Auditory Prosthesis Acoustic Feedback Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional auditory prostheses using adaptive filtering circuitry can degrade the acoustic response by generating unwanted effects such as artifacts, noise, and oscillations due to incorrect feedback contributions when communication between the sound processor and actuator is non-operational or during sudden changes in ambient sounds.
Innovation Solution
The system monitors the status of communication channels and data signals to control the adaptive filtering circuitry, modifying its operation to prevent such unwanted effects by stopping or reducing adaptation speed, using stored filter coefficients, or switching to alternative microphone sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adaptive filtering circuitry is used to improve acoustic response, then acoustic quality is improved, but unwanted effects such as artifacts, noise, and oscillations are generated when communication is non-operational or during sudden ambient sound changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where monitoring circuitry continuously detects operational states of the auditory prosthesis and communication status. Based on this feedback, control circuitry dynamically adjusts the adaptive filtering circuitry operation - reducing adaptation speed or suspending updates when communication failures or error conditions are detected, thereby preventing the generation of artifacts, noise, and oscillations while maintaining acoustic quality during normal operation
Solution Approach 2:
The adaptive filtering circuitry operates dynamically with variable adaptation speed rather than a fixed rate. The system can adjust the adaptation speed based on detected operational conditions - operating at full speed during stable communication and reducing or suspending adaptation when error conditions occur, allowing the system to optimize between acoustic quality and stability in real-time
2Reliability
If adaptive filtering circuitry continuously adapts to improve acoustic response, then acoustic quality is improved, but instability occurs during sudden changes in ambient sounds
Solution Approach 1:
Monitoring circuitry provides continuous feedback on operational states and communication status to control circuitry. When sudden ambient sound changes are detected that could cause instability, the control circuitry responds by reducing adaptation speed or suspending updates, preventing oscillations while maintaining the ability to recover and adapt once stability is restored
Solution Approach 2:
The adaptive filtering operates in periodic cycles rather than continuously at constant speed. The system can pause adaptation periodically when error conditions are detected, allowing the acoustic response to stabilize before resuming adaptation, thereby preventing instability during sudden ambient sound changes while still achieving long-term acoustic quality improvement
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes signal processing circuitry configured to generate processed data signals in response at least in part to transducer signals from at least one acoustic transducer and filtering signals, and to transmit the processed data signals via at least one communication channel to an actuating assembly of an auditory prosthesis. The apparatus further includes circuitry configured to monitor one or more of the signal processing circuitry, the processed data signals, and the at least one communication channel, and to generate filtering control signals in response at least in part thereto. The apparatus further includes filtering circuitry configured to generate the filtering signals in response at least in part to the processed data signals and the filtering control signals.