Envoy Medical Corporation

Medtronic, Inc.

Paul R Mazanec

Timothy J Earnest

Joshua J Wibben

Benjamin R Whittington

David A Dinsmoor

Scott R Stanslaski

Erik J Peterson

Travis Michael Beckerle

Cochlear implant systems can include a cochlear electrode and a stimulator in electrical communication with the cochlear electrode. The stimulator can be in communication with a controller, which is in communication with a testing circuit and a switching network. The stimulator can include a plurality of source elements. The controller can control the switching network to place the plurality of source elements into communication with the testing circuit. The controller can further cause one of the plurality of source elements to emit an electrical current and can determine an amount of electrical current emitted from the source element using the testing circuit. The controller can compare the determined amount of electrical current emitted by the source element with a prescribed current. The controller can adjust the output of each of the plurality of source elements based on the determined amount of electrical current emitted by the stimulator.

Cochlear implant stimulation calibration

Cochlear implant systems can comprise an implantable subsystem comprising a cochlear electrode, a stimulator, a battery, and a first near field communication interface positioned subcutaneously proximate an ear canal. Cochlear implant systems can further comprise a removable earplug comprising a sensor, a second near field communication interface, and a signal processor. The removable earplug can be inserted into an ear canal to align the first and second near field communication interfaces. Once aligned, the battery can provide electrical power to the removable earplug via the near field communication interfaces. The signal processor can receive input signals from the sensor of the removable earplug and generate a stimulation signal representative of the auditory signals. The signal processor can communicate the stimulation signal to the stimulator via the near field communication interfaces.

Combination implant system with removable earplug sensor and implanted battery

Pairing systems for pairing external devices to a cochlear implant system can comprise an external housing and an external pairing system. The external housing may comprise a first surface and one or more compartments, each configured to house an external device capable of wirelessly interfacing with an implantable cochlear implant system. The external pairing device may comprise a second surface and one or more corresponding near field communication devices. The near field communication devices may be arranged such that the first surface of the external housing can be aligned with the second surface of the external pairing device in such a way that each of the near field communication devices aligns with a corresponding compartment of the external housing. The external pairing device can provide communication between a programming device and external devices contained within compartments of the external housing via one or more corresponding near field communication devices.

Programming of cochlear implant accessories

Cochlear implant systems can include a cochlear electrode, a stimulator in electrical communication with the cochlear electrode, a signal processor in communication with the stimulator, and an implantable battery and/or communication module. The signal processor can receive an input signal from an input source and output a stimulation signal to the stimulator based on the received input signal and a transfer function of the signal processor. The implantable battery and/or communication module may be configured to provide electrical power to the signal processor. The signal processor may include circuitry and a can surrounding and housing the circuitry as well as a first impedance between the circuitry and the can to reduce unintended electrical communication. The implantable battery and/or communication module may include circuitry and a can surrounding and housing the circuitry as well as a second impedance between the circuitry and the can to reduce unintended electrical communication.

Fully implantable modular cochlear implant system

A cochlear implant and analysis system includes a stimulator, an input source, a signal processor, a wireless communication interface, and an external device. The system can receive an acoustic stimulus, generate an input signal representative thereof, and apply a transfer function to the input signal to generate and output a stimulation signal to the stimulator. The signal processor can receive an analysis input indicating a first signal for analysis and generate an analysis signal based on the received analysis input. The first signal can be an input signal from an input source or a result of one or more processing steps. The signal processor can output the analysis signal to the wireless communication interface with the wireless communication interface configured to output a signal representative of the analysis signal to an external device.

Cochlear implant system with integrated signal analysis functionality

Cochlear implant systems can include a cochlear electrode, a stimulator in electrical communication with the cochlear electrode, a sensor configured to receive a stimulus signal and generate an input signal based on the received stimulus signal, and a signal processor in communication with the stimulator and the sensor. The signal processor can include an analog filtering stage configured to generate an analog filtered signal from a received input signal and a digital filtering stage configured to generate a digitally filtered signal from the analog filtered signal. The analog filtering stage and digital filtering stage can be used to normalize the frequency response of the digitally filtered signal with respect to the stimulus signal.

Implantable cochlear system with integrated components and lead characterization

Cochlear implant systems can include first and second subsystems, each subsystem including an input source, a signal processor, a stimulator, and a cochlear electrode. A single implantable battery and/or communication module can provide power to and communicate with each subsystem, such as via each signal processor. Systems can include separate leads providing separate communication between the implantable battery and/or communication module and each subsystem, or can include a bifurcated lead providing signals to both subsystems simultaneously. The implantable battery and/or communication module can be configured to output addressed signals designating for which subsystem a signal is intended. The implantable battery and/or communication module can be configured to separately update settings associated with each respective subsystem, such as a transfer function associated with each signal processor.

Cochlear implant systems can include an inner ear sensor configured to receive a stimulus signal from the cochlear tissue of a wearer and generate an input signal based on the received stimulus signal. The inner ear sensor can be configured to detect pressure, for example, within a wearer's cochlear tissue and generate an input signal based on the detected pressure. The inner ear sensor can be integrated with a cochlear electrode implanted in the cochlear tissue. Systems can include a signal processor programmed with a transfer function and configured to receive an input signal and output a stimulation signal based on the received input signal and transfer function. Systems can include an implantable battery and/or communication module in communication with the signal processor. The implantable battery and/or communication module can be configured to interface with and update the transfer function of the signal processor.

Implantable cochlear system with inner ear sensor

Cochlear implant systems can comprise a cochlear implant system comprising a cochlear electrode, a stimulator, an input source, and an implantable battery and/or communication module. The signal processor may be programmed with a transfer function and be configured to receive input signals from the input source and output a stimulation signal to the stimulator based on the received input signals with the transfer function. The system may be configured to receive a status indicator signal indicative of whether an external auditory aid device is active and update the transfer function of the signal processor if the external auditory aid device is active. For example, the signal processor can operate programmed with a first transfer function if the external auditory aid device is not active and with a second transfer function if the external auditory aid device is active.

Combination hearing aid and cochlear implant system

Cochlear implant systems can include a signal processor, an implantable battery and/or communication module, and a plurality of conductors coupling the implantable battery and/or communication module and the signal processor. The implantable battery and/or communication module can communicate data and deliver electrical power to the signal processor via the plurality of conductors. The implantable battery and/or communication module can be configured to perform characterization process to determine one or more characteristics of one or more such conductors. Characterization processes can include determining an impedance between two conductors as a function of frequency, determining whether a conductor is intact, and determining an impedance of a given conductor. Some characterization processes include grounding one or more conductors.

Systems including a rechargeable energy storage device can include a temperature sensor and a controller configured to receive temperature information representative of a temperature proximate the rechargeable energy storage device. The controller can be configured to receive or determine a second charging parameter associated with the charging of the rechargeable energy storage device, such as charging duration, and compare the temperature or the second parameter to a corresponding threshold. If the parameter associated with the charging the rechargeable energy storage device (e.g., charging duration and/or the temperature information) exceeds the corresponding threshold, the controller can reduce the amount of electrical current provided to the rechargeable energy storage device during charging. This can enable charging the rechargeable energy storage device at a maximum rate without exceeding thermal dose safety standards associated with charging the rechargeable energy storage device.

Predicting a cumulative thermal dose in implantable battery recharge systems and methods

Cochlear implant systems can comprise a cochlear implant system comprising a cochlear electrode, a stimulator in electrical communication with the cochlear electrode, a return electrode, and one or more controllers. The cochlear electrode can include a first contact electrode and the stimulator can include a first source element in electrical communication with the first contact electrode. The one or more controllers can be configured to cause the stimulator to emit a predetermined current from the first source element to the return electrode via a first current path and determine a first voltage at the first contact electrode and a second voltage at the return electrode. The one or more controllers can determine an impedance associated with the first current path and determine one or more stimulation parameters, such as a compliance voltage for sourcing a prescribed current, for the source element based on the determined impedance.

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Ham Lake, MN, United States of America

Paul R Mazanec