Power regulation for cochlear implant systems

Abstract

Power regulation for a cochlear implant system is disclosed, wherein the cochlear implant system includes an external unit, an implantable unit, a microphone unit configured to receive sound waves and provide audio signals based on the sound waves, and a power management unit configured to: determine a stimulation power consumption of the implantable unit for transmitting a plurality of stimulation pulses of a stimulation frame to auditory nerve fibers of a recipient; determine a power consumption phase of the implantable unit; and determine a target output power of a first inductive transceiver based on the power consumption phase and a power regulation function to obtain a target power at a second inductive transceiver, the target power resulting in an input power to a stimulator unit of the implantable unit, wherein the input power is equal to or approximately equal to the determined stimulation power consumption; wherein the stimulator unit is configured to transmit the plurality of stimulation pulses to an electrode array based on the input power.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to cochlear implantation systems and methods for using cochlear implantation systems. More specifically, this invention relates to a system / method having a power management unit configured to determine the power consumption of an implantable unit and, at least based on the determined power consumption, determine a target power to be transmitted from an external unit to the implantable unit. Background Technology

[0002] Cochlear implant systems (CIs) are devices that contain electrodes inserted into the inner ear (cochlea) to restore hearing in people suffering from severe to profound hearing loss. CIs bypass most of the functional auditory chain and generate a train of electrical impulses within the cochlea to initiate action potentials from hair cells. These devices are therefore mostly considered biofitted electronic machines. Depending on their implementation, they may be fully implantable or consist of two main parts. The external unit is a sound processor, typically placed near the ear. It contains a microphone that captures ambient sound, which is processed in real time into a series of codes that can be used by the implantable unit implanted in the patient. The implantable unit receives power and sound information from the sound processor via a percutaneous link and generates electrical impulses that are sent into the cochlea via multiple electrodes.

[0003] Power delivered to the implantable unit that is not used to provide stimulation results in unnecessary heat generation and reduced battery life. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that sufficient power is delivered to the implantable unit to enable appropriate functionality while keeping power loss as low as possible. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, a cochlear implantation system is disclosed. The system includes an external unit configured to be disposed on the head or ear of a recipient of the cochlear implantation system. The external unit includes at least a first inductive transceiver configured to transmit power via a percutaneous link. The external unit may be an after-ear hearing aid configured to be disposed behind the ear of the recipient of the cochlear implantation system. The system also includes an implantable unit configured to be disposed between the skin and skull of the recipient. The implantable unit may be partially disposed within the ear and partially disposed on the skull of the recipient. The implantable unit includes at least an electrode array comprising a plurality of electrodes and a second inductive transceiver configured to receive power via a percutaneous link. The plurality of electrodes are configured to apply a plurality of stimulation pulses to the auditory nerve fibers of the recipient of the cochlear implantation system during stimulation frames. Furthermore, the system includes a microphone unit configured to receive sound waves and provide an audio signal based on the sound waves, wherein the plurality of stimulation pulses are determined based on the audio signal. The microphone unit may include one or more microphones disposed within the external unit and / or the implantable unit.

[0005] The system includes one or more batteries, and to improve battery life, it includes a power management unit. The power management unit is configured to determine the stimulation power consumption of the implantable unit for transmitting multiple stimulation pulses of stimulation frames to the auditory nerve fibers of the recipient. The determination of the stimulation power consumption of the implantable unit may be based on multiple stimulation pulses determined by an external unit (more specifically, a sound processor disposed within the external unit and / or the implantable unit). The multiple stimulation pulses may communicate with the power management unit. Furthermore, the power management unit may be configured to determine power consumption phases of the implantable unit.

[0006] The power management unit can be configured to receive input information from external units and / or other units located within the implantable unit, wherein power consumption phases can be determined based on the input information. The power consumption of the implantable unit can be determined based on the selected encoding strategy for determining multiple stimulation pulses, transceiver type, battery life or capacity, the type of implantable unit, and whether there are other units within the implantable unit that need to be activated during stimulation and / or during periods of stimulation that do not necessarily involve auditory nerve fibers. Other units may include sensors, microphone units, sound processors, and memory units.

[0007] The power management unit also determines the target output power of the first inductive transceiver based on the power consumption stage and the power regulation function to obtain the target power at the second inductive transceiver, which results in the input power of the stimulator unit of the implantable unit, wherein the input power is equal to or approximately equal to the determined stimulation power consumption, and wherein the stimulator unit can be configured to transmit multiple stimulation pulses to the electrode array based on the input power.

[0008] The power regulation function can be determined during the startup of the external unit or implantable unit when the external unit is placed on the recipient's head or ear. Thus, the power regulation function takes into account the recipient's skin thickness when determining multiple target output powers for different power consumption stages.

[0009] Depending on the power consumption stage of the implantable unit, the power management unit can be configured to determine the target output power by selecting one of a plurality of target output powers, wherein the power consumption stage matches one of different power consumption stages. If the power consumption stage does not match one of different power consumption stages, the power management unit can be configured to determine the target output power by extracting it through linear interpolation of multiple target output powers as a function of multiple power consumption stages.

[0010] The power regulation function may include multiple target output powers of the first inductive transceiver for different power consumption stages of the implantable unit.

[0011] The power consumption phase can be determined based on input information, which may include current level, voltage level and / or power level. Thus, the power consumption phase may include the total current level, or total voltage level, or total power level required to optimally drive the implantable unit during the stimulation frame or non-stimulation frame.

[0012] Alternatively, the power adjustment function can be determined during the fitting of the cochlear implant system for the recipient or during the production of the cochlear implant system. During the production of the cochlear implant system, the power adjustment function does not take into account the recipient's skin thickness; therefore, it may be necessary to adapt the power adjustment function to the recipient's skin thickness by applying an adjustment factor. The adjustment factor is applied to the power adjustment function so that the determined target output power is suitable for the recipient's skin thickness.

[0013] The first inductive transceiver can be configured to transmit a target output power to the second inductive transceiver, resulting in a power-optimized cochlear implantation system that avoids unwanted reduction in battery life due to overestimated power transmission to the implantable unit.

[0014] Multiple stimulation pulses are communicated to the power management unit, each of the multiple stimulation pulses having a first on-off ratio. During a stimulation frame when the multiple stimulation pulses are applied to the auditory nerve fiber, each of the multiple stimulation pulses has a second on-off ratio. The expected target output power can then be determined based on the power consumption phase and the power adjustment function, and then the target output power can be determined by multiplying the expected target output power by the ratio between the first on-off ratio and the second on-off ratio. Thus, the target output power is estimated more accurately.

[0015] The implantable unit may include a stimulator unit configured to transmit multiple stimulation pulses to an electrode array. The stimulator unit consumes a backup current whenever it is powered on. Determining the stimulation power consumption may include determining the backup current and estimating the stimulation current of each of the multiple stimulation pulses, wherein the stimulation power consumption includes the backup current and the stimulation current of each of the multiple stimulation pulses. Additional current may be added as needed for other activities of the stimulator unit.

[0016] In addition, determining the stimulation power consumption includes determining the polarization current of each of the plurality of stimulation pulses, wherein the polarization current may vary with the current amplitude of the stimulation pulses in the plurality of stimulation pulses, and wherein the stimulation power consumption includes the backup current, the stimulation current of each of the plurality of stimulation pulses, and the polarization current.

[0017] Alternatively, stimulation power consumption may include a backup current and the average of the stimulation currents of each of the plurality of stimulation pulses, and / or the average of the polarization currents of each of the plurality of stimulation pulses.

[0018] Input information can be transmitted to the power management unit by a sound processor located in the external unit and / or implantable unit. The sound processor can be configured to process the audio signal and provide multiple stimulation pulses based on the audio signal and an encoding strategy, wherein the input information includes information about the selected encoding strategy, information about the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the audio signal, and / or information about whether the audio signal is related to speech or non-speech. In one example, the pulse rate, pulse amplitude, or pulse width of the multiple stimulation pulses can vary according to the encoding strategy, the SNR of the audio signal, and / or whether the audio signal is related to speech or non-speech, thus the stimulation power consumption varies with the pulse rate, pulse amplitude, and / or pulse width. Therefore, a more accurate estimate of the target output power is achieved, leading to improved battery life because the overestimation of power that needs to be transmitted to the implantable unit is significantly reduced.

[0019] Input information can be transmitted to the power management unit from the first and / or second inductive transceiver, wherein the input information includes information about the type of inductive transceiver and / or information about the resonant frequency of the inductive transceiver. In one example, if the power management unit is applied to an external unit and a second inductive transceiver is upgraded, the power management unit can be configured to determine the target output power at the first inductive transceiver without requiring any further fitting of the cochlear implant system to the recipient. Input information from the second inductive transceiver may include information about the power supply voltage of the transceiver and / or the version number of the upgraded transceiver, wherein the version number is used to retrieve the power supply voltage required to drive the second inductive transceiver from the memory unit of the cochlear implant system.

[0020] Input information can be transmitted from the battery to the power management unit, and this input information may include information about battery life or battery capacity. In one example, when battery capacity is low, the power management unit is configured to reduce determined stimulation power consumption by selecting a set of multiple stimulation pulses to be delivered to the implantable unit. The selection of stimulation pulses within this set is based on the importance of each of the multiple stimulation levels. The importance is determined by a sound processor based on the signal-to-noise ratio of the stimulation pulse, whether the stimulation pulse contains speech or non-speech, and the amplitude or pulse width of the stimulation pulse.

[0021] Input information can be transmitted from the implantable unit to the power management unit, and this input information may include information about the type of the implantable unit and / or information about the power consumption of the implantable unit outside the stimulation frame. In one example, if the power management unit is applied to an external unit and an upgrade of the implantable unit is performed, the power management unit may be configured to determine the target output power at a first inductive transceiver without requiring any further fitting of the cochlear implant system to the recipient. Input information from the implantable unit may include information about the units within the implantable unit, such as transceivers, stimulators, microphones, sensors, sound processors, memory units, and different power supply voltages of another power management unit located within the implantable unit. In addition to different power supply voltages, version numbers may also be communicated to the power management unit located in the external unit.

[0022] Input information can be transmitted from the memory unit to the power management unit, including information about the recipient's skin thickness, and / or information about the type of inductive transceiver, and / or information about the resonant frequency of the inductive transceiver, and / or information about the coding strategy.

[0023] Input information and multiple stimulation pulses can be communicated to the power management unit during one or more communication frames, each of the one or more communication frames including multiple electrical pulses representing input information of the power management unit and multiple stimulation pulses.

[0024] The cochlear implant system may include another power management unit disposed within the implantable unit, wherein the other power management unit is configured to distribute power to at least the electrode array. The other power management unit is configured to transmit input information to the power management unit of the external unit upon receiving a command from the power management unit of the external unit. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Various aspects of the invention will be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For clarity, these drawings are schematic and simplified, showing only the details necessary for understanding the invention while omitting other details. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals are used for the same or corresponding parts. Features of each aspect may be combined with any or all features of other aspects. These and other aspects, features, and / or technical effects will be apparent from and illustrated in the following figures, wherein:

[0026] Figure 1A and 1B The cochlear implant system is shown;

[0027] Figure 2 Another example of a cochlear implant system is shown;

[0028] Figure 3The determination of stimulation power consumption is shown;

[0029] Figure 4 The specific configuration of the power management unit is shown;

[0030] Figure 5A and 5B An example of a power regulation function is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The detailed description below, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, serves as a description of various different configurations. This detailed description includes specific details to provide a thorough understanding of several different concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts can be implemented without these specific details. Several aspects of the apparatus and method are described by various different blocks, functional units, modules, elements, circuits, steps, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively, “elements”). Depending on the specific application, design constraints, or other reasons, these elements may be implemented using electronic hardware, computer programs, or any combination thereof.

[0032] Electronic hardware may include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), gating logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functions described in this specification. The term "computer program" should be interpreted broadly as instruction, instruction set, code, code segment, program code, program, subroutine, software module, application, software application, software package, routine, subroutine, object, executable, thread of execution, program, function, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or other names.

[0033] Hearing devices may include means suitable for improving or enhancing a user's hearing ability, which is achieved by receiving sound signals from the user's environment, generating corresponding audio signals, possibly modifying the audio signals, and providing the possibly modified audio signals as audible signals to at least one of the user's ears. "Hearing device" may also refer to a device suitable for electronically receiving audio signals, such as a headset or headphones, which may modify the audio signals and provide the possibly modified audio signals as audible signals to at least one of the user's ears. The audible signals may be provided in the following forms: acoustic signals radiated into the user's outer ear, or acoustic signals transmitted as mechanical vibrations through the bone structures of the user's head and / or through the user's middle ear to the user's inner ear, or electrical signals transmitted directly or indirectly to the user's cochlear nerve and / or auditory cortex.

[0034] Hearing devices are suitable for wearing in any known manner. This may include: i) placing the unit of the hearing device behind the ear (having a tube for guiding acoustic signals into the ear canal or having a receiver / speaker positioned close to or within the ear canal), such as a postauricular hearing device; and / or ii) placing the hearing device wholly or partially within the user's auricle and / or ear canal, such as an in-the-ear hearing device or an in-the-canal / deep-canal hearing device; or iii) configuring the unit of the hearing device to be connected to a fixation device implanted into the skull, such as a bone-anchored hearing device or a cochlear implant; or iv) configuring the unit of the hearing device as a unit that is wholly or partially implanted, such as a bone-anchored hearing device or a cochlear implant.

[0035] A “hearing system” refers to a system comprising one or two hearing devices, and a “binaural hearing system” refers to a system comprising two hearing devices adapted to provide audio signals to both ears of a user in a cooperative manner. A hearing system or a binaural hearing system may also include an auxiliary device that communicates with at least one hearing device, which affects the operation of the hearing device and / or benefits from the functionality of the hearing device. A wired or wireless communication link is established between the at least one hearing device and the auxiliary device to allow the exchange of information (such as control and status signals, possibly audio signals). The auxiliary device may include at least one of the following: a remote control, a remote microphone, an audio gateway device, a mobile phone, a broadcasting system, a car audio system, a music player, or a combination thereof. The audio gateway device is adapted to receive multiple audio signals, such as from an entertainment device like a TV or music player, from a telephone device like a mobile phone, or from a computer like a PC. The audio gateway device is also adapted (e.g., enabling a user) to select and / or combine appropriate signals from the received audio signals (or combinations of signals) to transmit to the at least one hearing device. The remote control is adapted to control the functionality and operation of the at least one hearing device. The remote control functionality can be implemented in a smartphone or other electronic device, which may run an application that controls the functionality of at least one hearing device.

[0036] Generally, a hearing device includes i) an input unit, such as a microphone, for receiving acoustic signals from the user's surroundings and providing a corresponding input audio signal, and / or ii) a receiving unit for electronically receiving the input audio signal. The hearing device also includes a signal processing unit for processing the input audio signal and an output unit for providing an audible signal to the user based on the processed audio signal.

[0037] The input unit may include multiple input microphones, for example, for providing direction-dependent audio signal processing. Such directional microphone systems are suitable for enhancing a target acoustic source among a large number of acoustic sources in a user's environment. In one aspect, the directional system is adapted to detect (e.g., adaptively detect) the direction from which a specific portion of the microphone signal originates. This can be achieved using methods conventionally known. The signal processing unit may include an amplifier adapted to apply a frequency-dependent gain to the input audio signal. The signal processing unit may also be adapted to provide other related functions such as compression, noise reduction, etc. The output unit may include an output converter, such as a loudspeaker / receiver for providing airborne acoustic signals transdermally or percutaneously to the skull, or a vibrator for providing structure-borne or fluid-borne acoustic signals. In some hearing devices, the output unit may include one or more output electrodes, such as those in a cochlear implant, for providing electrical signals.

[0038] "Cochlear implant system" refers to a specific type of "hearing system" that includes an external unit and an implantable unit. The external unit receives acoustic sounds and processes them into encoded audio, while the implantable unit receives the encoded audio signals.

[0039] Now for reference Figure 1A The illustration depicts a cochlear implantation system 1, comprising an external unit 3, a microphone unit 5, a power management unit 10, a first inductive transceiver 7, an implantable unit 4, an electrode array 2, a stimulator unit 20, and a second inductive transceiver 6. In this specific example, the external unit 3 is configured to be placed on the head or ear of the recipient of the cochlear implantation system. The external unit includes at least the first inductive transceiver 7, which is configured to transmit power and / or data via a percutaneous link through the recipient's skin 8 to the second inductive transceiver disposed within the implantable unit 4. The implantable unit 4 is connected to the electrode array 2. Figure 1B The image shows an electrode array 2 inserted into the cochlea 100 of a recipient. The electrode array 2 includes multiple electrodes configured to apply multiple stimulation pulses to the auditory nerve fibers of the cochlea during stimulation frames. An external unit 3 includes a microphone unit 5 configured to receive sound waves and provide an audio signal based on the sound waves, wherein the multiple stimulation pulses are determined based on the audio signal. Furthermore, in this specific example, the external unit 3 includes a power management unit 10 configured to determine a target output power to be transmitted via a first inductive transceiver 7 to obtain a target power at a second inductive transceiver. This results in an input power to the stimulator unit 20 of the implantable unit 4, wherein the input power is equal to or approximately equal to the determined stimulation power consumption, and the stimulator unit 20 is configured to transmit multiple stimulation pulses to the electrode array 2 based on the input power.

[0040] Furthermore, the target power results in a first input power for the electrode array that is equal to or approximately equal to the determined stimulation power consumption, and a second input power for driving the implantable unit. Thus, the power consumption phase of the implantable unit is determined, and based on the power consumption phase and the power adjustment function, a target output power for the first inductive transceiver is determined to obtain a target power at the second inductive transceiver, which results in an input power for the stimulator unit 20 of the implantable unit 4, wherein the input power is equal to or approximately equal to the determined stimulation power consumption, and wherein the stimulator unit 20 is configured to transmit multiple stimulation pulses to the electrode array 2 based on the input power.

[0041] In another example of a cochlear implantation system, the external unit 3 and the implantable unit 4 are replaced by a fully implantable unit that includes a microphone unit 5, a power management unit 10, an electrode array 2, and a first inductive transceiver 7 configured to communicate with an external device via a percutaneous link.

[0042] Figure 2 Another example of a cochlear implant system 1 is shown. The cochlear implant system 1 includes an external unit 3, a microphone unit 5, a power management unit 10, a first inductive transceiver 7, a sound processor 14, a memory unit 12, an implantable unit 4, an electrode array 2, a second inductive transceiver (6, 18), a stimulator unit 20, and optionally another power management unit 19, a demodulator 21, and a battery 16.

[0043] The power management unit 10 is configured to determine the power consumption phase based on input information from other units (6, 7, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22a, and 22b) located in the external unit 3 and / or the implantable unit 4. The sound processor 14 is configured to process audio signals and provide multiple stimulus pulses based on the audio signals and an encoding strategy, wherein the input information includes information about the selected encoding strategy, information about the signal-to-noise ratio of the audio signal, and / or information about whether the audio signal is related to speech or non-speech.

[0044] The first and / or second inductive transceivers (6,7,18) can transmit input information to the power management unit 10, wherein the input information includes information about the type of the inductive transceiver (6,7,18) and / or information about the resonant frequency of the inductive transceiver (6,7,18).

[0045] The power management unit can be configured to determine the battery life and battery capacity of battery 16. Input information from battery 16 to power management unit 10 includes battery voltage, wherein power management unit 10 is configured to determine battery life and battery capacity based on the battery voltage received from battery 16.

[0046] The implantable unit 4 is configured to transmit input information to the power management unit 10, including information about the type of the implantable unit 4 and / or information about the power consumption of the implantable unit 4 outside the stimulation frame.

[0047] External unit 3 includes memory unit 12, configured to transmit information about the recipient's skin thickness, the type of inductive transceiver, the resonant frequency of the inductive transceiver, and / or the encoding strategy upon request from power management unit 10. Power management unit 10 is configured to request input information from memory unit 12 during startup or activation of external unit 3 and / or implantable unit 4.

[0048] The first inductive transceiver 7 transmits the target output power and HF signal to the second inductive transceiver 6. The second inductive transceiver 6 is configured to forward the HF signal to the demodulator 21 and the target power to another power management unit 19. The target power is equal to the target output power multiplied by a loss factor, which depends primarily on the recipient's skin thickness. The demodulator 21 is configured to demodulate the HF signal into multiple stimulation pulses and transmit these pulses to the stimulator unit 20. The other power management unit 19 is configured to provide the stimulator unit 20 with input power from the target power. The stimulator unit 20 is configured to transmit the multiple stimulation pulses to the electrode array 2 based on the input power.

[0049] In this specific example, Figure 2 In this process, a power adjustment function used to determine the power consumption stage is stored in memory unit 12. Furthermore, the stimulation power consumption is determined based on multiple stimulation pulses received from sound processor 4.

[0050] Figure 3 The determination of stimulation power consumption is illustrated, which in this example includes the reserve current Istd consumed by the stimulator unit 20 of the implantable unit 4 during the power-up of the implantable unit 4, and the stimulation current Istim of each of the plurality of stimulation pulses. Alternatively, the stimulation power consumption may also include the polarization current Ipol of each of the plurality of stimulation pulses, wherein the polarization current varies with the current amplitude of the stimulation pulses among the plurality of stimulation pulses.

[0051] Stimulation power consumption may include the backup current Istd and the average of the stimulation current Istim of each of the plurality of stimulation pulses, and / or the average of the polarization current Ipol of each of the plurality of stimulation pulses.

[0052] Figure 4The diagram illustrates a scenario where the power management unit 10 receives input information as electrical pulses and / or multiple stimulation pulses during a communication frame, wherein each electrical pulse and each of the multiple stimulation pulses has a first on-off ratio. During a stimulation frame when the multiple stimulation pulses are transmitted to the electrode array 2, each of the multiple stimulation pulses has a second on-off ratio, which is greater than the first on-off ratio. The expected target output power can then be determined based on the power consumption stage and the power adjustment function, and the target output power can then be determined by multiplying the expected target output power by the ratio between the first on-off ratio and the second on-off ratio. Thus, the target output power is estimated more accurately.

[0053] Figure 5A and 5B An example of power regulation function 45 is shown. Figure 5A The diagram illustrates the relationship between multiple target output powers 40 of the power regulation function 45, including the first inductive transceiver 7, for different power consumption stages 42 of the implantable unit 4. For example, in Figure 5A The diagram illustrates three different scenarios for extracting the target output power 40. One scenario involves the implantable unit being powered on and in standby mode, where the power consumption phase is "standby." Two other scenarios are also shown, namely "Stimulus 1" and "Stimulus 2," both related to the stimulation of auditory nerve fibers by the electrode array. The difference in the target output power 40 between the two scenarios, "Stimulus 1" and "Stimulus 2," could be due to different encoding strategies or different audio signal characteristics based on the multiple stimulation pulses. These different characteristics could be, for example, different signal-to-noise ratios, or that the audio signal is related to speech in "Stimulus 1" and to non-speech in "Stimulus 2."

[0054] Figure 5B An example is shown where the power adjustment function 45 is adapted to the skin thickness of the recipient of the cochlear implant system via adjustment factors (φ', φ”). In this example, the power adjustment function 45B is proportionally reduced by the adjustment factor φ' because the recipient of the cochlear implant system 1 has thinner skin. Alternatively, the power adjustment function 45A is proportionally increased by the adjustment factor φ” because the skin thickness is thicker, but in the proportionally increased power adjustment function 45A, the gradient changes due to, for example, different types of the second inductive transceiver 6 or different types of implantable or external units.

[0055] Cochlear implants typically include: i) an external portion for picking up and processing sound from the environment and determining a pulse sequence for electrode stimulation based on the current input sound; ii) a (typically wireless, such as inductive) communication link for simultaneously transmitting information about the stimulation sequence and transmitting energy to the implant portion; and iii) an implant portion that enables stimulation to be generated and applied to multiple electrodes, which may be implanted at different locations in the cochlea, thereby enabling stimulation of different frequencies within the auditory range. Such systems are described, for example, in US 4,207,441 and US 4,532,930.

[0056] On one hand, hearing devices include multi-electrode arrays, for example, in the form of a carrier comprising multiple electrodes adapted to be located in the cochlea and close to the user's auditory nerve. This carrier is preferably made of a flexible material to enable proper positioning of the electrodes in the cochlea, allowing the electrodes to be inserted into the recipient's cochlea. Preferably, the individual electrodes are spatially distributed along the length of the carrier, thereby providing a corresponding spatial distribution along the cochlear nerve in the cochlea when the carrier is inserted into the cochlea.

[0057] In another aspect, functionality may be stored or encoded as one or more instructions or codes on a tangible computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include computer storage media suitable for storing computer programs including program code, which, when run on a processing system, cause the data processing system to perform at least some (e.g., most or all) of the steps of the methods described above.

[0058] The methods for cochlear implant systems described above (including all corresponding exemplary embodiments) can be implemented in software.

[0059] By way of example, but not limitation, the aforementioned tangible computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to execute or store required program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible by a computer. As used herein, disks include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital multipurpose discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, wherein these disks typically magnetically copy data while simultaneously being optically copied using lasers. Combinations of the aforementioned disks should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. In addition to being stored on tangible media, computer programs may also be transmitted via transmission media such as wired or wireless links or networks such as the Internet and loaded into data processing systems to run at locations other than tangible media.

[0060] In one aspect, a data processing system including a processor is disclosed, the processor being adapted to run a computer program so that the processor performs at least some (such as most or all) of the steps of the methods described above and in the claims.

[0061] As mentioned above, the methods for cochlear implantation systems described above (including all corresponding exemplary embodiments) can be implemented in software.

[0062] When appropriately replaced by a corresponding process, the structural features of the apparatus described above, in detail in the "Detailed Description" section, and as defined in the claims can be combined with the steps of the method of the present invention.

[0063] Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the singular forms “a” and “the” used herein include the plural forms (i.e., meaning “at least one”). It should be further understood that the terms “having,” “comprising,” and / or “including” as used in the specification indicate the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. It should be understood that, unless explicitly stated otherwise, when an element is referred to as “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it may be a direct connection or coupling to the other element, or there may be intermediate inserting elements. The term “and / or” as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed related items. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the steps of any method disclosed herein do not necessarily have to be performed in the exact order disclosed.

[0064] It should be understood that references to "an embodiment," "an embodiment," "an aspect," or "may" in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, particular features, structures, or characteristics may be suitably combined in one or more embodiments of the invention. The foregoing description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to implement the various aspects described herein. Various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects.

[0065] The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be consistent with the full scope covered by the language of the claims, wherein, unless expressly stated, an element referred to in the singular does not mean "one and only one," but rather "one or more." Unless expressly stated, the term "some" means one or more.

[0066] Therefore, the scope of this invention should be determined based on the claims.

Claims

1. A cochlear implantation system, comprising: - An external unit configured to be placed on the head or ear of a recipient of a cochlear implant system, said external unit comprising at least... -- A first inductive transceiver configured to transmit power via a percutaneous link; - An implantable unit configured to be disposed between the recipient's skin and skull, wherein the implantable unit comprises at least -- An electrode array comprising multiple electrodes configured to apply multiple stimulation pulses to the auditory nerve fibers of a recipient of a cochlear implant system during stimulation frames; and -- A second inductive transceiver configured to receive power via the aforementioned percutaneous link; - A microphone unit configured to receive sound waves and provide audio signals based on the sound waves, wherein the plurality of stimulation pulses are determined based on the audio signals; - Power management unit, configured as -- Determine the stimulation power consumption of the implantable unit for transmitting multiple stimulation pulses of the stimulation frame to the auditory nerve fibers of the recipient. -- Determine the power consumption stage of implantable cells; and -- The target output power of the first inductive transceiver is determined based on the power consumption stage and the power adjustment function to obtain the target power at the second inductive transceiver. The target power results in the input power of the stimulator unit of the implantable unit, wherein the input power is equal to or approximately equal to the determined stimulation power consumption. The stimulator unit is configured to transmit multiple stimulation pulses to the electrode array based on the input power; The determination of stimulation power consumption includes: - Determine the spare current consumed by the stimulator unit of the implantable unit during power-up of the implantable unit; - Estimate the stimulation current of each of the multiple stimulation pulses; The stimulation power consumption includes the backup current and the stimulation current of each of the multiple stimulation pulses.

2. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1, wherein, The determination of stimulation power consumption includes: - Determine the polarization current of each of a plurality of stimulus pulses, wherein the polarization current varies with the current amplitude of the stimulus pulses in the plurality of stimulus pulses; The stimulation power consumption includes the backup current and the stimulation current and polarization current of each of the multiple stimulation pulses.

3. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Stimulation power consumption includes the backup current and the average of the stimulation current of each of the multiple stimulation pulses, and / or the average of the polarization current of each of the multiple stimulation pulses.

4. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The power regulation function includes multiple target output powers of the first inductive transceiver for different power consumption stages of the implantable unit.

5. The cochlear implant system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The power consumption stage is determined by receiving input information from other units located in the external unit and / or implantable unit.

6. The cochlear implant system according to claim 5, wherein, Other units include one or more of the following: - A sound processor configured to process audio signals and provide multiple stimulus pulses based on the audio signals and an encoding strategy, wherein the input information includes information about the selected encoding strategy, information about the signal-to-noise ratio of the audio signals, and / or information about whether the audio signals are related to speech or non-speech. - A first and / or a second inductive transceiver, wherein the input information includes information about the type of inductive transceiver and / or information about the resonant frequency of the inductive transceiver; - Battery, where input information includes information about battery life or battery capacity; - An implantable unit, wherein the input information includes information about the type of implantable unit and / or information about the power consumption of the implantable unit outside the stimulus frame; - A memory unit, wherein input information includes information about the recipient's skin thickness, and / or about the type of inductive transceiver, and / or about the resonant frequency of the inductive transceiver, and / or about the encoding strategy.

7. The cochlear implant system according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 6, wherein, The target output power and stimulation power consumption are determined during one or more communication frames, each of which includes multiple electrical pulses representing input information of the power management unit and multiple stimulation pulses.

8. The cochlear implant system according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 6, wherein, The power regulation function is determined at the following times: - During activation of the external unit or implantable unit when the external unit is placed on the recipient's head or ear; - During the process of fitting a cochlear implant system to a recipient; or - During the production of cochlear implant systems.

9. The cochlear implant system according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 6, wherein, The power adjustment function is adapted to the skin thickness of the recipient of the cochlear implant system by an adjustment factor.

10. The cochlear implantation system according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 6, comprising another power management unit disposed within the implantable unit, wherein the other power management unit is configured to distribute power to at least an stimulator unit of the implantable unit, wherein the stimulator unit is connected to an electrode array.

11. The cochlear implant system according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 6, wherein, The power regulation function is stored in a memory cell located in an external unit.

12. The cochlear implant system according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 6, wherein, Stimulation power consumption is determined based on multiple stimulation pulses.

13. The cochlear implant system according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 6, wherein, The power management unit is located in an external unit.

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