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US 4,400,590 AGranted
Apparatus for multichannel cochlear implant hearing aid system
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorRobin P. Michelson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hearing aid system using a pre-aligned, multichannel, intra-cochlear electrode array for electrically stimulating predetermined locations of the auditory nerve within the cochlea of the ear with selected frequency components of an external sound signal having magnitudes adjusted according to the requirements of the particular user.
Claims10
A hearing aid apparatus for electrical excitation of the cochlea of the ear, comprising:
- transducer means for converting an external audio signal into an electrical signal;
- amplifying means responsive to the electrical signal for producing an amplified signal;
- a plurality of filter means responsive to the amplified signal for separating the amplified signal into a plurality of frequency component signals and for selectively shaping the component signals;
- driver means responsive to the component signals for amplifying the component signals;
- a prealigned array of electrodes responsive to the amplified component signals and positionable within the cochlea of the ear for stimulating nerve endings within the cochlea in predetermined locations.
2 more elements
A hearing aid apparatus for electrical excitation of the cochlea of the ear, comprising:
- transducer means for converting an external audio signal into an electrical signal;
- amplifying means responsive to the electrical signal for producing an amplified signal;
- a plurality of filter means responsive to the amplified signal for separating the amplified signal into a plurality of frequency component signals and for selectively shaping the component signals;
- driver means responsive to the component signals for amplifying the component signals, wherein the driver means further comprise summing means for combining component signals supplied from the filter means;
- and
- a prealigned array of electrodes responsive to the combination of component signals and positionable within the cochlea of the ear for stimulating nerve endings within the cochlea in predetermined locations, and so that the combination of component signals is supplied to all electrodes of the electrode array.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.