Cochlear Limited

Ibrahim Ibrahim

Tony M Nygard

Paul Michael Carter

David K Money

Peter Misha Seligman

Christopher Van Den Honert

Torsten Lehmann

Andy L Zhang

John Louis Parker

Peter Scott Single

L Andy Zhang

A method and system for charge imbalance compensation in a stimulating medical device is provided. The stimulating medical device includes at least one electrode contact configured for providing stimulation to a recipient. A charge imbalance compensation system in the stimulating medical device measures any residual charge remaining on the electrode contact that may result from an imbalance in the applied stimulation. If the measured residual charge exceeds a threshold, the charge imbalance compensation system causes a compensator current to be applied to reduce the residual charge. This residual charge may be measured by measuring a potential difference between the electrode contact and a reference electrode; or, by measuring a potential difference across a capacitor in-series with the electrode contact.

Active electrode state control system

A body stimulating device operatively adapted to provide electrical stimuli within a body, the device including stimulating electrodes, stimulus generator, and electrode voltage sensors, said electrode voltage sensors operatively measuring the DC/LF voltage of the electrodes, wherein if the sensors determine that the electrode voltage for an electrode is outside a predetermined range, then a compensating current is applied to that electrode, so as to reduce the voltage.

Active electrode state control system with current compensation to reduce residual DC/LF voltage

A totally implantable cochlear implant system forming a single implantable unit (). The unit () has an implantable power source () that provides the power requirements of the implantable unit (). The unit () also has an on board microphone () that detects external sounds, such as speech, and outputs acoustic signals representative of the detected sounds. The unit further includes speech processor circuitry () that directly receives the acoustic signals from the microphone () and converts the signals into stimulation signals representative of the detected sounds. An electrode array () suitable for insertion of the cochlea () of an implantee receives the stimulation signals and transmits electrical stimulations to the implantee's auditory nerve ().

Cochlear implant with deactivation system

A method and apparatus for determining a position of an external transceiver () relative to an implanted transceiver () comprising means () for measuring the strength of a magnetic field proximal to the external transceiver () and means for determining a position of the external transceiver () relative to the implanted transceiver () from said measured magnetic field strength. Furthermore there is disclosed is a method and apparatus for determining a skin flap thickness of a recipient of a prosthesis including a transcutaneous link between the external transceiver () and the implanted transceiver (). A skin-flap thickness meter is also provided.

Measurement of transmitter/receiver separation

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method for detecting a change in the performance of an audio signal processing path is disclosed. The method comprises: selecting a characteristic of a received audio signal indicative of its energy content; determining first and second predetermined values of the selected energy characteristic at respective first and second audio signal frequency bands; calculating a ratio of the first and second predetermined values for a reference time period and a test time period; and comparing the ratio at the reference time period with the ratio of the test time period to determine a performance change in the audio path.

Audio path diagnostics

The invention provides a tuned transmitter coil for transcutaneous transmission of power and information from an external component of an auditory prosthesis to an implanted receiver. A shield is provided in order to reduce a skin-to-coil capacitance, thereby improving tuning stability of the coil from one user to the next. A shield may also be provided in order to reduce electromagnetic interference.

Transceiver coil for auditory prosthesis

An implantable tissue-stimulating device comprising a carrier member having a plurality of electrodes mounted thereon, and at least one signal transmitting wire extending through at least a portion of the carrier member and adapted to transmit signals through the carrier member to and/or from the electrodes. The number of wires within the carrier member is less than the number of electrodes mounted thereon.

Multi-electrode cochlear implant system with distributed electronics

A transmission circuit for an RF inductive link, particularly for an implanted device such as a cochlear implant. In a preferred form, the transmission circuitincludes a transmitter coiland a damping device, including an auxiliary coiland switch. The switch is operated to close the coil circuit when data zeros are transmitted. This has the advantage of improving modulation depth without placing stress on the RF driver output switches.

Voltage overshoot protection

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a cable for communicably connecting a first component and a second component of a cochlear implant system is disclosed. The cable comprises: a first conductor for conducting at least one analog-domain signal; a second conductor for conducting at least one digital-domain signal; and at least one ground conductor electrically coupled to the first and second conductors.

Method for conducting signals in a medical device

In one embodiment of the present invention, an acoustic prosthesis is disclosed. The acoustic prosthesis comprises: an external speech processor unit comprising electronic components and a power source contained within a housing, wherein the power source provides power to the electronic components via a power line; and a magnetically-responsive switch disposed along the power line to switchingly connect the power source to the electronic components in response to the presence of a magnetic field.

Medical device with magnetically-responsive control switch

A totally implantable cochlear implant system forming a single implantable unit (). The unit () has an implantable power source () that provides the power requirements of the implantable unit (). The unit () also has an on-board microphone () that detects external sounds, such as speech, and outputs acoustic signals representative of the detected sounds. The unit further includes speech processor circuitry () that directly receives the acoustic signals from the microphone () and converts the signals into stimulation signals representative of the detected sounds. An electrode array () suitable for insertion of the cochlea () of an implantee receives the stimulation signals and transmits electrical stimulations to the implantee'auditory nerve ().

Cochlear implant

An auditory prosthesis includes an implanted component and an external component. The external component includes a transmitter for transmitting electromagnetic signals to the implanted component; means for detecting electromagnetic emissions of the transmitter; and means for indicating when the electromagnetic emissions of the transmitter have been detected.

Growing community of inventors

North Ryde, Australia

Ibrahim Ibrahim