Advanced Bionics Corporation

Advanced Bionics Ag

Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research

Glen A Griffith

Michael Allen Faltys

Scott A Crawford

Carla Mann Woods

William Vanbrooks Harrison

R Tissa Karunasiri

Brian R Dearden

Douglas P Lynch

Tae W Hahn

Janusz A Kuzma

Lee F Hartley

Jeryle L Walter

Tracey L Kruger

Richard P Malmgren

Roger S Meier

Scott Kenneth Arfin

Frank Nigro

RTissa Karunasiri

An exemplary cochlear implant system includes a sound processor, a cochlear implant, and equalization circuitry integrated within the sound processor and/or the cochlear implant. The sound processor operates externally to a recipient and is associated with a sound processor coil. The cochlear implant includes a cochlear implant coil larger than the sound processor coil and that is configured to form a transcutaneous narrowband inductive link with the sound processor coil when the cochlear implant is implanted within the recipient. By way of the transcutaneous narrowband inductive link, the cochlear implant receives a forward telemetry signal incorporating power and forward telemetry data. The equalization circuitry facilitates recovery, by the cochlear implant, of the forward telemetry data from the forward telemetry signal by compensating for distortion introduced onto the forward telemetry signal as a result of bandwidth limitations imposed by the transcutaneous narrowband inductive link. Corresponding systems and devices are also disclosed.

Systems and devices for equalizing telemetry signals transmitted by way of a transcutaneous narrowband inductive link

A system includes electronic circuitry that receives a self-clocking differential signal comprising a data signal encoded with a clock signal at a dock frequency. The electronic circuitry is configured to recover, from the self-docking differential signal, the data signal and the dock signal. Then, based on the recovered dock signal, the electronic circuitry is configured to wirelessly transmit, to an implantable stimulator implanted within a recipient, a forward telemetry signal representing data recovered from the data signal. Corresponding systems, methods, devices, and application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for wirelessly transmitting power and data to an implantable stimulator

An integrated headpiece for a cochlear implant system includes a microphone for outputting an audio signal; signal processing electronics for processing the audio signal; and a transmitter for transmitting a processed audio signal received from the electronics to an implanted receiver. All of the microphone, signal processing electronics, and transmitter are disposed in a common housing of the integrated headpiece. The headpiece may also be one of a set of headpieces that can be alternatively used as needed to suit power consumption requirements or environmental conditions. Cochlear implant systems include a circuit board having electronic circuitry configured to generate one or more signals configured to direct electrical stimulation of one or more stimulation sites within a patient, an induction coil configured to transmit a telemetry signal by generating a telemetry magnetic field, and a telemetry flux guide positioned between the induction coil and the circuit board. The telemetry flux guide is configured to direct magnetic flux of the telemetry magnetic field away from the circuit board.

Cochlear implant headpiece

An exemplary cochlear implant assembly includes a cochlear implant configured to apply electrical stimulation to the recipient by way of an electrode array, a cochlear implant antenna communicatively coupled to the cochlear implant, and an encapsulant that covers the cochlear implant and the cochlear implant antenna, the encapsulant impregnated with a dielectric material that is configured to confine an electric field around the cochlear implant antenna. Corresponding methods for manufacturing cochlear implant assemblies are also described.

Cochlear implant assemblies and methods of manufacturing the same

A system includes an interface assembly and electronic circuitry. The interface assembly is configured to receive DC power and a self-clocking differential signal comprising a data signal encoded with a clock signal at a clock frequency. The electronic circuitry is configured to recover, from the self-clocking differential signal, the data signal and the clock signal at the clock frequency, and to generate, based on the recovered clock signal at the clock frequency, a synthesized clock signal at a carrier frequency. The electronic circuitry is also configured to use the synthesized clock signal to wirelessly transmit, to an implantable stimulator implanted within a recipient, AC power based on the DC power and forward telemetry data based on the recovered data signal. Corresponding systems, methods, and devices are also disclosed.

A headpiece for use with a cochlear implant includes a headpiece housing, a microphone within the headpiece housing, an induction coil within the headpiece housing that transmits audio signals to the cochlear implant, signal processing electronics, within the headpiece housing and operably connected to the microphone and to the induction coil, that generate stimulation parameters, and a rechargeable battery operably connected to the induction coil such that the induction coil provides energy to charge the rechargeable battery when the induction coil is inductively coupled to a transmitter coil through which current is passing.

A cochlear implant configured to be implanted within a patient may comprise an integrated circuit including a driver configured to generate a back telemetry signal encoded with information to be transmitted over a wireless communication link to a sound processor located external to the patient. The cochlear implant may also comprise a filter network that includes a first plurality of impedance components including a damping resistor, and a first and a second impedance component such as a capacitor or an inductor. The cochlear implant may also comprise an isolation network including a second plurality of impedance components configured to isolate, from the filter network and the driver, a forward telemetry signal received by the cochlear implant from the sound processor.

Efficient back telemetry transmission in cochlear implant systems

An inductive wireless power transfer and communication system includes an electrostatic shield for one of the coils. The electrostatic shield is inductively coupled with the coil and is configured as an open circuit. A signal processing element or elements, especially a modulator or a demodulator, are connected across the electrical discontinuity in the electrostatic shield. Because the electrostatic shield is inductively coupled to the coil, the modulator or demodulator can operate on the signal on the coil. A variable impedance element is connected across the electrical discontinuity in the electrostatic shield. Because the electrostatic shield is inductively coupled to the coil, the variable impedance element can tune the impedance of the system.

Inductive link coil de-tuning compensation and control

Systems and devices for a high-efficiency magnetic link for implantable devices are disclosed herein. These devices can include a charging coil located in the implantable device and a charging coil located in a charge head of a charger. The charging coils can each include an elongate core and wire windings wrapped around a longitudinal axis of the elongate core. The charging coil of the charge head can be attached to a rotatable mount, which can be used to align the longitudinal axis of the charging coil of the charge head with longitudinal axis of the implantable device such that the axes of the charging coils are parallel.

High efficiency magnetic link for implantable devices

A headpiece for use with a cochlear implant including a headpiece housing, a retention magnet within the headpiece housing that generates a retention magnetic field, the retention magnet including a bottom surface that faces the cochlear implant, a top surface opposite the bottom surface, and an outer radial surface between the top and bottom surfaces, an induction coil within the headpiece housing that transmits audio signals to the cochlear implant by generating a telemetry magnetic field, and a retention flux guide within the headpiece housing and adjacent to the top surface of the retention magnet.

An inductive wireless power transfer and communication system includes an electrostatic shield for one of the coils. The electrostatic shield is inductively coupled with the coil and is configured as an open circuit. A signal processing element or elements, especially a modulator or a demodulator, are connected across the electrical discontinuity in the electrostatic shield. Because the electrostatic shield is inductively coupled to the coil, the modulator or demodulator can operate on the signal on the coil.

Wireless power transfer and communications

An exemplary apparatus for use with an auditory prosthesis system includes a housing, a connector port disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to be communicatively coupled to an auxiliary audio input device, a telecoil disposed at least partially within the housing, and a multi-position switch disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to selectively enable the auxiliary audio input device and the telecoil. The auxiliary audio input device is enabled and the telecoil is disabled when the switch is in a first position, both the auxiliary audio input device and the telecoil are enabled when the switch is in a second position, and the telecoil is enabled and the auxiliary audio input device is disabled when the switch is in a third position. Corresponding apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Modular adapter assembly for telecoil and auxiliary audio input device mixing

An exemplary cochlear implant system includes a component that houses a circuit board comprising electronic circuitry that generates one or more signals, an induction coil that transmits the one or more signals by generating a telemetry magnetic field, and a telemetry flux guide positioned between and in direct contact with a top surface of the induction coil and a bottom surface of the circuit board.

Growing community of inventors

Newbury Park, CA, United States of America

Glen A Griffith