Cochlear Limited

Hearworks Pty, Limited

Other

Andrew E Vandali

Richard Van Hoesel

Michael Goorevich

Peter Misha Seligman

Graeme Milbourne Clark

Matthew Brown

Hugh Joseph McDermott

Graeme M Clark

Richard J M Van Hoesel

Presented herein are techniques for extracting features from sound signals received at a hearing prosthesis at least partially based on an environmental classification of the sound signals. More specifically, one or more sound signals are received at a hearing prosthesis and are converted in to stimulation control signals for use in delivering stimulation to a recipient of the hearing prosthesis. The hearing prosthesis determines an environmental classification of the sound environment associated with the one or more sound signals and is configured to use the environmental classification in the determination of a feature-based adjustment for incorporation into the stimulation control signals.

Feature extraction in hearing prostheses

There is disclosed a system () for processing sound signals for use in a hearing prosthesis, the system comprising a transducer () for converting a sound signal into an electrical signal (). A first. processor () for processing said electrical signal () into a plurality of frequency channel signals, each channel signal having an amplitude envelope to define at least one set of channel outputs (). A second processor () for obtaining information relating to a fundamental frequency of the electrical Signal (). A third processor () for obtaining information relating to the harmonic nature of the electrical signal (). A modulator () for modulating the at least one set of channel outputs () received from the first processor () in accordance with the in formation relating to the fundamental frequency and the harmonic nature of, the electrical signal so as to generate at least one modified set of channel outputs (). A selector () for selecting one or more channels from the at least one modified set of channel outputs () so as to define at least one or more channels for electrical stimulation together with the magnitude of said electrical stimulation and generating a stimulation signal () in accordance therewith, A transmitter () for transmitting said stimulation signal for application by said hearing prosthesis ().

Enhanced envelope encoded tone, sound processor and system

Sound processing processes and sound processing units are disclosed. The processes and units have particular application to auditory prostheses. In an embodiment, after input sound signals are processed into channels, an algorithm is applied to selectively increase the modulation depth of the envelope signals. In another embodiment, a sound processing unit includes a filter bank configured to process a sound signal to generate envelope signals in each of a plurality of spaced frequency channels. The speech processing unit also includes a broadband envelope detector configured to measure the envelope of at least one broadband signal, and a channel modulation module configured to use the at least one broadband envelope signal to modulate the channel envelope signals to generate modulated envelope signals.

Pitch perception in an auditory prosthesis

A sound processor including a microphone (), a pre-amplifier (), a bank of N parallel filters (), means for detecting short-duration transitions in the envelope signal of each filter channel, and means for applying gain to the outputs of these filter channels in which the gain is related to a function of the second-order derivative of the slow-varying envelope signal in each filter channel, to assist in perception of low-intensity sort-duration speech features in said signal.

Emphasis of short-duration transient speech features

A sound processing process, device and software are disclosed which seek to improve pitch perception, with particular application to auditory prostheses. After input sound signals are processed into channels, an algorithm is applied to selectively increase the modulation depth of the envelope signals. In certain embodiments, the channelized signals are adjusted in timing so as to align the phase of modulated envelope signals in different channels. This results in provision of synchronous (phase aligned) modulation periodicity across channels and hence less pitch ambiguity for listeners to the processed signal, or for application of the signal to hearing prostheses such as cochlear implants. In some embodiments, a broadband envelope signal is used to modulate the level of the narrow band channel signals, so that voicing frequency modulation information in the broadband envelope signal is provided in all narrow band channel signals and the phase of modulated signals in the channels are aligned. A preferred form uses an envelope signal which is modified to increase its modulation depth, and is normalized so as to allow for modulation of the channel signals.

A hearing prosthesis, including receiver means for receiving a signal representative of a signal over a frequency range; a first filter bank, having a relatively higher resolution, adapted to process said received signal and produce a first set of channel outputs relating to a selected region or regions of said frequency range; and a second filter bank having a relatively lower resolution, adapted to process said received signal and produce a second set of channel outputs relating to at least the rest of said frequency range; combination means to combine the first and second sets of channel outputs, and processing means operative upon the combined outputs so as to produce a set of stimulation signals for said hearing prosthesis.

Selective resolution speech processing

A sound processing process is disclosed, with particular application to auditory prostheses. After input sound signals are processed into channels, an algorithm is applied to selectively increase the modulation depth of the envelope signals.

Modulation depth enhancement for tone perception

A sound processor including a microphone (1), a pre-amplifier (2), a bank of N parallel filters (3), means for detecting short-duration transitions in the envelope signal of each filter channel, and means for applying gain to the outputs of these filter channels in which the gain is related to a function of the second-order derivative of the slow-varying envelope signal in each filter channel, to assist in perception of low-intensity sort-duration speech features in said signal.

A sound processor including a microphone (), a pre-amplifier (), a bank of N parallel filters (), means for detecting short-duration transitions in the envelope signal of each filter channel, and means for applying gain to the outputs of these filter channels in which the gain is related to a function of the second-order derivative of the slow-varying envelope signal in each filter channel, to assist in perception of low-intensity short-duration speech features in said signal.

An improved sound processor, with particular application to stimulation of implanted electrode arrays, such as cochlear implants. The processor channelizes received sound signals into at least ten analysis channels to produce amplitude signals for each channel. A predefined number of channels with the largest amplitude are used to modulate stimuli for the implanted array. The predefined number is at least four, and less than or equal to half the number of analysis channels.

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Oak Park, Australia

Andrew E Vandali