Patent ID: 7127078

Claim:
A hearing aid system comprising: an implant configured for insertion into a recess under the skin of a patient's retro-auricular space for projecting acoustic energy into said patient's outer ear canal without occluding said ear canal, said implant comprising: a case having a proximal end and a distal end, an acoustic transducer mounted in said case proximate to said distal end for producing acoustic energy; implant electronic circuitry in said case having an output for driving said acoustic transducer; an implant antenna electrically connected to an input of said electronic circuitry; and a power source electrically connected to said electronic circuitry; a microphone module configured for use external to said case, said module comprising: a housing; external electronics within said housing; at least one microphone electrically connected to an input of said external electronics; at least one external antenna electrically connected to an output of said external electronics; a power source electrically connected to said external electronics; and at least one telemetry link between said external antenna and said implant antenna, and wherein audible sound received by said microphone is processed by said external electronics and transmitted by said telemetry link to said implant electronic circuitry for causing said transducer to project acoustic energy into said patient's outer ear canal.