Cochlear Limited

Saluda Medical Pty Limited

G2 Microsystems Pty. Ltd.

Peter Scott Single

Michael Goorevich

Derek Ian Darley

David K Money

Akira Nakazawa

Dean Michael Karantonis

Christopher Newton Daly

James Dalton

John Louis Parker

Milan Obradovic

Ibrahim Ibrahim

Robert Bruce Gorman

David Robinson

Ian Darley

James Hamilton Laird

Thomas Dejanovic

Kenneth R Dickson

Ivan Guelton

Peter Ayre

Michael Narayanan

Andrew Adams

This disclosure relates to implantable neuro stimulation devices with a feedback loop to control an amount of energy delivered into a neural tissue based on a measured evoked neural response. Stimulation electrodes deliver stimulation energy to neural tissue. A microprocessor performs closed-loop control of the stimulation energy based on a feedback signal that is indicative of an evoked neural response. A supervisor is connected to the feedback signal and detects malfunction of the stimulator based on the feedback signal. The supervisor is also connected to the stimulator to provide a status signal to the stimulator and changes the status signal to indicate malfunction upon detecting malfunction based on the feedback signal. The microprocessor adjusts the control of the stimulation energy in response to the status signal from the supervisor indicating malfunction.

Supervisor for implantable stimulation devices

This disclosure relates to a device for applying a neural stimulus. A battery supplies electrical energy at a battery voltage and an electrode applies the electrical energy to neural tissue. A circuit measures the nervous response of the tissue and a voltage converter receives the electrical energy from the battery and controls a voltage applied to the electrode based on the measured nervous response of the tissue. This direct voltage control is energy efficient because losses across a typical current mirror are avoided. Further, the control based on the measured nervous response leads to automatic compensation of impedance variation due to in-growth or change in posture. As a result, the stimulation results in a desired neural response.

Power efficient stimulators

A method for operating an external component of a cochlear implant hearing system. The external component includes a speech processor module operable in a stand-alone mode of operation and a body-worn mode of operation, and a protective case. The method includes operating the speech processor module in the stand-alone mode, determining when the speech processor module is mounted in the case, and operating the speech processor module in the body-worn mode in response to determining that the speech processor module is mounted in the case.

Transformable speech processor module for a hearing prosthesis

A cochlear implant system comprising an external component having an external speech processor unit, and an internal component. The speech processor unit monitors one or more parameters, and the speech processor unit is configured to reduce the power consumption of the cochlear implant system in the absence of one or more parameters.

External speech processor unit for an auditory prosthesis

The invention is a distributed implantable neuro-stimulation system, comprising an implant controller including control logic to transmit two time-varying power signals, varying between two levels and out of phase with the other, and a command signal modulated onto at least one of the power signals. One or more electrode cells, each having control logic to extract charge from the power signals and recover commands from the command signal. A two-wire bus interconnecting the implant controller and all the electrode cells, to carry one of the time varying signals in each of the two wires, and to carry the command signal.

Neuro-stimulation

A method of controlling charging of a battery () of a totally implantable auditory prosthesis and a control system () therefor. The method comprises determining a first charge related characteristic of the battery () such as the predetermined minimum amount of charge (), and a second charge related battery characteristic such as the preset charge level or charge rate of the battery (). The method further comprises detecting when a charge cycle of the battery () commences and monitoring where the charge level of the battery () is in relation to the first charge related battery characteristic when the charge cycle commences and adjusting the second charge related battery characteristic depending on the relationship between the charge level and the first charge related battery characteristic at the commencement of the charge cycle. The control system and method has the potential to increase the operational life of the battery ().

Battery life optimizer

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

An external component of a cochlear implant hearing system. The external component includes a speech processor module operable in a stand-alone mode of operation and a body-worn mode of operation, a protective case configured to have said speech processor module removably mounted therein; and an operational mode controller configured to determine when said speech processor module is mounted in said case and to place said speech processor module in said body-worn mode of operation when said module is mounted in said case.

Growing community of inventors

Lane Cove, Australia

Peter Scott Single