Cochlear Implant Sound Processor Noise Threshold Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cochlear implant systems introduce noise that interferes with the perception of quiet sounds in patients with sensorineural hearing loss, as the noise masks useful information in quiet environments, where the signal-to-noise ratio is low.
Innovation Solution
A sound processor is used to process audio signals and generate spectral output signals by excluding spectral input signals with energy levels below a predetermined system noise threshold, thereby minimizing the effect of system noise and enhancing sound perception in patients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cochlear implant system processes and transmits electrical signals to stimulate the auditory nerve, then hearing function is restored, but system noise is introduced that masks useful information in quiet environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes noise-dominated spectral components from the electrical signals before transmission to the cochlear implant. The sound processor identifies spectral bins where noise exceeds signal energy and excludes these from the output signal, thereby separating useful auditory information from system-generated noise while preserving hearing function restoration.
2Loss of information
If the sound processor transmits all spectral input signals to maintain complete sound information, then sound quality is preserved, but noise-dominated signals interfere with perception in quiet environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of system noise into a beneficial filtering mechanism by using the noise threshold as a criterion to identify and remove degraded spectral components. The noise that would normally mask useful information is instead used as a reference to determine which spectral bins to exclude, transforming the harmful noise characteristic into a useful tool for signal purification.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the system excludes spectral signals below the noise threshold to reduce noise impact, then sound perception in quiet environments is improved, but some useful information may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used to determine signal inclusion from a fixed threshold to a dynamic noise-based threshold. By calculating the noise threshold as the difference between total spectral energy and useful signal energy, the system adapts the exclusion criterion to actual noise conditions, preserving useful information while removing noise-dominated components based on varying environmental and system conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary sound processor included in a cochlear implant system used by a patient generates a spectral input signal representative of spectral energy contained within a frequency band of an audio signal presented to the patient. The sound processor determines whether a spectral energy level of the spectral input signal exceeds a predetermined system noise threshold that is based on a characterization of system noise generated by the cochlear implant system within the frequency band. The sound processer then generates a spectral output signal by 1) including the spectral input signal in the spectral output signal if the spectral energy level exceeds the predetermined system noise threshold, and 2) excluding the spectral input signal from the spectral output signal if the spectral energy level does not exceed the predetermined system noise threshold. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.