# US 12,109,414 B2 · Background stimulation for fitting cochlear implants

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,109,414 B2
- Document ID: US12109414B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/185,913
- Filed: 2023-03-17
- Published: 2023-07-20
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-25
- Assignees: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
- Applicants: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
- Inventors: Richard Penninger; Sascha Fuchs
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109414B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/36039: {fitting procedures}
- A61N 1/0541: {Cochlear electrodes}
- 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)

## Abstract

A fitting arrangement is described for fitting electrode contacts of cochlear implant electrode array implanted in a cochlea of an implanted patient. This involves iteratively fitting multiple fitting electrode contacts by for each of the fitting electrode contacts: i. delivering fitting stimulation signals to the fitting electrode contact and at least one neighboring electrode contact to stimulate adjacent auditory neural tissue, wherein the fitting stimulation signals are characterized by a charge level distribution function having a non-zero noise level charge at the at least one neighboring electrode contact and a response level charge much greater than the noise level charge at the fitting electrode contact, and ii. obtaining patient responses from the implanted patient to the fitting stimulation signals. A patient-specific fit map is then defined for the electrode contacts of cochlear implant electrode array based on the patient responses.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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:
iteratively fitting a plurality of fitting electrode contacts by, for each of the fitting electrode contacts:
i. delivering fitting stimulation signals to the fitting electrode contact and at least one neighboring electrode contact to stimulate adjacent auditory neural tissue, wherein the fitting stimulation signals are characterized by a charge level distribution function having a non-zero noise level charge at the at least one neighboring electrode contact and a response level charge much greater than the noise level charge at the fitting electrode contact, and
ii. obtaining patient responses from the implanted patient to the fitting stimulation signals; and
defining a patient-specific fit map for the electrode contacts of cochlear implant electrode array based on the patient responses.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the charge level distribution function is a Gaussian distribution function with a peak corresponding to the response level charge.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the charge level distribution function is a geometric distribution function with a peak corresponding to the response level charge.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the fitting electrode contacts are fit sequentially starting from an apical end of the electrode array back along the length of the electrode array.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the fitting electrode contacts are fit in a non-linear order along the electrode array.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the fitting electrode contacts are fit in an alternating sequence of every other electrode contact along the length of the electrode array.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the patient responses include subjective response measurements.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the patient responses include objective response measurements.