Cochlear Implant Masking Model for Across-Electrode Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cochlear implant systems face challenges with across-electrode interference due to broad current fields that stimulate broader clusters of nerve fibers, leading to poorer spectral resolution and significant overlap in neural excitation, disrupting neural responses.
Innovation Solution
A cochlear implant system employing a masking model to determine the importance value of electrode pulses based on across-electrode interferences, using both spatial and temporal masking contributions to minimize interference by adjusting electrode activation and timing, thereby reducing cross-electrode interference and enhancing spectral resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If broad current fields are used to stimulate nerve fibers, then the coverage area is increased, but spectral resolution deteriorates due to overlap in neural excitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the stimulation process by dividing the electrode array into multiple groups and applying different phase relationships to different groups. This segmentation allows the system to maintain broad coverage while creating distinct neural excitation patterns that improve spectral resolution by reducing overlap between adjacent electrode stimulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic phase shifting between electrode groups, where the phase relationship is varied over time rather than remaining static. This dynamic approach allows the system to sweep through different phase configurations, effectively exploring multiple stimulation patterns that collectively improve spectral resolution while maintaining broad coverage.
2Productivity
If multiple electrodes are activated simultaneously, then information transfer rate is increased, but across-electrode interference increases disrupting neural responses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic phase modulation where electrodes are activated in a systematic sequence with varying phase relationships. By periodically cycling through different phase configurations, the system maintains high information transfer rates while the periodic structure prevents sustained interference patterns, allowing neural responses to reset between cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the phase parameter dynamically across different electrode groups and time periods. By varying the phase relationship between electrodes rather than maintaining a fixed configuration, the system can activate multiple electrodes simultaneously for high information transfer while the changing phase parameters prevent consistent interference patterns from developing.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If N-of-M channel selection is used to limit active electrodes, then across-electrode interference is reduced, but spectral resolution is compromised by deactivating informative electrodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary phase optimization by analyzing the acoustic signal characteristics and pre-determining optimal phase relationships for different electrode groups before stimulation. This preliminary action allows the system to identify which electrodes should be active and what phase relationships will maximize spectral resolution while minimizing interference, rather than simply deactivating electrodes based on fixed N-of-M rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the phase parameter for each electrode group based on signal importance and interference levels. Rather than permanently deactivating electrodes that don't meet N-of-M criteria, the system modulates their phase relationships, allowing informative electrodes to remain active while their phase parameters are adjusted to minimize their contribution to across-electrode interference.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a cochlear implant system comprising; a microphone unit configured to receive an acoustical signal and transmit an audio signal based on the acoustical signal, a processor unit configured to receive the audio signal and process the audio signal into a plurality channels that are then used to generate a plurality of electrode pulses, an electrode array including a plurality of electrodes (M) configured to stimulate auditory nerves of a user of the cochlear implant system based on the plurality of electrode pulses, and wherein the processor unit is configured to assign an importance value to one or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the importance values is determined based on a status of an electrode pulse assigned to the respective electrode, and wherein the status of the electrode pulse of the plurality of electrode pulses is determined based on a masking model of across-electrode interferences imposed on that electrode pulse by other electrode pulses of the plurality of electrode pulses.