External Unit of an Implanted Medical Device

Abstract

A method, systems, and devices are disclosed. An example method includes determining whether an external unit of an implanted medical device is coupled to an implanted unit of the implanted medical device. In response to determining that the external unit is coupled to the implanted unit, the example method includes causing the external unit to operate in a first operating mode. In response to determining that the external unit is not coupled to the implanted unit, the example method includes causing the external unit to operate in a second operating mode.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A hearing prosthesis comprising:
 a first unit configured to be implanted in a recipient; and   a second unit configured to be worn externally by the recipient,   wherein the first unit and second unit include respective inductive coils configured to provide an inductive coupling between the first unit and the second unit when the first unit is implanted in the recipient and the second unit is worn proximate to the first unit,   wherein the second unit is configured to provide power to the first unit via the inductive coupling, and wherein the first unit is configured to receive the power from the second unit via the inductive coupling and to deliver the received power to components of the first unit, and   wherein (i) the first unit is configured to deliver auditory stimulation to the recipient based on a first stimulation signal that the first unit receives from the second unit via the inductive coupling when the first unit is receiving power from the second unit via the inductive coupling, and (ii) the first unit is configured to deliver auditory stimulation to the recipient based on a second stimulation signal that the first unit generates when the first unit is not receiving power via the inductive coupling from the external unit.   
     
     
         22 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 21 , wherein the hearing prosthesis is a cochlear implant. 
     
     
         23 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 21 , wherein the second unit is configured to provide the power to the first unit as a power signal via the inductive coupling and to provide the first stimulation signal to the first unit via the inductive coupling by modulating the first stimulation signal on the power signal. 
     
     
         24 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 21 , wherein the first unit is configured to receive via the inductive coupling from the second unit the power signal on which the first stimulation signal is modulated, to separate the power signal from the first stimulation signal, and to use the first stimulation signal as a basis to deliver auditory stimulation to the recipient. 
     
     
         25 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 21 , wherein the first unit includes a first audio transducer for receiving sound and a first sound processor for generating the first stimulation signal based on the sound received by the first audio transducer, and wherein the second unit includes a second audio transducer for receiving sound and a second sound processor for generating the second stimulation signal based on the sound received by the second audio transducer. 
     
     
         26 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 21 , wherein the second unit is configured to send command signals to the first unit via radio frequency transmission when the second unit is not worn proximate to the first unit, and wherein the first unit is configured to receive the command signals from the second unit via radio frequency transmission when the second unit is not worn proximate to the first unit. 
     
     
         27 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 26 , wherein the command signals control functionality of the first unit. 
     
     
         28 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 21 , wherein the second unit is further configured to send control signals to an external electronic device, to control the external electronic device, when the second unit is not worn proximate to the first unit. 
     
     
         29 . A hearing prosthesis comprising:
 a first unit configured to be implanted in a recipient; and   a second unit configured to be worn externally by the recipient,   wherein the first unit and second unit include respective inductive coils configured to provide an inductive coupling between the first unit and the second unit when the first unit is implanted in the recipient and the second unit is worn proximate to the first unit,   wherein the first unit is configured to receive from the second unit via the inductive coupling (i) a power signal providing power to the first unit and (ii) an auditory stimulation signal,   wherein the first unit and second unit include respective radio transceivers configured to provide a radio frequency communication channel between the first unit and the second unit when the first unit is implanted in the recipient and the second unit is not worn proximate to the first unit, and   wherein the second unit is configured to send command signals to the first unit via the radio frequency communication channel when the second unit is not worn proximate to the first unit, and wherein the first unit is configured to receive the command signals from the second unit via radio frequency communication channel when the second unit is not worn proximate to the first unit.   
     
     
         30 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 29 , wherein the hearing prosthesis is a cochlear implant. 
     
     
         31 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 29 , wherein the second unit includes an audio transducer for receiving sound and a sound processor for generating the stimulation signal based on the received sound. 
     
     
         32 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 29 , wherein the first unit is configured to receive stimulation signals from the second unit exclusively via the inductive coupling. 
     
     
         33 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 29 , wherein the command signals control functionality of the first unit. 
     
     
         34 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 29 , wherein the first unit includes a rechargeable battery, and wherein the first unit is configured to use power from the rechargeable battery to provide power to components of the first unit in the absence of a power signal from the second unit. 
     
     
         35 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 34 , wherein the first unit includes an audio transducer for receiving sound and a sound processor for generating an auditory stimulus based on the sound received by the audio transducer, and wherein the first unit is configured to use the audio transducer and sound processor to generate an auditory stimulus in the absence of a auditory stimulation signal from the second unit. 
     
     
         36 . A method comprising:
 an implantable component of an auditory prosthesis operating in a first mode, where the implantable component receives stimulation signals from an external component of the auditory prosthesis, when the external component is inductively coupled to the implantable component, and   the implantable component operating in a second mode, where the implantable component generates stimulation signals independently of the external component, when the implantable component does not receive stimulation signals from the external component.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the hearing prosthesis is a cochlear implant. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising, the implantable component receiving control commands from the external component via radio frequency transmission when the auditory prosthesis is operating in the second mode. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising, when the external component is not worn proximate to the implantable component, the external component transmitting, responsive to input from a recipient of the auditory prosthesis, command signals via radio frequency transmission to the implantable component, wherein the command signals control functionality of the first unit. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 the external component receiving an environmental sound via an audio transducer of the external component;   the external component processing the received sound using a sound processor of the external component so as to generate the stimulation signal, and   the external component transmitting the stimulation signal to the implantable component using an induction coil.