Electrical cochlear stimulation system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016015974-A1
Application number	US-201314773314-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 6, 2013
Priority date	Mar 6, 2013
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system includes means for providing an input audio signal; a sound processor for generating an electric stimulation signal from the input audio signal; and a cochlear implant electrode arrangement comprising a plurality of stimulation channels for stimulating the cochlea according to the electric stimulation signal.

First claim

1 . A system for electrical stimulation of a patient's cochlea, comprising
means for providing an input audio signal; a sound processor for generating an electric stimulation signal from the input audio signal; and a cochlear implant electrode arrangement comprising a plurality of stimulation channels for stimulating the cochlea according to the electric stimulation signal; the sound processor comprising
a filter-bank unit for dividing the input audio signal into a plurality of analysis channels, each containing a frequency domain signal representative of a distinct frequency portion of the audio signal,
a signal level unit for determining a signal level for each analysis channel by analyzing the respective frequency domain signal,
a stimulation signal unit for generating an electric stimulation signal for each stimulation channel according to the respective signal level,
a stimulation order control unit for controlling the temporal stimulation order of the stimulation channels according to a patient-specific pulse table to be generated by a pulse table configuration module from patient-specific forward masking patterns obtained from patient-specific neural response imaging data in a manner so as to minimize spatial and/or temporal masking of the stimulation signal according to an optimization algorithm.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pulse table configuration module is for providing for a static pulse table which is to be configured prior to stimulation.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pulse table configuration module is for providing a dynamic pulse table which is updated as a function of the spectral characteristic of the input audio signal, with the spectral characteristic being determined by the signal levels of the analysis channels relative to each other.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the pulse table configuration module is for updating the dynamic pulse table for each stimulation cycle.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the sound processor comprises a classifier unit for determining whether the input audio signal is a voiced signal or an unvoiced signal, and wherein the pulse table configuration module is controlled by the classifier unit such that the pulse table configuration module provides for a static pulse table if an unvoiced signal is determined and for a dynamic pulse table updated as a function of the spectral characteristic of the input audio signal if a voiced signal is determined.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the classifier unit is for determining the degree of harmonicity of the input audio signal in order to determine whether the input audio signal is a voiced signal or an unvoiced signal.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the patient-specific neural response imaging data are eCAP data.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pulse table configuration module is for using data on measured patient-specific recovery functions.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the optimization algorithm is a direct search algorithm or an evolutionary algorithm.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the optimization algorithm is a genetic algorithm.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the optimization algorithm uses a model based on signal detection theory.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stimulation signal unit is for generating biphasic pulses.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stimulation signal unit is for generating multipolar pulses.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the stimulation signal unit is for generating phased-array pulses.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the stimulation signal unit is for weighting the compensating currents according to neural response imaging-based impedance measures.

16 . The system of one claim 1 , wherein the stimulation signal unit is for generating a current steering stimulation signal.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stimulation signal unit is for generating the stimulation signal in such a manner that the number of selected pulses is variable across the stimulation cycles.

18 . A method of electrical stimulation of a patient's cochlea, comprising
providing an input audio signal; dividing the input audio signal, by a filterbank unit into a plurality of analysis channels, each containing a frequency domain signal representative of a distinct frequency portion of the audio signal; determining a signal level for each analysis channel by analyzing the respective frequency domain signal, generating an electric stimulation signal for each stimulation channel according to the respective signal level, wherein the temporal stimulation order of the stimulation channels is controlled according to a pulse table generated from patient-specific forward masking patterns obtained from patient-specific neural response imaging data in a manner so as to minimize spatial and/or temporal masking of the stimulation signal according to an optimization algorithm, stimulating, by the implantable stimulation assembly, the patient's hearing according to the neural stimulation signals applied to the stimulation assembly, and stimulating, by a cochlear implant electrode arrangement, the cochlea according to the electric stimulation signal.

Assignees

• Advanced Bionics Ag

Inventors

• Milczynski Matthias

Classifications

• A61N1/0541 Primary

  Cochlear electrodes · CPC title

• A61N1/36038

  Cochlear stimulation · CPC title

• A61N1/36039

  fitting procedures · CPC title

• A61N1/36032 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic