Cochlear implant apparatus for active feedback control and active feedback control method for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9656072-B2
Application number	US-201314377617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2013
Priority date	Feb 10, 2012
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cochlear implant apparatus, and more particularly, to a cochlear implant apparatus capable of controlling the sensitivity or selectivity of sound through actuators. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a cochlear implant apparatus for active feedback control which is inserted into the human body and configured to detect a sound in each frequency band includes a sensor unit configured to detect vibration according to a sound and generate an electrical signal corresponding to a magnitude of the vibration and actuators disposed in the sensor unit and each configured to react to the electrical signal and to control sensitivity according to the magnitude of the sound or the selectivity of a sound detected in each frequency band.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cochlear implant apparatus for active feedback control which is adapted to be located into a human body and configured to detect a sound in each of a plurality of frequency bands, the cochlear implant apparatus comprising:
a sensor unit configured to detect vibration according to a sound and generate an electrical signal corresponding to a magnitude of the vibration,
wherein the sensor unit comprises a first substrate, a second substrate disposed to face the first substrate, and actuators each of which is configured to receive and react to the generated electrical signal and to control sensitivity according to a magnitude of the sound or a selectivity of the sound detected in each of the plurality of frequency bands,
wherein each of the actuators extends in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate or the second substrate, and contacts the first substrate and the second substrate.

2. The cochlear implant apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an amplification unit configured to amplify the electrical signal from the sensor unit and provide the amplified electrical signal to the actuator; and
a control unit configured to process the amplified electrical signal received from the amplification unit and to provide the processed electrical signal to the amplification unit or the actuator.

3. The cochlear implant apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor unit comprises nanopillars or piezoelectric elements.

4. A cochlear implant apparatus for active feedback control, comprising a sensor unit,
the sensor unit comprising:
a first substrate;
a second substrate disposed to face the first substrate;
a plurality of base units disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the plurality of base units being configured to have different frequency bands and detects a sound in each of a plurality of frequency bands through the nanopillars formed in each of the plurality of base units; and
actuators provided separately from the plurality of base units between the first substrate and the second substrate and configured to support the first substrate and the second substrate and to react in response to an electrical signal,
wherein each of the actuators extends in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate or the second substrate and contacts the plurality of base units and the first substrate.

5. The cochlear implant apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the actuators are disposed on both sides of the base units and are consecutively connected along the first substrate or the second substrate.

6. The cochlear implant apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the electrical signal has been converted based on a magnitude of vibration corresponding to a sound detected by the sensor unit.

7. The cochlear implant apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the actuators are disposed in the respective base units and spaced apart from each other.

8. The cochlear implant apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each of the actuators disposed in the respective base units reacts in response to an electrical signal corresponding to a sound detected from each of the base units.

9. A cochlear implant apparatus for active feedback control, comprising a sensor unit, the sensor unit comprising:
a frequency separation unit comprising a first electrode, a second electrode disposed to face the first electrode, and piezoelectric layer made of piezoelectric material and interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the frequency separation unit separating the sound according to each of a plurality of frequency bands and generating an electrical signal; and
an actuator disposed to contact the frequency separation unit and configured to respond to the electrical signal and move the frequency separation unit.

10. The cochlear implant apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the frequency separation unit is divided into a plurality of frequency separation units in order to detect a sound according to each of the plurality of frequency bands, and the actuator is disposed in each of the plurality of frequency separation units.

11. The cochlear implant apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the actuator is disposed under the frequency separation unit.

12. An active feedback control method of a cochlear implant apparatus adapted to be located into a human body, comprising:
detecting, by a sensor unit, a sound, converting the detected sound into an electrical signal according to a magnitude of the detected sound, and outputting the converted electrical signal;
amplifying, by an amplification unit, the electrical signal received from the sensor unit; and
receiving, by an actuator of the sensor unit, the amplified electrical signal from the amplification unit and controlling a sensitivity of the sound detected by the sensor unit or the selectivity of the sound in each frequency band in response to the electrical signal.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sensor unit comprises nanopillars or piezoelectric elements.

Assignees

• Korea Mach & Materials Inst
• Ind Coop Found Of Chonbuk Nat Univ

Inventors

• Kim Wan-Doo
• Hur Shin
• Jung Young Do
• Hahn Yoon-Bong
• Park Yong-Kyu
• Oh Seung Ha
• Chung Juyong
• Kim Sung June
• Song Yoon-Kyu
• Lee Won Hee

Classifications

• A61N1/0541 Primary

  Cochlear electrodes · CPC title

• H04R2430/03

  Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing · CPC title

• H04R1/083

  Special constructions of mouthpieces · CPC title

• H04R31/006

  Interconnection of transducer parts (of diaphragm and outer suspension by moulding H04R31/003) · CPC title

• H04R17/02

  Microphones · CPC title