Patent · US Expired

Cochlear implant system for an auditory prosthesis

US4532930A · kind A · utility

489Cited by
2References
68Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 11, 1983
Grant dateAug 6, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 11, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/36039
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A cochlear implant system includes an electrode array (1) comprising multiple platinum ring electrodes in a silastic carrier to be implanted in the cochlea of the ear. A receiver-stimulator (3) containing a semiconductor integrated circuit and other components is implanted in the patient adjacent the ear to receive data information and power through tuned coil (5) using an inductive link (6) from a patient-wearable external speech processor (7) including an integrated circuit and various components which is configured or mapped to emit data signals from an EPROM programmed to suit each patient electrical stimulation perceptions through testing of the patient and his implanted stimulator/electrode using a diagnostic and programming unit (12) connected to the processor by an interface unit (10). The system allows use of various speech processing strategies including dominant spectral peak and amplitude and compression of voice pitch so as to include voiced sounds, unvoiced glottal sounds and prosodic information. Biphastic pulses are supplied to various combinations of electrodes by a switch controlled current sink in various modes of operation. In-place testing of the implant is als…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.