Carrier and envelope triggered cochlear stimulation

• US 8,019,429 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2010
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Med El Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
• Original Assignee: Med El Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
• Inventors: Schleich, Peter, Aschbacher, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, NATASHA
• Application Number:
  US12/729,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20100249880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 607 55- 57, 607136-137, 600/379
• US Class Current: 607/56
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation

Abstract

Generation of electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array is described. An acoustic audio signal is processed to generate band pass signals which include a fine structure carrier signal and a modulator envelope signal. For each band pass signal, fine time structure information is extracted from the carrier signal to determine a sequence of stimulation event signals. For one or more low frequency band pass signals, the modulator envelope signal is sampled synchronously with the carrier signal to create envelope weighted stimulation event signals. For one or more higher frequency band pass signals, if and only if the modulator envelope signal exceeds a sampling threshold value, then the modulator envelope signal is sampled synchronously with the carrier signal to create envelope weighted stimulation event signals. The envelope weighted stimulation event signals are then processed to produce electrode stimulation signals for 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, wherein each band pass signal includes a fine structure carrier signal and a modulator envelope signal;

for each band pass signal;

i. extracting fine time structure information from the carrier signal to determine a sequence of stimulation event signals,

ii. for one or more low frequency band pass signals, sampling the modulator envelope signal synchronously with the carrier signal to create envelope weighted stimulation event signals,

iii. for one or more higher frequency band pass signals,

(1) if and only if the modulator envelope signal exceeds a sampling threshold value, then

(2) sampling the modulator envelope signal synchronously with the carrier signal to create envelope weighted stimulation event signals,

processing the envelope weighted stimulation event signals to produce electrode stimulation signals for the implanted electrode array.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein processing the envelope weighted stimulation event signals includes mapping the envelope weighted stimulation event signals to a set of electrode stimulation channels for producing the electrode stimulation signals.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein processing the envelope weighted stimulation signals includes optimizing the envelope weighted stimulation signals for perception by the individual patient.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein processing the envelope weighted stimulation event signals includes developing a desired pulse shape for the electrode stimulation signals.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the desired pulse shape is a biphasic pulse.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein extracting fine time structure information is based on zero crossings of the band pass signals.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

for each band pass signal, suppressing the envelope weighted stimulation signals if one or more physiological state considerations occur.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the one or more physiological state considerations includes a refractory state of target nervous tissue.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the one or more physiological state considerations includes adjacent channel stimulation activity.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sampling threshold value is a function of channel signal quality.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sampling threshold value is a function of one or more physiological criteria.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sampling threshold value is a function of one or more temporal characteristics of the modulator envelope signal.

13. A cochlear implant system adapted to use the method according to any of claims 1-12.

14. A computer program product implemented in a non-transitory 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, wherein each band pass signal includes a fine structure carrier signal and a modulator envelope signal;

program code for each band pass signal for;

i. extracting fine time structure information from the carrier signal to determine a sequence of stimulation event signals,

ii. for one or more low frequency band pass signals, sampling the modulator envelope signal synchronously with the carrier signal to create envelope weighted stimulation event signals,

iii. for one or more higher frequency band pass signals,

(1) if and only if the modulator envelope signal exceeds a sampling threshold value, then

(2) sampling the modulator envelope signal synchronously with the carrier signal to create envelope weighted stimulation event signals,

program code for processing the envelope weighted stimulation event signals to produce electrode stimulation signals for the implanted electrode array.

15. A product according to claim 14, wherein the program code for processing the envelope weighted stimulation event signals includes program code for mapping the envelope weighted stimulation event signals to a set of electrode stimulation channels for producing the electrode stimulation signals.

16. A product according to claim 14, wherein the program code for processing the envelope weighted stimulation signals includes program code for optimizing the envelope weighted stimulation signals for perception by the individual patient.

17. A product according to claim 14, wherein the program code for processing the envelope weighted stimulation event signals includes program code for developing a desired pulse shape for the electrode stimulation signals.

18. A product according to claim 17, wherein the desired pulse shape is a biphasic pulse.

19. A product according to claim 14, wherein extracting fine time structure information is based on zero crossings of the band pass signals.

20. A product according to claim 14, further comprising:

program code for each band pass signal for suppressing the envelope weighted stimulation signals if one or more physiological state considerations occur.

21. A product according to claim 20, wherein the one or more physiological state considerations includes a refractory state of target nervous tissue.

22. A product according to claim 20, wherein the one or more physiological state considerations includes adjacent channel stimulation activity.

23. A product according to claim 14, wherein the sampling threshold value is a function of channel signal quality.

24. A product according to claim 14, wherein the sampling threshold value is a function of one or more physiological criteria.

25. A product according to claim 14, wherein the sampling threshold value is a function of one or more temporal characteristics of the modulator envelope signal.