Cochlear implant, device for generating a control signal for a cochlear implant, device for generating a combination signal and combination signal and corresponding methods

A method for generating a combination signal based on an audio signal, comprising:

• analyzing the audio signal, to provide signal parameters depending on the audio signal which are adapted to control a cochlear implant, which are based on the audio signal and which enable generating a representation of the audio signal by the cochlear implant;
• and
• combining the audio signal and the signal parameters which are provided based on the audio signal to obtain the combination signal in which the audio signal and the signal parameters are combined;
• wherein
• the combination signal comprises both the audio signal itself, which is for reproduction for a person with a healthy hearing system, and also the signal parameters, which are adapted to control the cochlear implant, such that the combination signal can be reproduced for persons with unimpaired hearing and also for persons with a cochlear implant.

A device arranged to generate a combination signal based on an audio signal, comprising:

• a provider arranged to analyze the audio signal, to provide signal parameters depending on the audio signal which are adapted to control a cochlear implant and which are implemented to generate a representation of the audio signal by the cochlear implant;
• and
• a signal combiner arranged to combine the audio signal and the signal parameters provided by the provider to thereby obtain the combination signal in which the audio signal and the signal parameters are combined;
• wherein
• the combination signal comprises both the audio signal itself, which is for reproduction for a person with a healthy hearing system, and also the signal parameters, which are adapted to control the cochlear implant, such that the combination signal can be reproduced for persons with unimpaired hearing and also for persons with a cochlear implant;
• and
• the device arranged to generate the combination signal is implemented as a broadcast transmitter arranged to render the combination signal for an emission via an antenna.

A system, comprising:

• a device that generates and transmits a combination signal based on an audio signal, the device including:
• a provider that provides signal parameters based on the audio signal which are adapted to control a cochlear implant and which are implemented to generate a representation of the audio signal by the cochlear implant;
• and
• a signal combiner that combines the audio signal and the signal parameters provided by the provider based on the audio signal to thereby obtain the combination signal;
• wherein
• the combination signal includes both the audio signal itself, which is for reproduction for a person with a healthy hearing system, and also the signal parameters, which are adapted to control the cochlear implant, such that the combination signal can be reproduced for persons with unimpaired hearing and also for persons with a cochlear implant;
• a plurality of first cochlear implants that receive and process the signal parameters which are provided by the provider based on the audio signal and are adapted to control the plurality of first cochlear implants, each of the plurality of first cochlear implants using the signal parameters to generate a representation of the audio signal and including:
• a receive interface that receives the signal parameters;
• and
• a nerve stimulator that processes the signal parameters to generate nerve cell stimulation signals based on the signal parameters;
• and
• a second cochlear implant that processes the audio signal itself.

A device arranged to generate a combination signal based on an audio signal, comprising:

• a provider arranged to analyze the audio signal, to provide signal parameters based on the audio signal which are adapted to control a cochlear implant and which are implemented to generate a representation of the audio signal by the cochlear implant;
• and
• a signal combiner arranged to combine the audio signal and the signal parameters provided by the provider based on the audio signal to thereby obtain the combination signal in which the audio signal and the signal parameters are combined;
• wherein
• the combination signal comprises both the audio signal itself, which is for reproduction for a person with a healthy hearing system, and also the signal parameters, which are adapted to control the cochlear implant, such that the combination signal can be reproduced for persons with unimpaired hearing and also for persons with a cochlear implant;
• the provider arranged to provide signal parameters depending on the audio signal includes a cochlear parameter extractor which is implemented to generate the signal parameters as input information for the cochlear implant based on an analysis of the audio signal;
• and
• the cochlear parameter extractor is implemented to calculate the signal parameters by inputting the audio signal into a human hearing simulation model, wherein the simulation model describes the analysis of the audio signal.