The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 21, 2014
Filed:
May. 18, 2010
Wen H. Ko, Cleveland Heights, OH (US);
Darrin J. Young, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Rui Zhang, Cleveland Heights, OH (US);
Ping Huang, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Jun Guo, Solon, OH (US);
Xuesong YE, Zhejiang, CN;
Cliff A. Megerian, Shaker Heights, OH (US);
Wen H. Ko, Cleveland Heights, OH (US);
Darrin J. Young, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Rui Zhang, Cleveland Heights, OH (US);
Ping Huang, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Jun Guo, Solon, OH (US);
Xuesong Ye, Zhejiang, CN;
Cliff A. Megerian, Shaker Heights, OH (US);
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
A system and method for a Micro Electro-Mechanical System acoustic sensor, or MEMS acoustic sensor, to be used as an implanted microphone for totally implantable cochlear implants or middle ear implants is presented. The MEMS acoustic sensor comprises a coupler that attaches the sensor to an inner part of the ear, a MEMS acoustic sensor that converts acoustic vibrations into a change in capacitance, and a low-noise interface electronics circuit chip that detects the change in capacitance in the MEMS acoustic sensor, creates an signal representing a portion of the acoustic vibrations, and transmits the signal to one or more other devices, such as a cochlear implant. A method of fabrication enables the MEMS acoustic sensor to be fabricated as a small, less than 1 mm, light weight, less than 30 mg, device suitable for implantation on a structure of the middle ear.