Implantable electronic hearing aid

An electronic hearing aid device for aiding a person having a non-functioning inner ear comprising:

• receiver means for receiving an audio signal and converting said signal into an analog voltage signal;
• amplifier means connected to the receiver means for receiving said analog voltage signal and amplifying said signal;
• a plurality of frequency filter networks having an input connected to the output of said amplifier means for receiving said amplified analog voltage signal and separating said analog signal into frequency component signals having frequencies corresponding to a predetermined frequency range of each respective filter network;
• an analog-digital converter network connected to the output of each of said filter networks for receiving said analog frequency component signal therefrom and converting said frequency component signal into a digital component signal having a series of digital pulses of the same frequency as the analog frequency component signal;
• a pin connector member having a pin connection connected to an output of each analog-digital filter network for receiving said digital pulse signals;
• and
• a plurality of electrode members for being implanted adjacent portions of the nerve of the inner ear with the remote end of said electrodes being connected to each of said pin connections so that each component digital pulse signal will be applied at the same portion of the nerve normally accustomed to transmitting like signals in the normal hearing process for interpretation as sound.