System for voice control of a medical implant

Abstract

A method for training a voice recognition function of a system for controlling a medical implant is provided. The system comprises a learning function adapted to perform learning sessions for learning which of a number of voice commands that should be interpreted as meaning one of a number of pre-programmed commands stored in a memory of the system. The system is adapted to receive commands from a remote control outside of the mammal body, and the system and the medical implant being adapted to be implanted in a mammal body. The method comprises exposing, before implanting the system, the system to a number of voice commands until a learning function of the system has learnt to recognize these commands, at which point in time recognized commands are associated with a respective command that should be output to the medical implant; and, after implanting the system in the mammal body receiving voice commands issued by a user, the voice command being accompanied by a wireless signal.

1 - 71 . (canceled) 
     
     
         72 . A method for training a voice recognition function of a system for controlling a medical implant, the system comprising a learning function adapted to perform learning sessions for learning which of a number of voice commands that should be interpreted as meaning one of a number of pre-programmed commands stored in a memory of the system, the system further being adapted to receive commands from a remote control outside of the mammal body, and the system and the medical implant being adapted to be implanted in a mammal body, the method comprising:
 exposing, before implanting the system, the system to a number of voice commands until a learning function of the system has learnt to recognize these commands, at which point in time recognized commands are associated with a respective command that should be output to the medical implant;   the method further comprising, after implanting the system in the mammal body:   receiving voice commands issued by a user, the voice command being accompanied by a wireless signal.   
     
     
         73 . The method according to  claim 72 , wherein the wireless signal comprises a command which should be generated by the command generator upon recognizing the voice command from the user. 
     
     
         74 . The method according to  claim 72 , further comprising associating the voice command a the pre-programmed command. 
     
     
         75 . The method according to  claim 72 , wherein the learning function learns to recognize commands only from a certain set of individuals who are authorized to operate the medical implant, or the earning function learns a set of commands to recognize regardless of the identity of the speaker. 
     
     
         76 . The method according to  claim 72 , wherein the system further comprises a wireless transmitter, and the method further comprises signaling, by the learning function, to a user during a learning session that a voice command has been learnt by the learning function, using the wireless transmitter. 
     
     
         77 . The method according to  claim 72 , further comprising receiving, from a user, a signal to set the system in its learning mode. 
     
     
         78 . The method according to  claim 72 , further comprising activating the command which should be associated with a voice command. 
     
     
         79 . The method according to  claim 72 , further comprising receiving a signal to terminate the learning function or a signal to start learning another word or phrase. 
     
     
         80 . The method according to  claim 72 , wherein the voice command is issued by a user more than once during the learning session. 
     
     
         81 . The method according to  claim 72 , wherein the exposing, before implanting the system, the system to a number of voice commands is performed on a separate learning device, and then store the learned voice commands in the system's memory. 
     
     
         82 . The method according to  claim 72 , wherein the system comprises a command generator comprising the learning function. 
     
     
         83 . The method according to  claim 72 , wherein a user utters a certain command a number of times until the system recognizes the command, and the recognized command is then associated with a control command which should be output to the implant when the recognized command is received by the system. 
     
     
         84 . The method according to  claim 72 , wherein the system and the medical device are adapted to be implanted in the abdomen, thorax or the pelvic region of the mammal body. 
     
     
         85 . A system for controlling a medical implant, the system being adapted to learn voice commands using the method according to  claim 72 . 
     
     
         86 . The system according to  claim 85 , comprising a command generator having a learning function for learning the voice commands. 
     
     
         87 . The system according to any one of  claims 85  or  86 , further comprising a wireless transmitter and/or a wireless receiver.