Advanced Bionics Corporation

Advanced Bionics Ag

Advnaced Bionics, LLC

Tracey L Kruger

Philip A Segel

Lee F Hartley

Leonid Michael Litvak

Lakshmi Narayan Mishra

Edward Holman Overstreet

Guillermo A Calle

Matthew Isaac Haller

Scott A Crawford

Patrick T Wong

Glen A Griffith

R Tissa Karunasiri

Fernando Chapa

Jacob Johnston

Roger S Meier

Frank Nigro

RTissa Karunasiri

An exemplary auditory prosthesis system includes a sound processor module configured to process an audio signal and operate in accordance with a plurality of control parameters and an accessory header module configured to be selectively coupled to the sound processor module and facilitate external adjustment of one or more control parameters included in the plurality of control parameters while coupled to the sound processor module. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.

Modular auditory prosthesis systems and methods

An exemplary apparatus for use with an auditory prosthesis system includes a housing, a connector port disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to be communicatively coupled to an auxiliary audio input device, a telecoil disposed at least partially within the housing, and a multi-position switch disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to selectively enable the auxiliary audio input device and the telecoil. The auxiliary audio input device is enabled and the telecoil is disabled when the switch is in a first position, both the auxiliary audio input device and the telecoil are enabled when the switch is in a second position, and the telecoil is enabled and the auxiliary audio input device is disabled when the switch is in a third position. Corresponding apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Modular adapter assembly for telecoil and auxiliary audio input device mixing

An exemplary method of adjusting one or more perceived attributes of an audio signal includes mapping each of the plurality of perceived attributes to one or more control parameters governing an operation of an implantable cochlear stimulator, receiving data representative of an input command to adjust one or more of the perceived attributes, adjusting at least one of the one or more control parameters in response to the received input command and in accordance with the mapping of the perceived attributes to the one or more control parameters, and directing the implantable cochlear stimulator to apply electrical stimulation to one or more stimulation sites within the patient in accordance with the at least one adjusted control parameter. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Methods and systems of adjusting one or more perceived attributes of an audio signal

An exemplary cochlear implant system includes a sound processing assembly configured to be external to a patient and first and second extension members coupled to the sound processing assembly. The sound processing assembly includes a sound processing unit configured to process an audio signal and transmit one or more control parameters based on the audio signal to an implantable cochlear stimulator and a battery module configured to be electrically coupled to the sound processing unit and provide operating power to the sound processing unit. The first extension member has a distal portion configured to be coupled to a first ear of the patient and the second extension member has a distal portion configured to be coupled to a second ear of the patient. The first and second extension members typically extend back from the ears, thus positioning the sound processing assembly behind the patient's head.

Sound processing assembly for use in a cochlear implant system

An exemplary method includes a fitting subsystem detecting a communicative coupling of a cochlear implant associated with a patient to a sound processor connected to the fitting subsystem and automatically determining, in response to the communicative coupling, an implant side associated with the cochlear implant in accordance with one or more implant side selection factors. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.

Methods and systems for automatically determining an implant side associated with a cochlear implant

An exemplary method of restoring a past configuration to a sound processor includes a fitting subsystem maintaining a configuration history including data representative of one or more past configurations of a sound processor, displaying a graphical depiction of the configuration history in a graphical user interface, receiving user input requesting that a past configuration within the one or more past configurations of the sound processor be restored to the sound processor, and utilizing data representative of the past configuration in the configuration history to restore the past configuration to the sound processor. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.

Restoring a past configuration to a sound processor of a cochlear implant system

Alternative stimuli, i.e., stimuli other than the constant amplitude stimuli used in prior fitting schemes, are used to set the parameters of a hearing prosthesis, such as a cochlear implant system. The use of such alternative stimuli allows the entire fitting process to be completed in a very short time period, and generally eliminates the need for secondary adjustments. In one preferred embodiment, the alternative stimuli comprise white noise that is internally generated within the speech processor.

System and method for fitting a hearing prosthesis sound processor using alternative signals

A kit of fixation devices for cochlear implant speech processors comprising a spring loaded alligator clip including front and rear pivotally connected legs, a top portion of the front leg forming a support latch with an upper portion of one of several vertically extending cradles shaped to receive and support speech processors of different size while (i) allowing for replacement of the battery pack of the processor, (ii) protecting the control panel thereof against accidental actuation and (iii) supporting the processor cable, the front and rear legs of the alligator clip including hooks for engaging and capturing a safety pin that may have been already attached to the clothing of a user of the processor.

Fixation devices for cochlear implant speech processors

Alternative stimuli, i.e., stimuli other than the constant amplitude stimuli used in prior fitting schemes, are used to set the parameters of a cochlear implant system. The use of such alternative stimuli allows the entire fitting process to be completed in a very short time period, and generally eliminates the need for secondary adjustments. In one preferred embodiment, the alternative stimuli comprise white noise that is internally generated within the speech processor.

System and method for fitting a cochlear implant sound processor using alternative signals

An adaptive place-pitch ranking procedure for use with a cochlear implant or other neural stimulation system provides a systematic method for quantifying the magnitude and direction of errors along the place-pitch continuum. The method may be conducted and completed in a relatively short period of time. In use, the implant user or listener is asked to rank the percepts obtained after a sequential presentation of monopolar stimulation pulses are applied to a selected spatially-defined electrode pair. The spatially-defined electrode pair may be a physical electrode pair or a virtual electrode pair. A virtual electrode pair includes at least one virtual electrode contact. Should the patient's judgment of pitch order be correct for all applied interrogations, then no further testing involving the tested electrode pair (two electrode contacts) is undertaken. However, should there be errors in the place-pitch ranking, which errors evidence perceptual place-confusions, then a search is undertaken for the spread of the perceptual confusion. This search for the spread of confusion continues until no errors are made in all directions. Identified channels wherein pitch confusion exists may be de-selected (not used) during normal operation of the cochlear implant or other neural stimulation system.

Adaptive place-pitch ranking within a multi-channel neural stimulator

Adaptive system and method for place-pitch ranking a multi-channel neural stimulator

Adaptive place-pitch ranking procedure for optimizing performance of a multi-channel neural stimulator

Sound processing strategies for use with cochlear implant systems utilizing simultaneous stimulation of electrodes are provided. The strategies include computing a frequency spectrum of a signal representative of sound, arranging the spectrum into channels and assigning a subset of electrodes to each channel. Each subset is stimulated so as to stimulate a virtual electrode positioned at a location on the cochlea that corresponds to the frequency at which a spectral peak is located within an assigned channel. The strategies also derive a carrier for a channel having a frequency that may relate to the stimulation frequency so that temporal information is presented. In order to fit these strategies, a group of electrodes is selected and the portion of the current that would otherwise be applied to electrode(s) having a partner electrode in the group is applied to the partner electrode.

Sound processing and stimulation systems and methods for use with cochlear implant devices

Alternative stimuli, i.e., stimuli other than the constant amplitude stimuli used in prior fitting schemes, is used to set the parameters of a cochlear implant system. The use of such alternative stimuli allows the entire fitting process to be completed in a very short time period, and generally eliminates the need for secondary adjustments. In one preferred embodiment, the alternative stimuli comprise white noise that is internally generated within the speech processor.

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Valencia, CA, United States of America

Tracey L Kruger