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US 10,594,163 B2Granted
Acoustical battery charging
AssigneeCochlear Limited
InventorsDan Nyström, Henrik Sunnerud
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Presented herein are techniques for acoustically charging an implantable rechargeable battery. In accordance with embodiments presented herein, a sound sensor is implanted in a recipient and is configured to detect sound signals. The sound sensor is configured to convert the detected sound signals into electrical signals that can be used to charge the implantable rechargeable battery.
Claims26
An implantable auditory prosthesis, comprising:
- a sound processor;
- at least one rechargeable battery;
- battery charging circuitry configured to charge the at least one rechargeable battery;
- a piezoelectric sensor configured to convert acoustic sound signals received at an ear of a recipient into electrical signals;
- and
- adaptive forwarding circuitry configured to selectively deliver the electrical signals generated from the acoustic sound signals to one of the battery charging circuitry or the sound processor,
- wherein the electrical signals are associated with different sound frequencies, and wherein the adaptive forwarding circuitry comprises a frequency filter subsystem configured to provide electrical signals associated with at least a first range of sound frequencies to the battery charging circuitry and to provide electrical signals associated with at least a second range of sound frequencies to the sound processor.
4 more elements
An implantable auditory prosthesis, comprising:
- at least one rechargeable battery;
- battery charging circuitry configured to charge the at least one rechargeable battery;
- an implantable sound sensor configured to convert acoustic sound signals into electrical signals;
- a sound processor;
- and
- circuitry configured selectively deliver portions of the electrical signals generated from the acoustic sound signals to the sound processor or to the battery charging circuitry for use in charging the at least one rechargeable battery.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- detecting, at an implantable sound sensor, vibration of an auditory element of an ear of a recipient of an implantable auditory prosthesis, wherein the vibration is generated in response to acoustic sounds entering an outer ear of the recipient;
- converting, by the implantable sound sensor, the vibration of the auditory element into electrical signals;
- providing, with implantable circuitry, at least a portion of the electrical signals to battery charging circuitry based on a status of the implantable auditory prosthesis;
- and
- at the battery charging circuitry, using the at least portion of the electrical signals to recharge at least one rechargeable battery.
2 more elements
An implantable auditory prosthesis, comprising:
- a sound processor;
- at least one rechargeable battery;
- battery charging circuitry configured to charge the at least one rechargeable battery;
- a piezoelectric sensor configured to convert acoustic sound signals received at an ear of a recipient into electrical signals;
- and
- adaptive forwarding circuitry configured to selectively deliver the electrical signals generated from the acoustic sound signals to one of the battery charging circuitry or the sound processor,
- wherein the electrical signals are associated with different sound amplitudes, and wherein the adaptive forwarding circuitry comprises an amplitude filtering subsystem configured to provide electrical signals associated with sound amplitudes that are above a predetermined threshold to the battery charging circuitry and to provide electrical signals associated with sound amplitudes that are below the predetermined threshold to the sound processor.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- detecting, at an implantable sound sensor, vibration of an auditory element of an ear of a recipient of an implantable auditory prosthesis, wherein the vibration is generated in response to acoustic sounds entering an outer ear of the recipient;
- converting, by the implantable sound sensor, the vibration of the auditory element into electrical signals;
- providing, with implantable circuitry, at least a portion of the electrical signals to battery charging circuitry based on attributes of the acoustic sounds;
- and
- at the battery charging circuitry, using the at least portion of the electrical signals to recharge at least one rechargeable battery.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.