Simultaneous delivery of electrical and acoustical stimulation in a hearing prosthesis

Abstract

A cochlear prosthesis comprising an electrical signal analyser configured to process a first frequency sub-range of a detected sound signal for electric stimulation of the cochlea, and a delay circuit configured to impose a delay on at least one of an electrical signal delivery path and an acoustic signal delivery path, to provide for delivery of the electrical stimulation to the cochlea at a desired time relative to a time of arrival of acoustic stimuli at the cochlea, wherein the acoustic stimuli arriving at the cochlea and the electrical stimulation delivered to the cochlea at the desired time substantially simultaneously stimulate the cochlea.

1 . A bimodal hearing prosthesis comprising:
 an electrical signal analyser configured to process a first frequency sub-range of a detected sound signal for electric stimulation of the cochlea; and   a delay circuit configured to impose a delay on at least one of an electrical signal delivery path and an acoustic signal delivery path, to provide for delivery of the electrical stimulation to the cochlea at a desired time relative to a time of arrival of acoustic stimuli at the cochlea,   wherein the acoustic stimuli arriving at the cochlea and the electrical stimulation delivered to the cochlea at the desired time substantially simultaneously stimulate the cochlea.   
     
     
         2 . The prosthesis according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an acoustic signal analyzer configured to process a second frequency sub-range of the detected sound signal, and acoustically deliver the processed acoustic sound signal to the cochlea.   
     
     
         3 . The prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein the second frequency sub-range corresponds to a residual natural hearing capability of the cochlea. 
     
     
         4 . The prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein the acoustic signal analyzer is further configured to process a plurality of acoustic channels. 
     
     
         5 . The prosthesis of  claim 3 , wherein the delay circuit is configured to impose a channel-specific delay upon each acoustic channel. 
     
     
         6 . The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the delay circuit is configured to impose a delay upon the electrical signal delivery path. 
     
     
         7 . A hearing prosthesis comprising:
 an electrode array configured to apply electrical stimuli to a recipient's cochlea;   an acoustic transponder configured to apply acoustic signals to an ear of the recipient; and   a processor configured to process a detected sound signal and to produce signals defining electrical stimuli for application by the electrode array to at least a portion of a recipient's cochlea, and configured to process the detected sound signal to produce signals defining acoustic stimuli for application by the acoustic transponder.   
     
     
         8 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 7 , wherein:
 The electrical stimuli is multi-channel electrical stimuli.   
     
     
         9 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the processor is configured to obtain neural response measurements by using at least one electrode of the electrode array as a sense electrode.   
     
     
         10 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the signals defining acoustic stimuli are amplified signals.   
     
     
         11 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the signals defining electrical stimuli correspond to a first frequency sub-range of the detected sound signals; and   the signals defining acoustic stimuli correspond to a second frequency sub-range of the detected sound signals that is different than the first frequency sub-range.   
     
     
         12 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the second frequency sub-range corresponds to a residual natural hearing capability of the cochlea.   
     
     
         13 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the hearing prosthesis is configured to delay delivery of at least one of the signals defining electrical stimuli or the signals defining acoustic stimuli.   
     
     
         14 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the delay provides for delivery of the electrical stimulation to the cochlea at a desired time relative to a time of arrival of the acoustic stimuli at the cochlea.   
     
     
         15 . The hearing prosthesis of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the acoustic stimuli arriving at the cochlea and the electrical stimulation delivered to the cochlea at the desired time substantially simultaneously stimulate the cochlea.   
     
     
         16 . A prosthesis fitting device, comprising:
 a device configured to:
 trigger a cochlear implant; 
 trigger an acoustical transducer; 
 determine at least one delay to be introduced in at least one of an electrical signal delivery path of the cochlear implant. 
   
     
     
         17 . The prosthesis fitting device of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the device is configured to detect a neural response caused by the cochlear implant and a neural response caused by the acoustic transducer.   
     
     
         18 . The prosthesis fitting device of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the device is configured to identify a mismatch between a neural response caused by the cochlear implant and a neural response caused by the acoustic transducer.   
     
     
         19 . The prosthesis fitting device of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the device is configured to determine the at least one delay based on the identified mismatch.   
     
     
         20 . The prosthesis fitting device of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the device is configured to determine a magnitude of the delay based on a temporal mismatch between a neural response caused by the cochlear implant and a neural response caused by the acoustic transducer.