发明授权
- 专利标题: Method and system for external assessment of hearing aids that include implanted actuators
- 专利标题(中): 包括植入式执行器的助听器外部评估方法和系统
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申请号: US11404506申请日: 2006-04-13
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公开(公告)号: US07447319B2公开(公告)日: 2008-11-04
- 发明人: Douglas Alan Miller , Scott Allan Miller, III
- 申请人: Douglas Alan Miller , Scott Allan Miller, III
- 申请人地址: US CO Boulder
- 专利权人: Otologics, LLC
- 当前专利权人: Otologics, LLC
- 当前专利权人地址: US CO Boulder
- 代理机构: Marsh Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP
- 主分类号: H04R29/00
- IPC分类号: H04R29/00 ; H04R25/00
摘要:
A noninvasive method and system are provided for assessing the performance of implanted actuators of semi or fully-implantable hearing aid systems. The invention utilizes an externally positioned measurement device to obtain a test measure of the electrical signal passing through an implanted actuator when driven by a test signal of predetermined characteristics. In one embodiment, the measurement device may comprise a pair of coils for measuring the magnetic field generated by an implanted actuator utilized to simulate the middle ear of a patient. The magnetic field strength is directly related to the amount of current passing through the actuator. In turn, such current is inversely related to the electrical impedance present at the implanted actuator. Such electrical impedance is directly related to the mechanical impedance present at the interface between the implanted actuator and middle ear of a patient. As such, by driving an implanted actuator at one or more predetermined frequencies the resultant magnetic field measures may be utilized to assess whether the implanted actuator is operative and whether a desired interface between the actuator and the middle ear of patient (e.g. the ossicular chain) is present.
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