Switching Hearing Implant Coding Strategies

A computer based method implemented using at least one hardware implemented processor for generating electrode stimulation signals to electrode contacts in an implanted cochlear implant electrode array, the method comprising:

• using the at least one hardware implemented processor to perform the steps of:
• processing an input sound signal to generate a plurality of band pass signals, wherein each band pass signal represents a band pass channel defined by an associated range of audio frequencies, and wherein each band pass signal has a characteristic amplitude and temporal fine structure features;
• extracting band pass envelope signals reflecting time varying amplitude of the band pass signals;
• generating stimulation timing signals reflecting the temporal fine structure features of the band pass signals;
• monitoring a key feature value present in the input sound signal or the band pass signals;
• for one or more selected band pass signals and for a plurality of stimulation coding strategies, selecting a stimulation coding strategy based on the key feature value, wherein the plurality of stimulation coding strategies include:
• i. an envelope-based stimulation coding strategy based on the band pass envelope signals, and
• ii. an event-based stimulation coding strategy based on the stimulation timing signals;
• using the selected stimulation coding strategy to produce the electrode stimulation signals for the electrode contacts;
• and
• switching between different selected stimulation coding strategies as a function of changes in the key feature value.