Patent US6345864B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6354299B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6354299B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Implantable device for patient communication
Assignee: Neuropace Inc
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Filing: 2000-06-30
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Granted: 2002-03-12
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Expires: 2020-06-30
Abstract
Abstract An implantable device incorporating an acoustic transducer allows information and alerts to be communicated from the device to a patient. Sounds, including but not limited to buzzes, tones, sequences of tones, combinations of tones, complex sounds, and segments of reproduced or simulated human speech, are transmitted from an intracranially implanted portion of the device via bone conduction to the patient's ears, particularly the inner ears. In the disclosed embodiment, the acoustic transducer is used in cooperation with an implantable closed-loop system for the treatment of certain neurological disorders such as epilepsy, migraine headaches and Parkinson's disease, to warn the patient of an imminent seizure or other episode, to provide information to the patient on the state of the implantable apparatus, and to provide reminders and other information to the patient.
Inventors
- 👤 David R. Fischell
- 👤 Stephen T. Archer
- 👤 Robert E. Fischell
- 👤 Adrian R. M. Upton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:56
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/36; A61N1/372; A61N1/37211; A61N1/37217; A61N1/36014; A61N1/36025; A61N1/3605; A61N1/36128; A61N1/36135; A61N1/3606; A61N1/36082
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A system for acoustic communication with a human patient having a body including a head, comprising: a control module implanted within the patient's body, wherein the control module comprises electronic circuitry capable of generating an electrical signal; an acoustic transducer implanted within the patient's head, wherein the acoustic transducer is capable of emitting an acoustic signal audible to the patient, the acoustic signal being emitted in response to the electrical signal; and an electrical connection between the control module and the buzzer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
82 words
A system for acoustic communication with a human patient having a body including a head, comprising: a control module implanted within the patient's body, wherein the control module comprises electronic circuitry capable of generating an electrical signal; an acoustic transducer implanted within the patient's head, wherein the acoustic transducer is capable of emitting an acoustic signal audible to the patient, the acoustic signal being emitted in response to the electrical signal; and an electrical connection between the control module and the buzzer.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
80 words
A system for acoustic communication with a human patient having a body including a head, comprising: a control module implanted within the patient's body, wherein the control module comprises electronic circuitry capable of generating an electrical signal; a buzzer implanted within the patient's head, wherein the buzzer is capable of emitting an acoustic signal audible to the patient, the acoustic signal being emitted in response to the electrical signal; and an electrical connection between the control module and the buzzer.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
80 words
A system for acoustic communication with a human patient having a body including a head, comprising: a control module implanted within the patient's body, wherein the control module comprises electronic circuitry capable of generating an electrical signal; a buzzer implanted within the patient's head, wherein the buzzer is capable of emitting an acoustic signal audible to the patient, the acoustic signal being emitted in response to the electrical signal; and an electrical connection between the control module and the buzzer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the patient's head has a scalp and the buzzer is implanted beneath the scalp.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the patient's head has a cranium and the buzzer is implanted intracranially.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the patient's body has skin, and the control module is implanted beneath the skin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the control module further comprises a housing having an outer surface, and wherein the buzzer is mechanically coupled to the housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 6 , wherein the patient's head has a cranium and the control module is implanted intracranially.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the patient's head has an ear and the buzzer is adapted to transmit the acoustic signal via bone conduction to the ear.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the acoustic signal comprises a buzzing sound, a tone, a sequence of tones, a combination of tones, a complex sound, or a segment of human speech.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the electronic circuitry is adapted to generate the electrical signal to emit the acoustic signal in response to detection of a neurological event.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the electronic circuitry is adapted to generate the electrical signal at a pre-specified time.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the acoustic signal is representative of an instruction to the patient.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the acoustic signal is representative of information to be communicated to the patient.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 2 , further comprising an external interface adapted to be placed near to the patient, for providing two-way communication between the control module and an external apparatus.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein the external interface includes the external apparatus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein the external interface is adapted to transmit a data signal from the control module to the external apparatus and a command signal from the external apparatus to the control module.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein the external apparatus comprises a personal computer, a portable computer, or a PDA.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein the external apparatus is adapted to provide instructions or information to the patient in response to data received from the control module.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the acoustic signal is representative of an instruction to the patient to employ the external interface to transmit data between the control module and the external apparatus.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the acoustic signal is representative of an instruction to the patient to receive instructions or information from the external apparatus.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein the external data interface is adapted to communicate via a telephone line.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein the external data interface is adapted to communicate via the Internet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the buzzer comprises a piezoelectric crystal adapted to emit the acoustic signal in response to the electrical signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the buzzer comprises a mechanical vibrator or an electrical scalp stimulator.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the buzzer comprises an acoustic transducer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 25 , wherein the acoustic transducer is adapted to emit an electrical output in response to a vibration.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 26 , wherein the electronic circuitry is adapted to process the electrical output received from the acoustic transducer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 27 , wherein the electronic circuitry is further adapted to detect and identify a spoken word received by the acoustic transducer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 27 , wherein the electronic circuitry is further adapted to detect and identify a sequence of taps received by the acoustic transducer, wherein the sequence of taps represents a command.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 2 , further comprising a brain electrode electrically coupled to the electronic circuitry, wherein the brain electrode is adapted to detect electrical activity representative of a neurological event and transmit an activity signal representative of the electrical activity to the electronic circuitry.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 30 , wherein the electrical activity comprises an EEG signal.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 30 , wherein the electronic circuitry is further adapted to detect the neurological event and generate the electrical signal in response thereto.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 30 , wherein the neurological event is an epileptic seizure, a precursor to an epileptic seizure, a Parkinson's tremor, a precursor to a Parkinson's tremor, a migraine headache, a precursor to a migraine headache, or depression.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 2 , further comprising a sensor electrically coupled to the electronic circuitry, wherein the sensor is adapted to detect a condition within the body and transmit information representative of the condition to the electronic circuitry.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 34 , wherein the sensor is adapted to detect blood pressure, intracranial pressure, temperature, the concentration of a chemical compound, or heart rate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-03-11 | 2005-09-10 | 2006-03-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-03-11 | 2009-09-10 | 2010-03-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-03-11 | 2013-09-10 | 2014-03-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |