	US 7,512,448 B2
	Electrode placement for wireless intrabody communication between components of a hearing system
Crista Malick, Palo Alto, Calif. (US); Xie Qi, Champaign, Ill. (US); Mitesh Parikh, Elkridge, Md. (US); Steve Franke, Urbana, Ill. (US); Douglas L. Jones, Champaign, Ill. (US); Jeffery B. Larsen, Charleston, Ill. (US); Christopher D. Schmitz, St. Joseph, Ill. (US); and Francois Callias, Fontaines (Switzerland)
Assigned to Phonak AG, Stafa (Switzerland)
Filed on Jan. 10, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/340,529.
Prior Publication US 2004/0138723 A1, Jul. 15, 2004
Int. Cl. A61N 1/05 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 607—136 [607/55]

43 Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

a first hearing system device including a housing structured for removal and placement by a person through an outer ear canal of the person, circuitry included within the housing, and two electrodes each electrically coupled to the circuitry; and

wherein the housing includes a first side portion positioned opposite a second side portion, a first one of the electrodes is connected to the first side portion to be positioned along a first skin region of the ear canal, a second one of the electrodes is connected to the second side portion of the housing to be positioned along a second skin region of the ear canal opposite the first skin region, the electrodes each include a metallic member and a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the metallic member, the dielectric layer being selected to make skin contact, and the electrodes and the circuitry are operable to selectively communicate information through the person when the housing is received in the ear canal.