High Accuracy Tonotopic And Periodic Coding With Enhanced Harmonic Resolution

• US 20100185261A1
• Filed: 01/20/2010
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Inventors: Schleich, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/0204 using subband decomposition
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/065 Aids for the handicapped in understanding

Abstract

Generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array is described. An acoustic audio signal is processed to generate band pass signals which represent associated bands of audio frequencies. Macro bands are defined, each of which characterizes multiple band pass signals. The macro bands are processed in a sequence of sampling intervals. For each sampling interval, the processing includes: i. extracting timing and energy information from each band pass signal to form requested stimulation events, ii. decimating the requested stimulation events to select a maximum energy band pass signal within each macro band, and iii. decimating each selected band pass signal based on a pulse selection inhibition function and preserving temporal and spectral structures of the band pass signals so as to generate stimulation event signals. The stimulation event signals are weighted with a weighting matrix reflecting patient-specific pitch perception characteristics to produce output electrode stimulation signals to the implanted electrode array.

Claims

1. A method of generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array, the method comprising:

processing an acoustic audio signal to generate a plurality of band pass signals, each of which represents an associated band of audio frequencies;

defining a plurality of macro bands, each of which characterizes a plurality of the band pass signals;

processing the macro bands in a sequence of sampling intervals, wherein for each sampling interval the processing includes;

i. extracting timing and energy information from each band pass signal to form requested stimulation events,

ii. decimating the requested stimulation events to select a maximum energy band pass signal within each macro band, and

iii. decimating each selected band pass signal based on a pulse selection inhibition function and preserving temporal and spectral structures of the band pass signals so as to generate stimulation event signals; and

weighting the stimulation event signals with a weighting matrix reflecting patient-specific pitch perception characteristics to produce output electrode stimulation signals to the implanted electrode array.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein decimating each selected band pass signal also takes into account spatial channel interaction characteristics.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein decimating each selected band pass signal also takes into account target nerve refractory properties.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein zero crossings of the band pass signals are used for extracting timing and energy information from each band pass signal.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the phase of the band pass signals are used for extracting timing and energy information from each band pass signal.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein channel specific sampling sequences (CSSS) is used for coding timing and energy information.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum energy band pass signal is selected based on signal envelopes of the band pass signals.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the number of band signals is much greater than the number of electrode stimulation signals.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the electrode stimulation signals include simultaneous electrode stimulation signals.

10. A cochlear implant system adapted to use the method according to any of claims 1-9.

11. A computer program product implemented in a computer readable storage medium for generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array, the product comprising:

program code for processing an acoustic audio signal to generate a plurality of band pass signals, each of which represents an associated band of audio frequencies;

program code for defining a plurality of macro bands, each of which characterizes a plurality of the band pass signals;

program code for processing the macro bands in a sequence of sampling intervals, wherein for each sampling interval the processing includes;

i. extracting timing and energy information from each band pass signal to form requested stimulation events,

ii. decimating the requested stimulation events to select a maximum energy band pass signal within each macro band, and

iii. decimating each selected band pass signal based on a pulse selection inhibition function and preserving temporal and spectral structures of the band pass signals so as to generate stimulation event signals; and

program code for weighting the stimulation event signals with a weighting matrix reflecting patient-specific pitch perception characteristics to produce output electrode stimulation signals to the implanted electrode array.

12. A product according to claim 11, wherein decimating each selected band pass signal also takes into account spatial channel interaction characteristics.

13. A product according to claim 11, wherein decimating each selected band pass signal also takes into account target nerve refractory properties.

14. A product according to claim 11 wherein zero crossings of the band pass signals are used for extracting timing and energy information from each band pass signal.

15. A product according to claim 11 wherein phase of the band pass signals are used for extracting timing and energy information from each band pass signal.

16. A product according to claim 11, wherein channel specific sampling sequences (CSSS) is used for coding timing and energy information.

17. A product according to claim 11, wherein the maximum energy band pass signal is selected based on signal envelopes of the band pass signals.

18. A product according to claim 11, wherein the number of band signals is much greater than the number of electrode stimulation signals.

19. A product according to claim 11, wherein the electrode stimulation signals include simultaneous electrode stimulation signals.