# US 8,788,051 B2 · Transcutaneous capacitive data link

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- Number: US 8,788,051 B2
- Document ID: US8788051B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/682,685
- Filed: 2012-11-20
- Published: 2013-03-28
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2004-10-28
- Assignees: Cochlear Limited
- Applicants: Lars Keuninckx
- Inventors: Lars Keuninckx
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788051B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/37217: {characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile}
- A61N 1/36038: {Cochlear stimulation}
- A61N 1/40: Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling (microwave apparatus A61N5/00); {Applying radio-frequency signals}
- H04B 5/22: Capacitive coupling
- H04B 5/26: using coils
- H04R 25/606: {acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)

## Abstract

An implantable medical device includes a transcutaneous capacitive data link circuit. The link circuit include: a first pair of capacitors each having an external electrode configured to be externally positioned on a recipient and an internal electrode configured to be internally positioned in the recipient; a first voltage driver having positive and negative terminals each connected to one of the external electrodes, and configured to generate a first voltage drive signal responsive to a first input control signal; and a first differential amplifier circuit connected to the internal electrodes, configured to generate a first output data signal representative of the first input control signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An implantable medical device, comprising:
a transcutaneous capacitive data link circuit comprising:
a first pair of capacitors each having an external electrode configured to be externally positioned on a recipient and an internal electrode configured to be internally positioned in the recipient;
a first voltage driver having positive and negative terminals each connected to one of the external electrodes, and configured to generate a first voltage drive signal responsive to a first input control signal; and
a first differential amplifier circuit connected to the internal electrodes, configured to generate a first output data signal representative of the first input control signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the data link circuit further comprises:
a second pair of capacitors each having an external electrode configured to be externally positioned on a recipient and an internal electrode configured to be internally positioned in the recipient;
a second voltage driver having positive and negative terminals each connected to one of the internal electrodes of the second pair of capacitors, and configured to generate a second voltage drive signal responsive to a second input control signal; and
a second differential amplifier circuit connected to the external electrodes of the second pair of capacitors, configured to generate a second output data signal representative of the second input control signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The implantable medical device of claim 2, wherein:
the second input control signal comprises telemetry signals generated by an implanted stimulator unit of the implantable medical device; and
the second output data signal is suitable for receipt by a speech processor unit of the implantable medical device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The circuit of claim 2, wherein the second differential amplifier circuit comprises:
a differential amplifier; and
a resistive network connected between the differential amplifier and the internal electrodes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein:
the first input control signal comprises a coded sound signal generated by a speech processor unit of an implantable medical device, and
the first output control signal is suitable for receipt by an implanted stimulator unit of the implantable medical device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the first differential amplifier circuit comprises:
a differential amplifier; and
a resistive network connected between the differential amplifier and the internal electrodes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein:
each capacitor of the first pair thereof includes opposing electrodes;
each electrode is substantially planar and has an axis substantially orthogonal thereto; and
for each capacitor, the axes of opposing electrodes thereof are substantially aligned with each other.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein:
the implantable medical device is an implantable auditory prosthesis.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The implantable medical device of claim 8, wherein:
the implantable auditory prosthesis is a cochlear implant.

### Claim 10

An implantable medical device, comprising:
a transcutaneous capacitive data link circuit comprising:
a first pair of capacitors each having an external electrode configured to be externally positioned on a recipient and an internal electrode configured to be internally positioned in the recipient;
first voltage driver means, having positive and negative terminals each connected to one of the external electrodes, for generating a first voltage drive signal responsive to a first input control signal; and
first differential amplifier means connected to the internal electrodes, for generating a first output data signal representative of the first input control signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The implantable medical device of claim 10, wherein the data link circuit further comprises:
a second pair of capacitors each having an external electrode configured to be externally positioned on a recipient and an internal electrode configured to be internally positioned in the recipient;
second voltage driver means having positive and negative terminals each connected to one of the internal electrodes of the second pair of capacitors, for generating a second voltage drive signal responsive to a second input control signal; and
second differential amplifier means connected to the external electrodes of the second pair of capacitors, for generating a second output data signal representative of the second input control signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein:
the second input control signal comprises telemetry signals generated by an implanted stimulator unit of an implantable medical device, and
the second output data signal is suitable for receipt by a speech processor unit of the implantable medical device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The implantable medical device of claim 10, wherein:
the first input control signal comprises a coded sound signal generated by a speech processor unit of an implantable medical device, and
the first output control signal is suitable for receipt by an implanted stimulator unit of the implantable medical device.

### Claim 14

A transcutaneous capacitive data link circuit comprising:
a first pair of capacitors each having an external electrode configured to be externally positioned on a recipient and an internal electrode configured to be internally positioned in the recipient;
a first voltage driver having positive and negative terminals each connected to one of the external electrodes, and configured to generate a first voltage drive signal responsive to a first input control signal; and
a first differential amplifier circuit connected to the internal electrodes, configured to generate a first output data signal representative of the first input control signal.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The circuit of claim 14, further comprising:
a second pair of capacitors each having an external electrode configured to be externally positioned on a recipient and an internal electrode configured to be internally positioned in the recipient;
a second voltage driver having positive and negative terminals each connected to one of the internal electrodes of the second pair of capacitors, and configured to generate a second voltage drive signal responsive to a second input control signal; and
a second differential amplifier circuit connected to the external electrodes of the second pair of capacitors, configured to generate a second output data signal representative of the second input control signal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The circuit of claim 15, wherein:
the second input control signal comprises telemetry signals generated by an implanted stimulator unit of a cochlear implant; and
the second output data signal is suitable for receipt by a speech processor unit of the cochlear implant.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The circuit of claim 15, wherein the second differential amplifier circuit comprises:
a differential amplifier; and
a resistive network connected between the differential amplifier and the internal electrodes.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The circuit of claim 14, wherein:
the first input control signal comprises a coded sound signal generated by a speech processor unit of a cochlear implant; and
the first output control signal is suitable for receipt by an implanted stimulator unit of the cochlear implant.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The circuit of claim 14, wherein the first differential amplifier circuit comprises:
a differential amplifier; and
a resistive network connected between the differential amplifier and the internal electrodes.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The circuit of claim 14, wherein:
each capacitor of the first pair thereof includes opposing electrodes;
each electrode is substantially planar and has an axis substantially orthogonal thereto; and
for each capacitor, the axes of opposing electrodes thereof are substantially aligned with each other.