Auditory Prosthesis Current Steering Voltage Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional auditory prostheses systems face challenges in maintaining optimal compliance voltage, which affects power consumption and performance, especially when current steering is used, as they often require high compliance voltage for single electrode stimulation sites while compromising on power conservation and performance.
Innovation Solution
The system optimizes compliance voltage by adjusting the current steering range for stimulation channels, allowing for a balance between power conservation and performance by setting the current steering range to values between zero and one, thereby reducing power consumption and enhancing auditory prosthesis performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If current steering is used to concurrently stimulate multiple electrodes, then power consumption is reduced by splitting current, but compliance voltage must be maintained at relatively high levels to account for single electrode stimulation situations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of current steering parameters based on real-time stimulation requirements. The system monitors whether single electrode or multi-electrode stimulation is needed and dynamically configures the current steering range accordingly, allowing the compliance voltage to be optimized for each stimulation scenario rather than maintaining a fixed high voltage level
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (current steering range, electrode configuration) based on the stimulation needs. By adjusting the current steering range parameter and selecting appropriate electrode configurations, the system can reduce compliance voltage requirements while maintaining effective stimulation, resolving the contradiction between power efficiency and voltage requirements
2Adaptability or versatility
If current steering range is increased to improve performance, then stimulation flexibility is enhanced, but power consumption increases due to higher compliance voltage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial current steering by configuring the current steering range to extend only partially beyond the primary electrode. This provides sufficient stimulation flexibility for most cases while avoiding the full power penalty of maximum current steering range, achieving an optimal balance between adaptability and power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the current steering range parameter based on the specific stimulation requirements. When high flexibility is needed, the range is expanded; when power conservation is prioritized, the range is reduced. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between versatility and energy loss
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary sound processor 1) sets a current steering range for a stimulation channel defined by first and second physical electrodes communicatively coupled to an auditory prosthesis to be less than an entire physical range of the stimulation channel, 2) maps each frequency included in a frequency band associated with the stimulation channel to a virtual electrode included in a plurality of virtual electrodes included in the current steering range of the stimulation channel, 3) identifies a feature of an audio signal, 4) identifies a virtual electrode included in the plurality of virtual electrodes and that is associated with the identified feature, and 5) directs the auditory prosthesis to apply electrical stimulation representative of the identified feature to a stimulation site associated with the identified virtual electrode by concurrently stimulating the first physical electrode with a first current level and the second physical electrode with a second current level.