Sound processing and stimulation systems and methods for use with cochlear implant devices
First Claim
1. A method for fitting a sound processing strategy that utilizes simultaneous stimulation of a subset of electrodes in an electrode array inserted within a user'"'"'s cochlea, the method comprising:
- selecting a fitting group comprising at least a first electrode from the electrode array;
applying a known stimulus to the electrode array;
using the known stimulus to determine whether a second electrode that is not part of the fitting group would be stimulated simultaneously with the first electrode;
disabling all the electrodes in the electrode array that are not part of the fitting group;
applying a first portion of a current to the first electrode; and
applying to the first electrode a second portion of the current that would otherwise be applied to the second electrode, wherein the second portion of the current would otherwise be applied to the second electrode when the first and second electrodes are enabled and stimulated simultaneously so as to cause the user to perceive a pitch that is different than a pitch that is perceived when either the first or second electrode is stimulated individually.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sound processing strategies for use with cochlear implant systems utilizing simultaneous stimulation of electrodes are provided. The strategies include computing a frequency spectrum of a signal representative of sound, arranging the spectrum into channels and assigning a subset of electrodes to each channel. Each subset is stimulated so as to stimulate a virtual electrode positioned at a location on the cochlea that corresponds to the frequency at which a spectral peak is located within an assigned channel. The strategies also derive a carrier for a channel having a frequency that may relate to the stimulation frequency so that temporal information is presented. In order to fit these strategies, a group of electrodes is selected and the portion of the current that would otherwise be applied to electrode(s) having a partner electrode in the group is applied to the partner electrode.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for fitting a sound processing strategy that utilizes simultaneous stimulation of a subset of electrodes in an electrode array inserted within a user'"'"'s cochlea, the method comprising:
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selecting a fitting group comprising at least a first electrode from the electrode array; applying a known stimulus to the electrode array; using the known stimulus to determine whether a second electrode that is not part of the fitting group would be stimulated simultaneously with the first electrode; disabling all the electrodes in the electrode array that are not part of the fitting group; applying a first portion of a current to the first electrode; and applying to the first electrode a second portion of the current that would otherwise be applied to the second electrode, wherein the second portion of the current would otherwise be applied to the second electrode when the first and second electrodes are enabled and stimulated simultaneously so as to cause the user to perceive a pitch that is different than a pitch that is perceived when either the first or second electrode is stimulated individually. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for fitting a sound processing strategy that utilizes simultaneous stimulation of a subset of electrodes in an electrode array inserted within a user'"'"'s cochlea, the method comprising:
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selecting a fitting group comprising at least one electrode from the electrode array; disabling all the electrodes in the electrode array that are not part of the fitting group; applying a known stimulus to the electrode array; determining whether a first electrode that is not part of the fitting group would be stimulated simultaneously with a second electrode that is part of the fitting group; applying to the second electrode a first portion of a current; and further applying to the second electrode a second portion of the current that would otherwise be applied to the first electrode that is not part of the fitting group. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for fitting a sound processing strategy that utilizes simultaneous stimulation of a subset of electrodes in an electrode array inserted within a user'"'"'s cochlea, the method comprising:
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selecting a fitting group comprising at least a first electrode from the electrode array; disabling all the electrodes in the electrode array that are not part of the fitting group; applying a first portion of a current to the first electrode; applying to the first electrode that is part of the fitting group a second portion of the current that would otherwise be applied to a second electrode that is not part of the fitting group; selecting another fitting group comprising at least a third electrode from the electrode array; disabling all the electrodes in the electrode array that are not part of the other fitting group; applying a first portion of another current to the third electrode; and applying to the third electrode that is part of the other fitting group a second portion of the other current that would otherwise be applied to a fourth electrode that is not part of the other fitting group and that would be stimulated simultaneously with the third electrode. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification