Gene Y Fridman

US Patent:

7426414, Sep 16, 2008

Filed:

Mar 14, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/080935

Inventors:

Leonid M. Litvak - Los Angeles CA, US
Gene Y. Fridman - Santa Clarita CA, US
Lakshmi N. Mishra - Valencia CA, US
Lee F. Hartley - Calgary, CA

Assignee:

Advanced Bionics, LLC - Valencia CA

International Classification:

A61N 1/32

US Classification:

607 56

Abstract:

Sound processing strategies for use with cochlear implant systems utilizing simultaneous stimulation of electrodes are provided. The strategies include computing a frequency spectrum of a signal representative of sound, arranging the spectrum into channels and assigning a subset of electrodes to each channel. Each subset is stimulated so as to stimulate a virtual electrode positioned at a location on the cochlea that corresponds to the frequency at which a spectral peak is located within an assigned channel. The strategies also derive a carrier for a channel having a frequency that may relate to the stimulation frequency so that temporal information is presented. In order to fit these strategies, a group of electrodes is selected and the portion of the current that would otherwise be applied to electrode(s) having a partner electrode in the group is applied to the partner electrode.

US Patent:

7515966, Apr 7, 2009

Filed:

Mar 14, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/080214

Inventors:

Leonid M. Litvak - Los Angeles CA, US
Lakshmi N. Mishra - Valencia CA, US
Gene Y. Fridman - Santa Clarita CA, US
Lee F. Hartley - Calgary, CA

Assignee:

Advanced Bionics, LLC - Valencia CA

International Classification:

A61N 1/00

US Classification:

607 57

Abstract:

Sound processing strategies for use with cochlear implant systems utilizing simultaneous stimulation of electrodes are provided. The strategies include computing a frequency spectrum of a signal representative of sound, arranging the spectrum into channels and assigning a subset of electrodes to each channel. Each subset is stimulated so as to stimulate a virtual electrode positioned at a location on the cochlea that corresponds to the frequency at which a spectral peak is located within an assigned channel. The strategies also derive a carrier for a channel having a frequency that may relate to the stimulation frequency so that temporal information is presented. In order to fit these strategies, a group of electrodes is selected and the portion of the current that would otherwise be applied to electrode(s) having a partner electrode in the group is applied to the partner electrode.

US Patent:

7522961, Apr 21, 2009

Filed:

Nov 17, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/992390

Inventors:

Gene Y. Fridman - Santa Clarita CA, US
Leonid M. Litvak - Los Angeles CA, US

Assignee:

Advanced Bionics, LLC - Valencia CA

International Classification:

A61N 1/08
G10L 21/00
H04R 25/00

US Classification:

607 56, 381316, 381320

Abstract:

The stimulation provided in the electrically stimulated cochlea is modulated in accordance with the amplitude of a received acoustic signal and the onset of a sound in a received acoustic signal to provide increased sound perception. An onset time that corresponds to the onset of a sound is detected in an acoustic signal associated with a frequency band. A forcing voltage and a transmitting factor are determined, wherein the forcing voltage and the transmitting factor are associated with the frequency band at the detected onset time. The acoustic signal is modulated as a function of the forcing voltage and the transmitting factor to generate an output signal. The generated output signal can be used to stimulate the cochlea. The modulation strategy can be used in conjunction with sound processing strategies that employ frequency modulation, amplitude modulation, or a combination of frequency and amplitude modulation.

US Patent:

7729775, Jun 1, 2010

Filed:

Mar 21, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/386198

Inventors:

Aniket Saoji - Northridge CA, US
Leonid M. Litvak - Los Angeles CA, US
Gene Y. Fridman - Santa Clara CA, US

Assignee:

Advanced Bionics, LLC - Valencia CA

International Classification:

A61N 1/00

US Classification:

607 57, 381106, 381 231

Abstract:

Psychophysical tests are administered to cochlear implant (CI) users to determine a spectral modulation transfer function (SMTF), the smallest detectable spectral contrast as a function of spectral modulation frequency, for each individual CI user. The determined SMTF for individual CI user is compared against a SMTF of a normal hearing person to determine the specific enhancements needed. A spectral contrast enhancement that best fits the needed enhancements for the individual CI user is selected, and a sound processing strategy is adjusted to provide customized spectral contrast enhancement for the individual CI user. The sound processing strategy implemented includes an outer hair cell model.

US Patent:

7835804, Nov 16, 2010

Filed:

Apr 11, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/734233

Inventors:

Gene Yevgeny Fridman - Santa Clarita CA, US
Rankiri Tissa Karunasiri - Castaic CA, US

Assignee:

Advanced Bionics, LLC - Valencia CA

International Classification:

A61N 1/05

US Classification:

607137, 607 56

Abstract:

The accuracy of neural response recordings in neural stimulators, e. g. , cochlear implants, is often degraded by a recording artifact. An idealized electrical-equivalent model of a neural stimulator is created to study, measure and compensate for artifact evoked compound action potential (eCAP). Using this model, the artifact is shown to occur even when the electrical components that make-up the neural stimulator are ideal. The model contains parasitic capacitances between the electrode wires. The model demonstrates that these small parasitic capacitances provide a current path during stimulation which can deposit charge on the electrode-tissue interfaces of the recording electrodes. The dissipation of this residual charge and the charge stored across the stimulating electrode is seen as the recording artifact. The proposed solution for eliminating the artifact problem is realized by utilizing a capacitive electrode material, e. g. , TiO, TaO, or other dielectric coatings or films, instead of Faradaic electrode material, e. g.

US Patent:

7953490, May 31, 2011

Filed:

Apr 1, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/096402

Inventors:

Gene Y. Fridman - Santa Clarita CA, US

Assignee:

Advanced Bionics, LLC - Valencia CA

International Classification:

A61N 1/08

US Classification:

607 57, 607 55, 607 56

Abstract:

A cochlear implant processing strategy increases speech clarity and provides higher temporal performance. The strategy determines the power spectral component within each channel, and dynamically selects or de-selects the channels through which a stimulation pulse is provided as a function of whether the spectral power of the channel is high or low. “High” and “low” are estimated relative to a selected spectral power, for example. The selected spectral power can be estimated by signal average or mean, or by other criteria. Once a selection of the channels to stimulate has been made, the system can decide that only those channels are stimulated, and stimulation is removed from the other channels. The selected channels are the ones on which the spectral power is above the mean of all the available channels. Fewer channels are stimulated at any time and the contrast of the stimulation is enhanced.

US Patent:

7983758, Jul 19, 2011

Filed:

Apr 3, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/418471

Inventors:

Leonid M. Litvak - Los Angeles CA, US
Lakshmi N. Mishra - Valencia CA, US
Gene Y. Fridman - Santa Clarita CA, US
Lee F. Hartley - Calgary CA, US

Assignee:

Advanced Bionics, LLC - Valencia CA

International Classification:

A61N 1/00

US Classification:

607 57

Abstract:

Sound processing strategies for use with cochlear implant systems utilizing simultaneous stimulation of electrodes are provided. The strategies include computing a frequency spectrum of a signal representative of sound, arranging the spectrum into channels and assigning a subset of electrodes to each channel. Each subset is stimulated so as to stimulate a virtual electrode positioned at a location on the cochlea that corresponds to the frequency at which a spectral peak is located within an assigned channel. The strategies also derive a carrier for a channel having a frequency that may relate to the stimulation frequency so that temporal information is presented. In order to fit these strategies, a group of electrodes is selected and the portion of the current that would otherwise be applied to electrode(s) having a partner electrode in the group is applied to the partner electrode.

US Patent:

8027733, Sep 27, 2011

Filed:

Oct 28, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/262055

Inventors:

Gene Y. Fridman - Santa Clarita CA, US
Leonid M. Litvak - Los Angeles CA, US

Assignee:

Advanced Bionics, LLC - Valencia CA

International Classification:

A61N 1/00
A61B 5/04

US Classification:

607 57, 607 55, 600372

Abstract:

Optimizing pitch allocation in a cochlear stimulation system may include implanting an electrode array having a plurality of electrodes into the cochlea of a patient, where the electrode array has an associated implant fitting characteristic that defines a relationship between the implanted electrode array and audio frequencies, presenting sounds through the electrode array to the patient, receiving from the patient a selection of one of the sounds that most closely conforms to a single note, and determining a slope of the implant fitting characteristic of the electrode array based on the sound selected by the patient. Each sound may include a fundamental frequency and one or more harmonics. The optimization may also include changing a center frequency of a band pass filter associated with each electrode based on the determined slope.