Perception-based parametric fitting of a prosthetic hearing device

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of adjusting an established initial operational settings profile, the profile having two or more operational setting values for a speech processor of a recipient's cochlear implant, comprising: setting one or more profile adjustment functions with one or more function parameters; and modifying concurrently said two or more operational setting values in said operational settings profile using each of said set profile adjustment functions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of adjusting an established initial operational settings profile, the operational settings profile having operational setting values for a speech processor of a recipient's cochlear implant, the operational setting values including threshold (T) and comfort (C) levels, the method comprising:
 receiving a selection of one or more profile adjustment functions; and   modifying at least the T and C levels amongst the operational setting values in the operational settings profile using the selected one or more profile adjustment functions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more profile adjustment functions comprise bass and treble functions. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising applying the bass function to modify at least the T and C levels corresponding to one or more lower frequency channels of the cochlear implant. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising applying the treble function to modify at least the T and C levels corresponding to one or more higher frequency channels of the cochlear implant. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more profile adjustment functions comprises at least one of a tilt function and a curvature function. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more profile adjustment functions comprise tilt and curvature functions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 applying a combination of the tilt and curvature functions to modify at least the T and C levels to produce bass and treble effects with the cochlear implant for the recipient.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 creating an initial waveform based on the operational setting values in the initial operational settings profile;   applying one of the tilt function and the curvature function to the initial waveform to modify at least the T and C levels and thereby produce an intermediary waveform; and   applying the other of the tilt function and the curvature function to the intermediary waveform to modify at least the T and C levels and thereby produce a revised waveform.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the tilt and curvature functions comprise at least one of adding and subtracting a derived amount of current level from at least the T and C levels. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 creating an initial waveform based on the operational setting values;   selecting a rotation point along the initial waveform; and   rotating the initial waveform about the rotation point thereby producing a revised waveform during the modification of at least the T and C levels.   
     
     
         11 . A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to adjust an initial operational settings profile, the operational settings profile having operational setting values for a speech processor of a recipient's cochlear implant, the operational setting values including threshold (T) and comfort (C) levels, the instructions comprising instructions to:
 render a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display of the computing device, wherein the GUI is configured to receive one or more operator inputs;   retrieve and store the operational settings profile;   receive a selection of one or more profile adjustment functions; and   modify at least the T and C levels amongst the operational setting values in the operational settings profile using the selected one or more profile adjustment functions.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more profile adjustment functions comprise bass and treble functions. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , the instructions further comprising instructions to apply the bass function to modify a subset of at least the T and C levels corresponding to one or more low frequencies. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , the instructions further comprising instructions to apply the treble function to modify a subset of at least the T and C levels corresponding to one or more high frequencies. 
     
     
         15 . A configurable auditory apparatus comprising:
 a programmed processor configured with an initial operational settings profile, the operational settings profile having operational setting values for a speech processor of a recipient's cochlear implant, the operational setting values including threshold (T) and comfort (C) levels; and   an interface configured to:
 receive a selection of one or more profile adjustment functions; and 
 modify at least the T and C levels amongst the operational setting values in the operational settings profile of the programmable processor using the selected one or more profile adjustment functions. 
   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more profile adjustment functions comprise bass and treble functions. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the interface is further configured to:
 apply the bass function to modify at least the T and C levels corresponding to one or more lower frequency channels of the cochlear implant.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the interface is further configured to:
 apply the treble function to modify at least the T and C levels corresponding to one or more higher frequency channels of the cochlear implant.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more profile adjustment functions comprise tilt and curvature functions. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the interface is further configured to apply a combination of the tilt and curvature profile adjustment functions to modify at least the T and C levels to produce bass and treble effects with the cochlear implant for the recipient.