Hearing Prosthesis Pulse Modulation for Multiple Sound Sources
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hearing prostheses struggle to effectively deliver multiple frequencies present in sound signals, particularly in environments with multiple sound sources or harmonics, leading to inadequate perception of auditory cues such as musical harmonies and speech signals from multiple talkers.
Innovation Solution
A hearing prosthesis that extracts multiple frequencies from sound signals and amplitude modulates stimulation pulse sequences to be delivered via different channels, using a multi-frequency sound processor to encode and control these frequencies, allowing for improved perception of multiple frequencies by adapting stimulation resolution based on periodic probabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional hearing prostheses deliver stimulation signals, then basic hearing function is restored, but multiple frequencies from multiple sound sources cannot be effectively perceived
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex sound signal into multiple frequency components using filter banks, separating different sound sources and their harmonics into distinct channels. This allows the prosthesis to process and deliver multiple frequencies simultaneously through different electrode channels, resolving the contradiction between basic hearing restoration and perception of multiple frequencies
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension by using amplitude modulation of stimulation pulse sequences at different rates corresponding to different fundamental frequencies. This temporal coding approach allows multiple frequencies to be encoded in the time domain, enabling the recipient to perceive multiple sound sources without increasing spatial complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If stimulation pulse sequences are amplitude modulated with multiple frequencies, then perception of multiple frequencies is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal sound processing architecture where the same filter bank and amplitude modulation mechanisms handle both single-frequency and multi-frequency signals. The system adaptively processes signals based on their complexity, using the same hardware infrastructure for different coding strategies, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining multi-frequency capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic adaptation of stimulation parameters based on the analyzed sound signal characteristics. The system continuously adjusts pulse sequence modulation depths and frequencies based on periodic probability calculations, allowing the device to optimize performance for different listening scenarios without requiring multiple fixed-configuration systems
Data Source
AI summary
Presented herein are techniques for enhancing a hearing prosthesis recipient's perception of multiple frequencies present in received sound signals. The hearing prosthesis is configured to extract a plurality of frequencies from the received sound signals and to use the plurality of frequencies to modulate the amplitudes of different stimulation pulse sequences that are to be delivered to the recipient via different stimulation channels. The hearing prosthesis may also adapt a stimulation resolution of the stimulation pulse sequences when delivering the modulated stimulation pulses sequences to the recipient.