligman

Helmut Christian Eder

Loraine K Holley

Kerrie Plant

Anthony C Stephens

Michael S Hirshorn

Geoffrey A Drane

Steven M Maas

Norma L Gilli

Lorraine Holley

Ronald A Washington

James Loughman

Mary-Ann Law

Tony Mikeal Nygard

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an implantable medical device comprising: an implantable component, comprising an implantable memory module, configured to receive and store recipient-specific operating parameters in the implantable memory module, an external component, comprising an external memory module, configured to communicate with the implantable component to receive the recipient-specific operating parameters, and to configure the external component using the recipient-specific operating parameters, wherein the implantable medical device is configured to transfer the recipient-specific operating parameters upon operationally coupling the implantable component with the external component.

Configuration of implanted devices

System and method for configuring an external device using operating parameters from an implanted device

An external component of a cochlear implant system. The external component includes a support configured to house one or more electronic components and to be mounted to an outer ear of a recipient, and an external antenna configured to provide one or more of power and data signals from the electronic components to an implantable component of the cochlear implant system, wherein the external antenna is mounted to the support such that the external antenna moveable relative to at least a portion of the support.

Cochlear implant external component having a movable antenna

The invention provides a method of electrical artefact compensation in measurement of a neural response. The neural response is evoked by a first stimulus, after which a compensatory stimulus is applied in order to counteract a stimulus artefact caused by the first stimulus. The invention also provides for short circuiting the stimulating electrode subsequent to the first stimulus. A system for implementing such steps is also provided. The invention may be of application in measurement of physiological responses, including neural responses and in particular a neural response of the auditory nerve.

Minimization of electrical stimulus artifact during measurement of evoked neural response

An implantable component () of a cochlear implant system comprising a housing for a stimulator unit () that is adapted to output one or more stimulation signals and an electrode assembly () adapted to apply electrical stimulation in accordance with the output of the stimulator unit (). On implantation, the housing is positionable such that the electrode assembly () extends from the housing at least initially in a downward orientation toward the mastoid cavity before entering the cochlea. An external component (or) of a cochlear implant system comprising a support for mounting to the ear of an recipient and an external signal transmitter coil () wherein the signal transmitter coil () is movably mounted to at least a portion of the support.

Cochlear implant having a repositionable implantable housing

An arrangement for implanted medical devices in which the implant () includes certain parameters () stored in memory. Upon initialisation, these parameters are downloaded to the external component (). This allows for simpler changes to the external device, or for a generic external device to be used. A particular application is to Cochlear implants.

Cochlear implant having patient-specific parameter storage

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, methods and systems are disclosed for delivering a stimulating signal by a stimulating medical device having a plurality of electrodes. Such methods and systems comprise receiving a signal; filtering the received signal to obtain a plurality of band pass filtered signals; delivering to each electrode of a first group of one or more electrodes, a first set of stimulation signals, wherein the first set of stimulation signals comprises stimulations signals for each of a first group of two or more band pass filtered signals; and delivering to each of electrodes of a second group of one or more electrodes, a second set of stimulation signals, wherein the second set of stimulation signals comprises stimulations signals for each of a second group of one or more band pass filtered signals; and wherein the first set of stimulation signals are delivered at a different effective stimulation rate than the second set of stimulation signals.

Multiple channel-electrode mapping

A data link and protocol for a subcutaneous, tissue stimulating device. While stimulation is taking place, under control of pulses whose durations in a data frame determine the stimulation pulse widths, data is actually transmitted and processed for determining the parameters of the next stimulation. Thus transmission of data occurs simultaneously with stimulation. Data is represented by sequences which have more 1s than 0s, with each 1 being represent by a number of successive RF cycles and a single 0 by the absence of a number of RF cycles. In this way a duty cycle of 75% can be achieved so that required power is transferred to the implant. Variations in link condition, e.g., degree of ringing, are accommodated by means of offset tuning the transcutaneous transmit and receive coils. This ensures that the oscillating signal in the receive circuit that persists during the transmission of a 0 becomes out-of-phase with the RF transmission that is received for the next 1. The signal induced in the receive coil with the transmission of a new 1 cancels the out-of-phase ringing in the receive coil due to the earlier transmission, thereby causing the oscillation's amplitude to fall below a detection level to ensure the detection of an earlier transmitted 0 during the time that the next 1 is transmitted. A bit decoder is implemented that unambiguously recovers the number of 1s over a prescribed range of link transmission conditions.

Embedded data link and protocol

A multiprogrammable, telemetric, implantable defibrillator contains a high energy shock system to revert VT/VF's to normal sinus rhythm and a multi-programmable VVI bradycardia support system. When the apparatus is in an automatic shock sequence, there are two points of reconfirmation: at the programmed minimum time to shock and after the full charge has been reached, or at thirty seconds, whichever comes first. Reconfirmation involves testing the tachycardia detection output (TDO). If the TDO is high, reconfirmation occurs. If the TDO is low, reconfirmation will not occur and the device will subsequently dump the discharge. Two reconfirmations must occur before a shock is delivered to the patient. If the TDO is low at either reconfirmation, the charge will be dumped.

Reconfirmation prior to shock for implantable defibrillation

A magnetic field sensor including a resonant circuit having a coil. The resonant frequency varies with the strength of the magnetic field which passes through the coil. The resonant circuit is energized for approximately one-half cycle of the resonant frequency which characterizes the circuit in the absence of a magnetic field. During a sensing window of predetermined duration which then immediately follows, the voltage across the coil is examined for a zero crossing. A zero crossing will occur only in the presence of a magnetic field whose amplitude exceeds a threshold value.

Electronic sensor for static magnetic field

A combined telemetry system and magnetic field sensor for use in an implantable medical device. The telemetry system includes a conventional resonant circuit for transmitting and receiving data. The resonant circuit has a coil which is also used to sense the presence of a magnetic field exceeding a threshold value. The resonant frequency varies with the strength of the magnetic field which passes through the coil. Periodically, the resonant circuit is energized, and during a sensing window of predetermined duration which then immediately follows the voltage across the coil is examined for a predetermined number of zero crossings. That number of zero crossings will occur only in the presence of a magnetic field whose amplitude exceeds the threshold value. It is possible to achieve a sensitivity in such a system which is comparable to that of conventional miniature reed switches.

Use of telemetry coil to replace magnetically activated reed switch in

There is disclosed a bridge circuit which finds particularly advantageous use in medical prostheses which can be programmed externally and which can transmit telemetry signals. The entire circuit is implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit. Depending upon the values of two control bits, the bridge circuit functions to derive a powering potential from an externally transmitted signal, with or without regulation. Externally transmitted programming signals are detectable, and telemetry signals can be transmitted from the chip as well. There is no active switching of bridge devices during power rectification mode, and instead they are biased on continuously. This allows the rectifier to operate at carrier frequencies as high as several megahertz. All of this is achieved by using conventional CMOS processing techniques, without requiring any extra diffusion steps.

On-chip CMOS bridge circuit

A transmitter for a medical prosthesis which is highly efficient, and also permits rapid starting and stopping so that the same coil can be used for both transmission and reception without undue delays between the two modes of operation. During transmission, a tuned circuit, consisting of the coil and a capacitor, is pumped at a frequency equal to the resonant frequency. Transmission is concluded when almost all of the energy in the tuned circuit is in the form of a voltage across the capacitor and when the current through the inductor is approximately zero. This allows the inductor to be used immediately for reception. At the start of the next transmission cycle, the voltage which is maintained across the capacitor is used to initially energize the tuned circuit.

Efficient and fast-switching telemetry transmitter

There is disclosed an implantable tissue-stimulating prosthesis, such as a cochlear prosthesis, which can not only be implemented in single-chip form, but which also permits great flexibility in stimulation strategy and data transmission format. Only sixteen electrodes are required for stimulating fifteen different sites. Each site is stimulated by a biphasic pulse under control of two adjacent electrodes whose polarities are reversed in the middle of the site stimulation cycle. Although the transmission scheme requires a pulse-width modulation format, the precise form of the format can be varied in order to accommodate widely different stimulation strategies. For example, only a single site may be stimulated during each transmission frame or multiple sites may be stimulated during the same frame. Although only one site can be stimulated at any instant of time, the system cycling is so fast that 'simultaneous' site stimulations are perceived. The system is designed for minimum power usage, and its operation is fail-safe in that no site may be stimulated for longer than a pre-set time interval.

Implantable tissue-stimulating prosthesis

There is disclosed a pacemaker programmer for operation by a patient. The programmer can be pre-set by the physician to allow the patient to set his pacemaker in any one of a limited number of states, the states controllable by the patient being a sub-set of the set controllable by the physician with use of his conventional-type programmer. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, while the physician programmer can control eight different rates, the patient programmer can set only three of these ('exercise', 'awake' and 'sleep' values), the particular values being preselected by the physician.

Growing community of inventors

Bilgola Plateau, Australia

Christopher Newton Daly