# US 10,455,334 B2 · Signal amplifier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,455,334 B2 - Document ID: US10455334B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/791,706 - Filed: 2017-10-24 - Published: 2018-02-15 - Granted: 2019-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-19 - Assignees: Cochlear Limited - Applicants: Cochlear Limited - Inventors: Martin Evert Gustaf Hillbratt; Rune Stefan Oscarsson; Sören Ingemar Nilsson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455334B2 ## CPC - H04R 25/505: {using digital signal processing} - A61N 1/0541: {Cochlear electrodes} - A61N 1/36038: {Cochlear stimulation} - H03F 1/34: Negative-feedback-circuit arrangements with or without positive feedback (H03F1/02 - H03F1/30, H03F1/38 - H03F1/50, H03F3/50 take precedence {; for rejection of common mode signals H03F3/45479}) - H03F 3/187: in integrated circuits - H03F 3/211: {using a combination of several amplifiers (H03F3/60 takes precedence)} - H03F 3/2173: {of the bridge type} - H03F 2200/03: the amplifier being designed for audio applications - H03F 2200/429: Two or more amplifiers or one amplifier with filters for different frequency bands are coupled in parallel at the input or output - H04R 2225/59: Arrangements for selective connection between one or more amplifiers and one or more receivers within one hearing aid - H04R 2225/61: Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - H03F: AMPLIFIERS ## Abstract A hearing prosthesis circuit includes a power source, a first amplifier coupled to the power source, and a second amplifier coupled to the power source. The circuit also includes a stimulation component coupled to the first amplifier and the second amplifier. The stimulation component is configured to provide an output in accordance with an electrical signal that includes audio data. Further, the circuit includes a controller coupled to the first amplifier and the second amplifier. The controller is operable in accordance with a first operational setting to use the first amplifier to provide the electrical signal to the stimulation component and the controller is also operable in accordance with a second operational setting to use the second amplifier to provide the electrical signal to the stimulation component. Generally, the first amplifier provides greater signal amplification of the audio data than the second amplifier. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hearing prosthesis, comprising: at least one power source; at least one stimulation component; an output amplifier stage coupled between the at least one power source and the stimulation component, wherein the output amplifier stage is configured to operate in a first operating mode or a second operating mode, wherein in each of the first and second operating modes the output amplifier stage is configured to amplify an electrical signal that includes audio data and to provide the stimulation component with an amplified electrical signal enabling the at least one stimulation component to deliver stimulation to a recipient to evoke perception of the audio data; and a controller coupled to the output amplifier stage and configured to dynamically switch the output amplifier stage between the first and second operating modes, wherein amplification of the electrical signal is different in each of the first and second operating modes of the output amplifier stage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hearing prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically switch the output amplifier stage between the first and second operating modes based on a power output requirement associated with the at least one stimulation component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The hearing prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically switch the output amplifier stage between the first and second operating modes depending on whether the power output requirement is higher or lower than a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hearing prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically switch the output amplifier stage between the first and second operating modes based on one or more characteristics of the audio data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The hearing prosthesis of claim 4, wherein the first operating mode is a music setting selected by the controller when the audio data includes music signals and the second operating mode is a phone setting selected by the controller when the audio data includes audio signals received from a phone. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The hearing prosthesis of claim 4, wherein the first operating mode is selected by the controller when the audio data corresponds with a noisy environmental classification and the second operating mode is selected by the controller when the audio data corresponds with a quiet environmental classification. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The hearing prosthesis of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically switch the output amplifier stage between the first and second operating modes based on an amplitude of the audio data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hearing prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the first operating mode corresponds to a first hearing impairment and the second operating mode corresponds to a second hearing impairment, wherein the first hearing impairment is more severe than the second hearing impairment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hearing prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the output amplifier stage comprises first and second amplifiers, and wherein the controller is configured to use the first amplifier in the first operating mode to generate the amplified electrical signal or to use the second amplifier in the second operating mode to generate the amplified electrical signal, wherein the first amplifier provides greater amplification of the electrical signal than the second amplifier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The hearing prosthesis of claim 9, wherein the first amplifier comprises a combined step-up converter and class-D amplifier, and wherein the second amplifier comprises a separate class-D amplifier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The hearing prosthesis of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically switch, at approximately a zero crossing of the electrical signal, between using the first amplifier or the second amplifier to generate the amplified electrical signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The hearing prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the output amplifier stage comprises at least first and second amplifiers that operate in parallel, wherein the first amplifier is configured to amplify portions of the electrical signal that are below a threshold frequency, and a second amplifier that is configured to amplify portions of the electrical signal that are above the threshold frequency. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The hearing prosthesis of claim 12, wherein the output amplifier stage comprises one or more filter components preceding the first and second amplifiers, and wherein the one or more filter components are configured to filter the electrical signal into different frequency portions. ### Claim 14 A hearing prosthesis, comprising: at least one power source; at least one stimulation component; an output amplifier stage coupled between the at least one power source and the stimulation component, wherein the output amplifier stage comprises first and second amplifiers selectively useable to generate an amplified electrical signal from an input signal that includes audio data; and a controller dynamically operable in accordance with a first operational setting to use the first amplifier to generate the amplified electrical signal or operable in accordance with a second operational setting to use the second amplifier to generate the amplified electrical signal, wherein the first amplifier provides greater signal amplification of the electrical signal than the second amplifier. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The hearing prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically switch between the first and the second operational setting based on one or more characteristics of the audio data. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The hearing prosthesis of claim 15, wherein the first operational setting is a music setting and the second operational setting is a phone setting. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The hearing prosthesis of claim 15, wherein the first operational setting corresponds to a noisy environmental classification and the second operational setting corresponds to a quiet environmental classification. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The hearing prosthesis of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically switch between the first operational setting and the second operational setting based on an amplitude of the audio data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The hearing prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the first operational setting corresponds to a first hearing impairment and the second operational setting corresponds to a second hearing impairment, wherein the first hearing impairment is more severe than the second hearing impairment. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The hearing prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the first amplifier comprises a combined step-up converter and class-D amplifier, and wherein the second amplifier comprises a separate class-D amplifier. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The hearing prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically switch, at approximately a zero crossing of the input signal, between using the first amplifier or the second amplifier to generate the amplified electrical signal.