Methods and systems for minimizing a perceptual disturbance caused by shorted electrodes in an auditory prosthesis system

A sound processor comprising:

• a short detection facility configured to determine that a first electrode and a second electrode included in a plurality of electrodes implanted in an auditory prosthesis patient are shorted together;
• and
• a control facility communicatively coupled to the short detection facility and configured to
• detect that a main electrical stimulation pulse intended only for the first electrode is to be delivered to the first electrode, and
• direct, in response to the detection, an auditory prosthesis implanted in the patient to concurrently deliver the main electrical stimulation pulse to the first electrode and one or more compensating electrical stimulation pulses to one or more additional electrodes included in the plurality of electrodes;
• wherein the delivery of the main electrical stimulation pulse to the first electrode causes an unwanted electrical stimulation pulse to be simultaneously delivered to the second electrode;
• and
• wherein the one or more compensating electrical stimulation pulses are out-of-phase with respect to the unwanted electrical stimulation pulse and configured to minimize a perceptual disturbance caused by the unwanted electrical stimulation pulse.

An auditory prosthesis system comprising:

• an auditory prosthesis configured to be implanted within a patient and communicatively coupled to a plurality of electrodes;
• and
• a sound processor communicatively coupled to the auditory prosthesis and configured to
• determine that a first electrode and a second electrode included in the plurality of electrodes implanted in the patient are shorted together,
• detect that a main electrical stimulation pulse intended only for the first electrode is to be delivered to the first electrode, and
• direct, in response to the detection, the auditory prosthesis to concurrently deliver the main electrical stimulation pulse to the first electrode and one or more compensating electrical stimulation pulses to one or more additional electrodes included in the plurality of electrodes;
• wherein the delivery of the main electrical stimulation pulse by the auditory prosthesis to the first electrode causes an unwanted electrical stimulation pulse to be simultaneously delivered to the second electrode;
• and
• wherein the one or more compensating electrical stimulation pulses are out-of-phase with respect to the unwanted electrical stimulation pulse and configured to minimize a perceptual disturbance caused by the unwanted electrical stimulation pulse.