1. A method comprising:
transmitting a first signal from a first external component of a hearing prosthesis to a first internal component of the hearing prosthesis during a first period of time;
transmitting a second signal from the first external component to a second external component of the hearing prosthesis during the first period of time, wherein the first and second signals are transmitted simultaneously during the first period of time; and
during a second period of time, the first external component refraining from transmitting signals to either the first internal component or the second external component, wherein the second period of time does not overlap with the first period of time.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting a third signal from the second external component to a second internal component of the hearing prosthesis during the second period of time;
transmitting a fourth signal from the second external component to the first external component during the second period of time; and
during the first period of time, the second external component refraining from transmitting signals to either the second internal component or the first external component.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period of time is equal to the second period of time.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal provides power to the first internal component.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first signal provides data to the first internal component.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the third signal provides power to the second internal component.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the third signal provides data to the second internal component.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the second signal comprises a data signal, and wherein the second external component uses the data signal to generate the third signal.
9. The method of claim 2, wherein the fourth signal comprises a data signal, and wherein the first external component uses the data signal to generate a fifth signal that the first external component transmits to the first internal component.
10. A system comprising:
a first implantable component of a hearing prosthesis;
a second implantable component of the hearing prosthesis;
a first external component of the hearing prosthesis configured to:
transmit a first signal to the first implantable component via a first wireless link during a first time period,
transmit a second signal to a second external component of the hearing prosthesis via a second wireless link during the first time period, and
during a second time period, refrain from transmitting both (i) the first signal and (ii) the second signal, wherein the second time period does not overlap with the first time period; and
the second external component configured to:
transmit a third signal to the second implantable component via a third wireless link during the second time period,
transmit a fourth signal to the first external component via a fourth wireless link during the second time period, and
during the first time period, refrain from transmitting both (i) the third signal and (ii) the fourth signal.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first wireless link operates at a first frequency and the second wireless link operates at a second frequency, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are different frequencies.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the third wireless link operates at a third frequency and the fourth wireless link operates at a fourth frequency, wherein the third frequency and the fourth frequency are different frequencies.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and third wireless links operate at the same frequency.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second and fourth wireless links operate at the same frequency.
15. The system of claim 10, wherein the first time period is equal to the second time period of time.
16. The system of claim 10, wherein the first external component includes a first coil configured to transmit the first signal via the first wireless link, and wherein the second external component includes a second coil configured to transmit the third signal via the third wireless link.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first external component includes a third coil configured to transmit the second signal via the second wireless link, and wherein the second external component includes a fourth coil configured to transmit the fourth signal via the fourth wireless link.
18. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first signal and the second signal is transmitted for less than or equal to a duration of the first time period.
19. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the third signal and the fourth signal is transmitted for less than or equal to a duration of the second time period.
20. The system of claim 10, wherein the first implantable component receives power over the first wireless link.
21. The system of claim 10, wherein the second implantable component receives power over the third wireless link.
22. A method comprising:
transmitting a synchronization signal from a first external component to a second external component, wherein the synchronization signal indicates the start of a first time period, and wherein the first external component and the second external component are configured to be worn outside a body of a recipient;
during the first time period:
transmitting a data signal from the first external component to the second external component, wherein the data signal is related to an audio signal received by the first external component; and
transmitting a combined signal from the first external component to a first internal component, wherein the first internal component is configured to be implanted in the body of the recipient; and
during a second time period that does not overlap with the first time period, refraing from transmitting both (i) the data signal and (ii) the combined signal.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first synchronization signal indicates the duration of the first time period.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein the combined signal comprises a second data signal and a power signal.
25. The method of claim 22, wherein the data signal is transmitted at a first frequency and the combined signal is transmitted at a second frequency, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are different frequencies.
26. The method of claim 22, further comprising
during the second time period:
transmitting a second data signal from the second external component to the first external component; and
transmitting a second combined signal from the second external component to a second internal component, wherein the second internal component is configured to be implanted in the body of the recipient; and
during the first time period, refraining from transmitting both (i) the second data signal and (ii) the second combined signal.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the first combined signal comprises a third data signal and a first power signal, and wherein the second combined signal comprises a fourth data signal and a second power signal.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein the first data signal is transmitted at a first frequency and the first combined signal is transmitted at a second frequency, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are different frequencies, and wherein the second data signal is transmitted at a third frequency and the second combined signal is transmitted at a fourth frequency, wherein the third frequency and the fourth frequency are different frequencies.
29. A system comprising:
a first external component of a hearing prosthesis configured to:
transmit a synchronization signal indicating the start of a first time period from the first external component to a second external component of the hearing prosthesis,
transmit a first combined signal to a first implantable component of the hearing prosthesis during a first time period, wherein the first combined signal comprises both a first data signal and a first power signal,
transmit a second data signal to the second external component during the first time period, and
during a second time period, refrain from transmitting both (i) the first combined signal and (ii) the second data signal, wherein the second time period does not overlap with the first time period; and
the second external component configured to:
receive the synchronization signal from the first external component,
transmit a second combined signal to a second implantable component of the hearing prosthesis during the second time period, wherein the second combined signal comprises both a third data signal and a second power signal,
transmit a fourth data signal to the first external component during the second time period, and
during the first time period, refrain from transmitting both (i) the second combined signal and (ii) the fourth data signal.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein the first combined signal is transmitted at a first frequency and the second data signal is transmitted at a second frequency, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are different frequencies.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein the second combined signal is transmitted at a third frequency and the fourth data signal is transmitted at a fourth frequency, wherein the third frequency and the fourth frequency are different frequencies.
32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first and third frequencies are the same frequency.
33. The system of claim 32, wherein the second and fourth frequencies are the same frequency.
34. The system of claim 29, wherein the first time period is equal to the second time period.
35. The system of claim 29, wherein the synchronization signal specifies a duration of the first time period.
36. The system of claim 29, wherein the synchronization signal comprises a clock signal.
37. The system of claim 29, wherein at least one of the first combined signal and the second data signal is transmitted for less than or equal to a duration of the first time period.
38. The system of claim 29, wherein at least one of the second combined signal and the fourth data signal is transmitted for less than or equal to a duration of the second time period.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A bonding arm swinging type bonding apparatus comprising:
a bonding arm having a pivot point at a rotational center of the bonding arm beneath said bonding arm,
a first rotating shaft part, having a cross-sectional shape of a circular arc form less than a semicircle, which is a rotating shaft part of a circular arc form rotary motor and rotates about said pivot point, and is coupled to both ends of said bonding arm, and
a second rotating shaft part, having a cross-sectional shape of a circular arc form less than a semicircle, which is a rotating shaft part of a circular arc form bearing and rotates about said pivot point and is provided rotatably as a unit with said first rotating shaft part at both sides of said circular arc form rotary motor.
2. The bonding arm swinging type bonding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circular arc form bearing is an air bearing.
3. A bonding arm, swinging type bonding apparatus comprising:
a bonding arm having a pivot point at a rotational center beneath said bonding arm,
a first rotating shaft part, having a cross-sectional shape of a circular arc form less than a semicircle, which is a rotating shaft part of a circular arc form rotary motor and rotates about said pivot point and is coupled to both ends of said bonding arm;
a second rotating shaft part, having a cross-sectional shape of a circular arc form less than a semicircle, which is a rotating shaft part of a circular arc form bearing and rotates about said pivot point and is provided rotatably as a unit with said first rotating shaft part at both sides of said circular arc form rotary motor; and
wherein said circular arc form bearing is an air bearing.
4. A bonding arm swinging type bonding apparatus comprising:
a bonding arm having a pivot point at a rotational center beneath said bonding arm,
a first rotating shaft part, having a cross-sectional shape of a circular arc form less than a semicircle, which is a rotating shaft part of a circular arc form rotary motor and rotates about said pivot point and is coupled to both ends of said bonding arm;
a second rotating shaft part, having a cross-sectional shape of a circular arc form less than a semicircle, which is a rotating shaft part of a circular arc form bearing and rotates about said pivot point and is provided rotatably as a unit with said first rotating shaft part at both sides of said circular arc form rotary motor; and
wherein said circular arc form bearing is one selected from the group consisting of an air bearing, a rolling bearing and a sliding bearing.