# US 11,077,302 B2 · Fast objective fitting measurements for cochlear implants > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,302 B2 - Document ID: US11077302B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/488,815 - Filed: 2018-02-23 - Published: 2020-01-30 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-28 - Assignees: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH - Applicants: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH - Inventors: Mathias Kals - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077302B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/36039: {fitting procedures} - A61N 1/0541: {Cochlear electrodes} - H04R 25/70: {Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting} - H04R 2225/67: Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606 - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract A fitting system is described for fitting electrode contacts of cochlear implant electrode array implanted in a cochlea of an implanted patient. A test stimulation generator delivers to at least one of the electrode contacts a test stimulation sequence at a variable charge level and a variable stimulation rate over time, wherein the charge level and stimulation rate are inversely related as a function of a defined loudness percept by the implanted patient to the test stimulation sequence. A response measurement module obtains objective response measurements of auditory neural tissues of the implanted patient that are affected by the test stimulation sequence. A fit mapping module defines a patient-specific fit map for the electrode contacts of cochlear implant electrode array based on the objective response measurements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fitting system for fitting electrode contacts of a cochlear implant electrode array implanted in a cochlea of an implanted patient, the system comprising: a test stimulation generator configured to deliver to at least one of the electrode contacts a test stimulation sequence at a variable charge level and a variable stimulation rate over time, wherein the charge level and stimulation rate are inversely related as a function of a defined loudness percept by the implanted patient to the test stimulation sequence, and wherein the test stimulation sequence is a charge sweep providing increasing charge levels at a maximum stimulus rate until reaching a selected charge level, whereupon the stimulus rate is decreased; and a response measurement module configured to obtain objective response measurements of auditory neural tissues of the implanted patient that are affected by the test stimulation sequence; and a fit mapping module configured to define a patient-specific fit map for the electrode contacts of cochlear implant electrode array based on the objective response measurements. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the response measurement module is configured to obtain objective response measurements that include electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) measurements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2, wherein the response measurement module is configured to obtain ECAP measurements that include ECAP threshold measurements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the defined loudness percept used by the test stimulation generator is based on a patient-specific Maximum Comfortable Loudness (MCL). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the function of a defined loudness percept used by the test stimulation generator represents a scaled product of an exponential charge amplitude factor and an exponential stimulus rate factor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the test stimulation generator is configured to deliver a test stimulation sequence to a plurality of the electrode contacts. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the test stimulation generator is configured to deliver a test stimulation sequence to each of the electrode contacts. ### Claim 8 A method of fitting electrode contacts of cochlear implant electrode array implanted in a cochlea of an implanted patient, the method comprising: delivering to at least one of the electrode contacts a test stimulation sequence from a test stimulation generator at a variable charge level and a variable stimulation rate over time, wherein the charge level and stimulation rate are inversely related as a function of a defined loudness percept by the implanted patient to the test stimulation sequence, and wherein the test stimulation sequence is a charge sweep providing increasing charge levels at a maximum stimulus rate until reaching a selected charge level, whereupon the stimulus rate is decreased; obtaining objective response measurements in a response measurement module of auditory neural tissues of the implanted patient that are affected by the test stimulation sequence; and defining a patient-specific fit map for the electrode contacts of cochlear implant electrode array based on the objective response measurements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the objective response measurements include electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) measurements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the ECAP measurements include ECAP threshold measurements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the defined loudness percept is based on a patient-specific Maximum Comfortable Loudness (MCL). ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the function of a defined loudness percept represents a scaled product of an exponential charge amplitude factor and an exponential stimulus rate factor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the test stimulation sequence is delivered to a plurality of the electrode contacts. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the test stimulation sequence is delivered to each of the electrode contacts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) A cochlear implant system fit to an implanted patient using the fitting method according to any of claim 8. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium having instructions thereon for fitting an implanted patient and a hearing implant system having an implanted electrode array with a plurality of electrode contacts, the instructions comprising: delivering to at least one of the electrode contacts a test stimulation sequence from a test stimulation generator at a variable charge level and a variable stimulation rate over time, wherein the charge level and stimulation rate are inversely related as a function of a defined loudness percept by the implanted patient to the test stimulation sequence, and wherein the test stimulation sequence is a charge sweep providing increasing charge levels at a maximum stimulus rate until reaching a selected charge level, whereupon the stimulus rate is decreased; obtaining objective response measurements in a response measurement module of auditory neural tissues of the implanted patient that are affected by the test stimulation sequence; and defining a patient-specific fit map for the electrode contacts of cochlear implant electrode array based on the objective response measurements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein objective response measurements include electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) measurements. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the ECAP measurements include ECAP threshold measurements. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the defined loudness percept is based on a patient-specific Maximum Comfortable Loudness (MCL). ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the function of a defined loudness percept represents a scaled product of an exponential charge amplitude factor and an exponential stimulus rate factor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the test stimulation sequence is delivered to a plurality of the electrode contacts. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the test stimulation sequence is delivered to each of the electrode contacts.