Partially inserted cochlear implant
AssigneeMED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
InventorsClemens M. Zierhofer, Erwin S. Hochmair, Ingeborg J. Hochmair
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cochlear implant system has a signal processor that fits in the ear canal of a user. The signal processor processes an acoustic signal present in the ear of the user to produce a representative radio signal. A power transmitter transmits an electrical power signal through the skin of the user. A cochlear implant receives the radio signal and the electrical power signal and produces for the auditory nerve of the user an electrical stimulation signal representative of the acoustic signal.
Claims19
A signal processing device for a cochlear implant, the device comprising:
- a device body that fits into the ear canal of a user, the device body containing:
- (i) a microphone that converts an acoustic signal present at the device body into a representative electrical signal;
- (ii) a signal processor that performs signal processing of the representative electrical signal to form a cochlear implant signal;
- and
- (iii) a transmitter that converts the cochlear implant signal into a radio signal for transmission to a cochlear implant.
A cochlear implant system comprising:
- a signal processor that fits in the ear canal of a user and processes an acoustic signal present in the ear of the user to produce a representative radio signal;
- a power transmitter that transmits an electrical power signal through the skin of the user;
- and
- a cochlear implant that receives the radio signal and the electrical power signal and produces for the auditory nerve of the user an electrical stimulation signal representative of the acoustic signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.