Patents by Inventor W. Vanbrooks Harrison

W. Vanbrooks Harrison has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Cochlear implant sound processor with permanently integrated replenishable power source
    Patent number: 8155746
    Abstract: A cochlear implant sound processor is powered by a rechargeable battery that is permanently integrated into the sound processor. The sound processor contains an inductive coil that may be tuned to an external charging coil for battery recharging. The electronic circuits and coil of the sound processor are housed in a material transparent to RF signals. The sound processor may be placed in a recharging base station in which the sound processor is positioned in a space surrounded by the inductive charging coil embedded in a material transparent to RF signals. The inductive charging coil sends power to the coil inside the processor and thereby recharges the battery. An alternative embodiment utilizes contacts in the sound processor case and aligned terminals in the recharging base station that allow direct charging of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics, LLC
    Inventors: Albert A. Maltan, David Miller, W. Vanbrooks Harrison
  • Cochlear Implant Sound Processor With Permanently Integrated Replenishable Power Source
    Publication number: 20080228243
    Abstract: A cochlear implant sound processor is powered by a rechargeable battery that is permanently integrated into the sound processor. The sound processor contains an inductive coil that may be tuned to an external charging coil for battery recharging. The electronic circuits and coil of the sound processor are housed in a material transparent to RF signals. The sound processor may be placed in a recharging base station in which the sound processor is positioned in a space surrounded by the inductive charging coil embedded in a material transparent to RF signals. The inductive charging coil sends power to the coil inside the processor and thereby recharges the battery. An alternative embodiment utilizes contacts in the sound processor case and aligned terminals in the recharging base station that allow direct charging of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Albert A. Maltan, David Miller, W. Vanbrooks Harrison