| Otologics, LLC Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20110243350 | LOW NOISE ELECTRET MICROPHONE - An electret microphone having reduced noise due to reduced leakage current is provided. The microphone includes a flexible diaphragm, and sensor member disposed in opposing, spaced relation to the diaphragm and comprising a semi-conductor channel. At least one electret surface, comprised of a dielectric material having a permanently-embedded static electric charge, is disposed on one of the diaphragm and the sensor member. In turn, the semi-conductor channel of the sensor member has an electrical conductivity dependent upon relative movement of the diaphragm and support member responsive to acoustic signals incident upon the diaphragm, wherein the channel provides an output signal indicative of the acoustic signals. The electret surface may be disposed on the diaphragm. Alternatively, the electret surface may be disposed on the sensor member in spaced, face-to-face relation to an electrically conductive surface located on the diaphragm. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110200222 | IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONE WITH SHAPED CHAMBER - An implantable microphone is disclosed having an external diaphragm and housing that forming chamber capable of being pressurized by deformational movement of the diaphragm induced by pressure waves (e.g., acoustic signals) propagating through overlying tissue. The chamber is shaped such that the volume of the chamber upon deflection of the diaphragm is reduced compared to a static volume of the chamber (i.e., volume of the chamber with no diaphragm deflection). As a result, the change in pressure within the chamber for a given diaphragm displacement is greater than it would be within a chamber having a cylindrical volume, leading to greater microphone sensitivity. In one arrangement, the chamber is shaped such that it is deeper at its center than at its edges, for example, to form a conical or paraboloidal volume. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20100318167 | NEUROSTIMULATION ELECTRODE ARRAY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE - An implantable neurostimulation electrode array may include a flexible, electrically non-conductive carrier, and a plurality of electrodes supportably interconnected to and spaced along a length of a carrier. In various embodiments, different ones of at least some of the plurality of electrodes may comprise corresponding contact surfaces having different areas. The different surface areas may be achieved by defining a different area per unit length of the carrier and/or by defining a different total length (e.g. as measured along a length of the carrier). In some embodiments, insulator portions having different corresponding lengths may be disposed between different adjacent ones of the electrodes. The insulated portions may be integrally defined with the carrier. Electrical connection lines may be embedded within the carrier. In a manufacturing method, a plurality of electrodes may be supportably interconnected to a first side of a sacrificial substrate and a carrier may be interconnected to the electrodes. In turn, at least a portion of the substrate may be removed from the electrodes to yield at least a partially completed electrode array. The substrate may be configured into a predetermined configuration wherein the carrier material may be formed within an internal volume thereof to define at least a portion of the configuration of the carrier of the electrode array. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100317913 | IMPLANTABLE AUDITORY STIMULATION SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH OFFSET IMPLANTED MICROPHONES - An improved implantable auditory stimulation system includes two or more implanted microphones for transcutaneous detection of acoustic signals. Each of the implanted microphones provides an output signal. The microphone output signals may be combinatively utilized by an implanted processor to generate a signal for driving an implanted auditory stimulation device. The implanted microphones may be located at offset subcutaneous locations and/or may be provided with different design sensitivities, wherein combinative processing of the microphone output signals may yield an improved drive signal. In one embodiment, the microphone signal may be processed for beamforming and/or directionality purposes. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100272287 | PATTERNED IMPLANTABLE ELECTRET MICROPHONE - An implantable microphone that includes a hermetically-sealed, enclosed volume and an electret member and back plate disposed with a space therebetween and capacitively coupleable to provide an output signal indicative of acoustic signals incident upon at least one of the electret member and back plate. At least one of the electret member and the back plate may include a plurality of laterally offset portions located in corresponding spatial relation to a plurality of laterally offset regions including the lateral extent of the space. The output signal may be at least one of weighted and weightable in relation to the plurality of laterally offset portions. The electret member may include the plurality of laterally offset portions, and the laterally offset portions may include at least one positively charged dielectric material portion and at least one negatively charged dielectric material portion. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100268313 | REFERENCE ELECTRODE APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR NEUROSTIMULATION IMPLANTS - An implantable apparatus and method are provided for use in conjunction with an implantable neurostimulation signal generator that provides an electrical stimulation signal to an active electrode. In auditory stimulation applications, the apparatus includes at least one anchor member having a distal end portion for directly contacting a patient's cranial bone and an electrically conductive portion extending from the distal end portion to a contact location proximal to the distal end portion. An electrical connection line may be electrically interconnected at a first end to the contact location of the anchor member and electrically interconnected at a second end to an implantable auditory neurostimulation signal generator to define a reference electrode. A bracket member may be mounted to a patient's cranial bone utilizing the anchor member, wherein an electrically conductive pathway extends from a first contact location to a second contact location of the bracket member. The first contact location may selectively contact the contact location of the anchor member and the second location of the bracket member may be adapted for electrical interconnection to the electrical connection line. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100076520 | NEUTRALLY BUOYANT IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONE - An implantable device such as a microphone that may be subcutaneously positioned in surrounding soft tissue. The implantable device may include a hermetically-sealed housing and a diaphragm that forms a portion of an outside surface of the housing. The microphone has a density that is no more than 110% of a density of the surrounding soft tissue. In one arrangement, the device may move in at least substantial unison with the surrounding soft tissue in response to a pressure or compression wave propagating through the soft tissue and being received at the device. In another arrangement, the device may include a filler that may be operable to alter the density of the device. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100069997 | NEUROSTIMULATION APPARATUS - An output stage for an auditory neurostimulation electrode and related system arrangements and methods are provided. The output stage is operable to effect a plurality of stimulation and discharge intervals, and includes a stimulation channel and a discharge channel coupled to the electrode, wherein a stimulation current and a discharge current may flow therethrough during the corresponding stimulation intervals and discharge intervals. The output stage also includes a controller that is operable to selectively control the flow of current through the stimulation channel and the discharge channel during the stimulation and discharge intervals. Further, one of the stimulation channel and the discharge channel couples the electrode to a single voltage supply, and the other of the stimulation channel and the discharge channel couples the electrode to a reference potential node. The output stage is intrinsically capable of maintaining an equilibrium of charges and does not require any complex control means to equilibrate the charges on the electrode. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100042119 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SECURING SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANTED DEVICES - A system for reducing subcutaneous migration of an implantable device or housing relative to surrounding soft tissue. For instance, the implantable housing may support a microphone diaphragm. The system includes at least one securement member having at least one aperture extending therethrough that may selectively receive one of a soft tissue securement device (e.g., soft tissue suture) and soft tissue growth therethrough. The securement member is at least one of interconnected to and disposable over at least a portion of the housing and at least one of extends away from and is selectively extendable away from a periphery of the housing. In one arrangement, at least one mesh member may be optionally included with the system that may allow for tissue growth to enhance securement of the implanted device relative to the soft tissue. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20090287277 | IMPLANTABLE NEUROSTIMULATION ELECTRODE INTERFACE - An implantable neurostimulation electrode interface and related system arrangements and methods are provided. The implantable interface may include at least a first stimulation signal channel for receiving a first electrode stimulation signal and a plurality of electrode signal channels electrically interconnected or interconnectable to a plurality of electrodes for neurostimulation. The interface may further include a router electrically interconnected to the first stimulation signal channel and to the plurality of electrode signal channels. The router is controllable to directly route the first electrode stimulation signal to different first successive sets of one or more of the plurality of electrode signal channels. The router may be adapted for routing the first electrode stimulation signal as an electrical current signal, without modification of the signal. Stimulation signal generation componentry and power source componentry may be located remotely from the implantable interface. Such componentry may be selectively interconnectable to and disconnectable from the implantable interface. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090240099 | BI-MODAL COCHLEA STIMULATION - An improved implantable hearing instrument and associated method utilize a transducer to mechanically stimulate a patient's cochlea (e.g. via the round window or oval window) in response to a first electrical drive signal, and a supply electrode to electrically stimulate the patient's cochlea in response to a second drive signal. The first and second drive signals may be provided to affect mechanical stimulation across a first predetermined frequency range and electrical stimulation across a second predetermined frequency range, respectively, wherein the predetermined frequency ranges are at least partially non-overlapping. In one embodiment an electromechanical transducer, having the supply member supportably interconnect thereto, may be selectively positioned via a mounting member fixedly interconnected to a patient's skull. The supply electrode may define a distal tip that is supportably interconnected to a vibratory member of the electromechanical transducer. In another embodiment, an implantable transducer may be employed that includes an external housing and an active transducer element located within an internal chamber of the external housing for receiving the first electrical signal. Further, the supply electrode may be one of electrically connected to and defined by at least an electrically-conductive portion of the external housing of the transducer. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090187065 | AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL FOR IMPLANTED MICROPHONE - An implantable hearing instrument is provided that reduces the response to unnaturally high vibrations (e.g., due to a patient's own voice), without necessarily or substantially affecting the response to desired signals. The implantable hearing instrument system is operative to selectively alter/lower the gain of signals that have a magnitude above a predetermined threshold. Signals having unnaturally large amplitudes (e.g., due to a patient's own voice) are amplified less than desired signals, so that a patient may experience a more representative sound. | 07-23-2009 |
