Implantable auditory stimulation system and method with offset implanted microphones

An implantable auditory stimulation system, comprising:

• a plurality of microphones, including at least a first microphone, operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a first microphone output signal in response thereto, and a second microphone operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a second output signal in response thereto;
• a processor, operatively interconnected to said first microphone and to said second microphone, adapted to use said first microphone output signal and said second microphone output signal to generate a drive signal;
• and,
• an implantable auditory stimulation device, operatively interconnected to said processor, adapted to stimulate an auditory system of a patient in response to said drive signal, wherein said first microphone has a first predetermined minimum sensitivity across a first predetermined frequency range, wherein said second microphone has a second predetermined minimum sensitivity across a second frequency range, and wherein said first and second predetermined frequency ranges are at least partially non-overlapping,
• wherein said first microphone has a first predetermined minimum sensitivity of approximately −60 to −50 dBV/0.1 Pa across a first frequency range of 50 Hz to 3000 Hz, and wherein said second microphone has a second predetermined minimum sensitivity of approximately −60 to −50 dBV/0.1 Pa across a second predetermined frequency range of 1500 Hz to 10000 Hz.

An implantable auditory stimulation system, comprising:

• a plurality of microphones, including at least a first microphone, operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a first microphone output signal in response thereto, and a second microphone operative to transcutaneously receive acoustic signals and generate a second output signal in response thereto;
• a processor, operatively interconnected to said first microphone and to said second microphone, adapted to use said first microphone output signal and said second microphone output signal to generate a drive signal;
• an implantable auditory stimulation device, operatively interconnected to said processor, adapted to stimulate an auditory system of a patient in response to said drive signal;
• a flexible communication cable having an end that is one of interconnected to, and interconnectable to and disconnectable from, said processor;
• and
• a connector that is one of interconnected to, and interconnectable to and disconnectable from, another end of said flexible communication cable, wherein said connector includes a first port, and wherein said second microphone is selectively interconnectable to and disconnectable from said first port of the connector,
• wherein said first microphone has a first predetermined minimum sensitivity of approximately −60 to −50 dBV/0.1 Pa across a first frequency range of 50 Hz to 3000 Hz, and wherein said second microphone has a second predetermined minimum sensitivity of approximately −60 to −50 dBV/0.1 Pa across a second predetermined frequency range of 1500 Hz to 10000 Hz.