Multi-electrode channel configurations

• US 10,300,290 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Zachary M., van den Honert, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bays, Pamela M.
• Application Number:
  US14/695,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20150224313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 607 57
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36039 fitting procedures
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/065 Aids for the handicapped in understanding
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 9/005 of digital or coded signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

Aspects are generally directed to techniques for determining weights for stimulation channels of a stimulating hearing prosthesis. The determined weights are used to provide stimulation to a recipient of the stimulating hearing prosthesis.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a transimpendance matrix for a plurality of electrodes that are part of a hearing prosthesis;

performing a matrix inversion of the transimpedance matrix to obtain a transadmittance matrix for the plurality of electrodes;

generating an adjusted transimpedance matrix comprised of the transimpedance matrix having a diagonal that is modified based on positive off-diagonal values of the transadmittance matrix;

calculating, using the adjusted transimpedance matrix, corresponding weights for the plurality of electrodes for a stimulation channel; and

providing the calculated weights to the hearing prosthesis; and

using the calculated weights to deliver stimulation to a recipient of the hearing prosthesis via one or more of the plurality of electrodes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the adjusted transimpedance matrix comprises:

computing an error value based on the positive off-diagonal values of the transadmittance matrix;

determining if the error value exceeds a criterion level value;

adjusting a diagonal of the transimpedance matrix in response to determining that the criterion level value is exceeded.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the steps of obtaining a transadmittance matrix, computing an error value, determining if the error value exceeds a criterion level value, and adjusting the diagonal are repeated until the step of determining if the error value exceeds the criterion level value determines that the error value does not exceed the criterion level value.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

computing a complex channel matrix by normalizing at least one column of the obtained transadmittance matrix; and

wherein computing an error value comprises computing the error value based on positive off-diagonal values of the complex channel matrix.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

executing a minimization algorithm to determine a set of one or more gain values for adjusting the diagonal of the transimpedance matrix that results in a determined error value that does not exceed the criterion level value.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining a cost based on the set of one or more gain values; and

wherein the minimization algorithm identifies a set of one or more gain values, with the determined cost, that provides an error value that does not exceed the criterion level value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining a cost comprises:

adjusting the determined cost to determine a minimal cost in which the minimization algorithm identifies a set of one or more gain values, with the determined cost, that provides an error value that does not exceed the criterion level value.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the minimization algorithm terminates upon identifying a set of one or more gain values, for the determined cost, that provides an error value that does not exceed the criterion level value.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the minimization algorithm uses a sequential quadratic programming method to obtain the set of one or more gain values by determining the set of one or more gain values that provides a minimum error value for the determined cost.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the hearing prosthesis is a cochlear implant.

11. A system, comprising:

a hearing prosthesis; and

one or more processors configured to;

determine a transimpendance matrix for a plurality of electrodes that are part of the hearing prosthesis,

perform a matrix inversion of the transimpedance matrix to obtain a transadmittance matrix for the plurality of electrodes,

generate an adjusted transimpedance matrix comprised of the transimpedance matrix having a diagonal that is modified based on positive off-diagonal values of the transadmittance matrix, and

calculate, using the adjusted transimpedance matrix, corresponding weights for the plurality of electrodes for a stimulation channel; and

an interface configured to provide the calculated weights to the hearing prosthesis,

wherein the hearing prosthesis is configured to use the calculated weights to deliver stimulation to a recipient of the hearing prosthesis via one or more of the plurality of electrodes.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein to generate the adjusted transimpedance matrix, the one or more processors are configured to:

compute an error value based on the positive off-diagonal values of the transadmittance matrix;

determine if the error value exceeds a criterion level value;

adjust a diagonal of the transimpedance matrix in response to determining that the criterion level value is exceeded.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the obtaining a transadmittance matrix, computing an error value, determining if the error value exceeds a criterion level value, and adjusting the diagonal are repeated by the one or more processors until the one or more processors determine that the error value does not exceed the criterion level value.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

compute a complex channel matrix by normalizing at least one column of the obtained transadmittance matrix; and

wherein to compute an error value the one or more processors are configured to compute the error value based on positive off-diagonal values of the complex channel matrix.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

execute a minimization algorithm to determine a set of one or more gain values for adjusting the diagonal of the transimpedance matrix that results in a determined error value that does not exceed the criterion level value.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine a cost based on the set of one or more gain values; and

wherein the minimization algorithm identifies a set of one or more gain values, with the determined cost, that provides an error value that does not exceed the criterion level value.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein to determine a cost the one or more processors are configured to:

adjust the determined cost to determine a minimal cost in which the minimization algorithm identifies a set of one or more gain values, with the determined cost, that provides an error value that does not exceed the criterion level value.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the minimization algorithm terminates upon identifying a set of one or more gain values, for the determined cost, that provides an error value that does not exceed the criterion level value.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the minimization algorithm uses a sequential quadratic programming method to obtain the set of one or more gain values by determining the set of one or more gain values that provides a minimum error value for the determined cost.

20. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:

determine a transimpendance matrix for a plurality of electrodes that are part of a hearing prosthesis;

perform a matrix inversion of the transimpedance matrix to obtain a transadmittance matrix for the plurality of electrodes;

generate an adjusted transimpedance matrix comprised of the transimpedance matrix having a diagonal that is modified based on positive off-diagonal values of the transadmittance matrix;

calculate, using the adjusted transimpedance matrix, corresponding weights for the plurality of electrodes for a stimulation channel; and

at the hearing prosthesis, use the calculated weights to deliver stimulation to a recipient of the hearing prosthesis via one or more of the plurality of electrodes.