Claims
- 1. A hearing aid device for acoustic stimulation of a tympanic membrane of a patient, the device comprising:an acoustic signal receiver to receive acoustic sound and generate acoustic response signals; a signal processor to process the acoustic response signals to generate transducer drive signals; and an implantable transducer to means for outputting acoustic signals into a middle ear cavity of a patient, in response to the transducer means drive signals, and thereby directly, acoustically stimulate a patient's tympanic membrane, wherein an impedance of the transducer is matched to one of a measured impedance of a patient's tympanic membrane and a predetermined characteristic impedance range for human tympanic membranes to acoustically couple the transducer and the tympanic membrane of a patient.
- 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the impedance of the transducer means is substantially matched within a predetermined characteristic impedance range of between 2×104 and 5×108 Pascal (PA) seconds per cubic meter.
- 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the impedance of the transducer means is substantially matched to a measured tympanic membrane impedance for a patient.
- 4. The device of claim 1, further comprising: an acoustic path—defining member positionable between the transducer means and the middle ear cavity of a patient to deliver acoustic signals from the transducer means to the middle ear cavity.
- 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the acoustic path—defining member comprises:a biocompatible tubing connected at a first end to the transducer means and positionable at a distal end at an aperture in a middle ear cavity of a patient.
- 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the distal end of the biocompatible tubing is formed at an angle.
- 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the angle is substantially a right angle.
- 8. The device of claim 5, wherein the distal end of the tubing is adapted to—defining member further extends slightly into the middle ear cavity of the patient.
- 9. The device of claim 5, wherein the acoustic path comprises:a sound conducting material disposed over the distal end of the tubing.
- 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the transducer means is a piezoelectric transducer.
- 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the transducer means is an electromagnetic transducer.
- 12. The device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic signal receiver is a microphone.
- 13. The device of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid device is a semi-implantable hearing aid.
- 14. The device of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid is a fully-implantable hearing aid.
- 15. A method for acoustic stimulation of a tympanic membrane of a patient, the method comprising:matching an impedance of an implantable transducer to one of a measured impedance of a patient's tympanic membrane and a predetermined characteristic impedance range for human tympanic membranes, wherein the implantable transducer is acoustically couplable to a tympanic membrane of a patient; receiving acoustic sound at an acoustic signal receiver to generate acoustic response signals; generating transducer drive signals at a signal processor by processing the acoustic response signals; and outputting acoustic signals into a middle ear cavity of a patient from said implanted transducer in response to the transducer drive signals, wherein the acoustic signals directly, acoustically stimulate a patient's tympanic membrane.
- 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the matching step includes:matching the impedance of the transducer to a measured tympanic membrane impedance for the patient.
- 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the matching step includes:matching the impedance of the transducer within a predetermined characteristic impedance range of between 2×104 and 5×108 Pascal (PA) seconds per cubic meter.
- 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of coupling includes:providing an acoustic path between the transducer and an aperture formed in the middle ear cavity of the patient.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of coupling includes:coupling a biocompatible tubing at a first end to the transducer and at a distal end to the aperture in the middle ear cavity.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of coupling includes:extending the distal end of the tubing slightly into the aperture formed in the middle ear cavity.
- 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of coupling includes:forming an angle in the distal end of the tubing.
- 22. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of coupling includes:disposing a sound conducting material over the distal end of the tubing.
- 23. The method of claim 15, wherein the transducer is a piezoelectric transducer.
- 24. The method of claim 15, wherein the transducer is an electromagnetic transducer.
- 25. The method of claim 15, wherein the transducer is part of a semi-implantable hearing aid.
- 26. The method of claim 15, wherein the transducer is part of a fully-implantable hearing aid.
- 27. A method for acoustic stimulation of a tympanic membrane of a patient, the method comprising:matching an impedance of an implantable transducer to one of a measured impedance of a patient's tympanic membrane and a predetermined characteristic impedance range for human tympanic membranes, wherein the implantable transducer is acoustically couplable to a tympanic membrane of a patient; receiving acoustic sound at one of an externally located microphone and a microphone subcutaneously-located microphone to generate acoustic response signals; utilizing said acoustic response signals to provide transducer drive signals; and, outputting acoustic signals into a middle ear cavity of a patient from said implantable transducer in response to the transducer drive signals, wherein the acoustic signals directly, acoustically stimulate a patient's tympanic membrane.
- 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the matching step includes:matching the impedance of the transducer to a measured tympanic membrane impedance for the patient.
- 29. The method of claim 27, wherein the matching step includes:matching the impedance of the transducer within a predetermined characteristic impedance range of between 2×104 and 5×108 Pascal (PA) seconds per cubic meter.
- 30. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of coupling includes:providing an acoustic path between the transducer and an aperture formed in the middle ear cavity of the patient.
- 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of coupling includes:coupling a biocompatible tubing at a first end to the transducer and at a distal end to the aperture in the middle ear cavity.
- 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of coupling includes:extending the distal end of the tubing slightly into the aperture formed in the middle ear cavity.
- 33. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of coupling includes:forming an angle in the distal end of the tubing.
- 34. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of coupling includes:disposing a sound conducting material over the distal end of the tubing.
- 35. The method of claim 27, wherein the transducer is a piezoelectric transducer.
- 36. The method of claim 27, wherein the transducer is an electromagnetic transducer.
- 37. The method of claim 27, wherein the transducer is part of a semi-implantable hearing aid.
- 38. The method of claim 27, wherein the transducer is part of a fully-implantable hearing aid.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C section 119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/283,879 filed on Apr. 12, 2001 titled “INTERNAL ACOUSTIC MIDDLE EAR TRANSDUCER,” and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
US Referenced Citations (24)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/283879 |
Apr 2001 |
US |