Patent Publication Number: US-9408006-B2

Title: Systems and methods for facilitating electroacoustic stimulation using an off-the-ear sound processor module

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/130,908, filed Jan. 3, 2014 and issued as U.S. Patent No. 9,044,608 on Jun. 2, 2015, which application is a U.S. National Stage Entry of PCT Application No. PCT/IB2011/053055, filed Jul. 8, 2011. The contents of all of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their respective entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     The natural sense of hearing in human beings involves the use of hair cells in the cochlea that convert or transduce acoustic signals into auditory nerve impulses. Hearing loss, which may be due to many different causes, is generally of two types: conductive and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss occurs when the normal mechanical pathways for sound to reach the cochlea are impeded. These sound pathways may be impeded, for example, by damage to the ossicular chain, excessive serumen, or a malformed Typanic Membrane. Mild conductive hearing losses can be treated with hearing aids, while stronger losses may require a middle ear surgery or a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (“BAHA”). 
     Sensorineural hearing loss, on the other hand, is primarily caused by the absence or destruction of the outer and/or inner hair cells on the basilar membrane. There are rare cases in which sensorineural hearing loss is caused by a malfunction of the vestibulacochlear nerve or even the central processing system. To overcome sensorineural hearing loss, numerous cochlear implant systems—or cochlear prostheses—have been developed. Cochlear implant systems bypass the major part of the ear by presenting electrical stimulation directly to the auditory nerve fibers by way of one or more channels formed by an array of electrodes implanted in the cochlea. Direct stimulation of the auditory nerve fibers leads to the perception of sound in the brain and at least partial restoration of hearing function. Cochlear implants are typically capable of providing high-frequency information up to 8 kHz. 
     There is a certain group of people that has some degree of residual hearing in the low frequencies (e.g., below 1 kHz) and a severe hearing loss in the high frequencies (e.g., above 1 kHz). These people cannot benefit from traditional amplification because of the severity of the hearing loss in the high frequencies. Nor are they classic cochlear implant candidates, because of their mostly intact low frequency residual hearing. 
     For this group of people, various electro-acoustic stimulation (“EAS”) systems have been developed that provide such patients with the ability to perceive both low and high frequencies. Electro-acoustic stimulation refers to the use of a hearing aid and a cochlear implant together in the same ear. The hearing aid acoustically amplifies the low frequencies while the cochlear implant electrically stimulates the high frequencies. The auditory nerve combines the acoustic and electric stimuli to one auditory signal. Results of various studies have shown a highly synergistic effect between hearing aid and cochlear implant technology, particularly evident in speech understanding, pitch discrimination, and music appreciation. 
     However, traditional electro-acoustic stimulation systems require the use of a sound processor worn on or behind the ear of a patient. Such sound processors are often large, bulky, and aesthetically unpleasing. Moreover, they are difficult or impossible to use with pediatric patients (e.g., small children or infants). Hence, in many cases, it would be desirable to use an off-the-ear sound processor (e.g., a body-worn sound processor) when providing EAS functionality to a patient. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments and are a part of the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Throughout the drawings, identical or similar reference numbers designate identical or similar elements. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary electro-acoustic stimulation (“EAS”) system according to principles described herein. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates exemplary components of sound processor module according to principles described herein. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary configuration of the EAS system of  FIG. 1  according to principles described herein. 
         FIG. 4  shows an exemplary implementation of the system of  FIG. 1  wherein an acoustic tube is configured to route acoustic stimulation generated by a loudspeaker to an ear canal of a patient according to principles described herein. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates another exemplary configuration of the EAS system of  FIG. 1  according to principles described herein. 
         FIG. 6  shows an exemplary implementation of the system of  FIG. 1  wherein a loudspeaker is at least partially integrated into an earmold configured to be located within the outer ear of the patient according to principles described herein. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary method of facilitating electro-acoustic stimulation using an off-the-ear sound processor module according to principles described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Systems and methods for facilitating electro-acoustic stimulation using an off-the-ear sound processor module are described herein. As will be described below, an exemplary electro-acoustic stimulation (“EAS”) system may include 1) an off-the-ear sound processor module, 2) a headpiece module communicatively coupled directly to the off-the-ear sound processor module and comprising a housing with communication circuitry disposed therein that is configured to facilitate communication by the off-the-ear sound processor module with a cochlear implant implanted within a patient, and 3) a loudspeaker communicatively coupled directly to the headpiece module. In this configuration, the off-the-ear sound processor module may direct the cochlear implant to apply electrical stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation representative of audio content included in a relatively high frequency band) to the patient and direct the loudspeaker to apply acoustic stimulation (e.g., acoustic stimulation representative of audio content included in a relatively low frequency band) to the patient. 
     Numerous advantages may be associated with the systems and methods described herein. For example, the systems and methods described herein may facilitate electro-acoustic stimulation of a patient using an off-the-ear sound processor module, which may be capable of increased signal processing capabilities compared to a traditional behind-the-ear (“BTE”) sound processing unit. Moreover, the systems and methods described herein may provide a more aesthetically pleasing experience for EAS patients, enable pediatric patients to enjoy the benefits provided by EAS systems heretofore not available to them, and provide additional benefits that will become apparent herein. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary EAS system  100 . EAS system  100  may include an off-the-ear sound processor module  102  (or simply “sound processor module  102 ”), a headpiece module  104 , a cochlear implant  106 , a microphone  108 , a loudspeaker  110 , and a lead  112  having a plurality of electrodes  114  disposed thereon. Sound processor module  102 , headpiece module  104 , and cochlear implant  106  may each include or be implemented by any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware as may serve a particular implementation. For example, sound processor module  102  may include or be implemented by a computing device or processor configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein. Each of the components shown in  FIG. 1  will now be described in more detail. 
     Sound processor module  102  (also referred to as an EAS device) is configured to be worn off the ear of a patient. In other words, sound processor module  102  may be worn or carried by a patient at any location other than behind or on the ear. For example, sound processor module  102  may be secured to a piece of clothing worn by the patient, carried in a pocket or pouch, and/or otherwise carried by the patient. Because sound processor module  102  is not worn behind or on the ear, sound processor module  102  may be relatively larger than typical behind-the-ear sound processors and may therefore include additional or enhanced features compared to such typical behind-the-ear sound processors. Various components and features of sound processor module  102  will now be described. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates exemplary components of sound processor module  102 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , sound processor module  102  may include a communication facility  202 , a detection facility  204 , an electrical stimulation management facility  206 , an acoustic stimulation management facility  208 , and a storage facility  210 , which may be in communication with one another using any suitable communication technologies. Each of these facilities may include any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware as may serve a particular implementation. For example, one or more of facilities may include at least one computing device or processor configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein. Facilities  202 - 210  will now be described in more detail. 
     Communication facility  202  may be configured to facilitate communication between sound processor module  102  and cochlear implant  106 . For example, communication facility  202  may include transceiver components configured to wirelessly transmit data (e.g., control parameters and/or power signals) to cochlear implant  106  and/or wirelessly receive data from cochlear implant  106  by way of communication circuitry disposed within headpiece module  104 . 
     Detection facility  204  may be configured to detect audio content presented to a patient (e.g., one or more audio signals received by microphone  108 ) and one or more attributes associated with the audio content. For example, detection facility  204  may determine whether the detected audio content is included in a “high” frequency band (e.g., a frequency band substantially equal to 1 kHz-8 kHz) or in a “low” frequency band (e.g., a frequency band substantially equal to 100 Hz-1 kHz). It will be recognized that the particular frequencies associated with the high and low frequency bands may vary as may serve a particular implementation. 
     Electrical stimulation management facility  206  may be configured to perform one or more electrical stimulation management operations. For example, electrical stimulation management facility  206  may be configured to direct, by way of a headpiece module  104 , cochlear implant  106  to apply electrical stimulation representative audio content included in the high frequency band to a patient. The directing may be performed in any suitable manner. For example, electrical stimulation management facility  206  may direct cochlear implant  106  to apply the electrical stimulation by transmitting one or more signals to cochlear implant  106  by way of headpiece module  104 . 
     Acoustic stimulation management facility  208  may be configured to perform one or more acoustic stimulation management operations. For example, acoustic stimulation management facility  208  may be configured to direct, by way of a headpiece module  104 , loudspeaker  110  to apply acoustic stimulation representative audio content included in the low frequency band to the patient. The directing may be performed in any suitable manner. For example, acoustic stimulation management facility  208  may direct loudspeaker  110  to apply the acoustic stimulation by transmitting one or more signals to loudspeaker  110  by way of headpiece module  104 . 
     Storage facility  210  may be configured to maintain audio content data  212  representative of or otherwise associated with audio content detected by detection facility  204  and control parameter data  214  representative of one or more control parameters that may be transmitted to cochlear implant  106 . Storage facility  210  may be configured to maintain additional or alternative data as may serve a particular implementation. 
     Returning to  FIG. 1 , headpiece module  104  may be configured to be affixed to a patient&#39;s head and positioned such that communication circuitry (e.g., a coil) housed within headpiece module  104  is communicatively coupled to corresponding communication circuitry (e.g., a coil) included within cochlear implant  106 . In this manner, headpiece module  104  may be communicatively coupled to cochlear implant  106  in a wireless manner, as illustrated by communication link  116 . 
     Headpiece module  104  may also be communicatively coupled directly to sound processor module  102 , as illustrated by communication link  118 . Communication link  118  may be wired (e.g., implemented by one or more wires, cables, etc.) or wireless as may serve a particular implementation. 
     Communication links  116  and  118  may facilitate communication between sound processor module  102  and cochlear implant  106 . For example, sound processor module  102  may direct cochlear implant  106  to apply electrical stimulation representative of audio content by routing one or more signals to cochlear implant  106  by way of communication link  118 , headpiece module  104 , and then communication link  116 . 
     Headpiece module  104  may also be communicatively coupled to microphone  108  and loudspeaker  110 . Microphone  108  may be configured to receive (e.g., detect) one or more audio signals presented to a patient for processing by sound processor module  102 . To this end, microphone  108  may be communicatively coupled to sound processor module  102  by communication channel  118  and/or in any other manner as may serve a particular implementation. In some examples, as will be illustrated in more detail below, microphone  108  may be at least partially disposed within the housing of headpiece module  104 . In some alternative embodiments, microphone  108  may be positioned near or within the ear canal or coupled directly to sound processor module  102 . 
     Loudspeaker  110  (also referred to as a receiver) may be communicatively coupled directly to headpiece module  104  and configured to apply acoustic stimulation to a patient. For example, loudspeaker  110  may present an amplified version of audio content included in a low frequency band to the patient. 
     Loudspeaker  110  may be communicatively coupled directly to headpiece module  104  in any suitable manner. For example, as will be illustrated in more detail below, loudspeaker  110  may be at least partially disposed within the housing of headpiece module  104 . Alternatively, loudspeaker  110  may be at least partially integrated into an earmold configured to be located within the outer ear of the patient and communicatively coupled directly to headpiece module  104  with one or more wires. 
     Cochlear implant  106 , lead  112 , and electrodes  114  may be partially or fully implanted within a patient and configured to apply electrical stimulation to one or more stimulation sites associated with an auditory pathway (e.g., the auditory nerve) of the patient. Cochlear implant  106  may include any type of implantable stimulator that may be used in association with the systems and methods described herein. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary configuration of EAS system  100  wherein microphone  108  and loudspeaker  110  are both at least partially disposed with a housing of headpiece module  104 . In this configuration, acoustic stimulation generated by loudspeaker  110  may be routed to the ear canal of a patient with an acoustic tube. 
     To illustrate,  FIG. 4  shows an exemplary implementation  400  of system  100  wherein an acoustic tube  402  is configured to route acoustic stimulation generated by loudspeaker  110  to an ear canal of a patient. As illustrated by the dashed lines, loudspeaker  110  may be entirely disposed within a housing  404  of headpiece module  104 . 
     Acoustic tube  402  may be connected at a proximal end to loudspeaker  110  and at a distal end to an earmold  406  configured to be located within the outer ear of the patient. In this manner, acoustic tube  402  may route sound (i.e., acoustic stimulation) generated by loudspeaker  110  to the ear canal of the patient. 
     Earmold  406  may include any type of earmold that may be at least partially disposed within the outer ear of the patient. For example, earmold  406  may include an open dome configured to allow the ear to remain partially open (e.g., an open dome tip made from a soft silicone material and configured to resemble a tulip or flower bud), a closed dome configured to entirely close off the ear canal, a foam dome, and/or any other type of dome as may serve a particular implementation. 
     Acoustic tube  402  may be made out of any suitable material configured to facilitate the transmission of sound. In some examples, acoustic tube  402  may be selective removed or otherwise bypassed. For example, acoustic tube  402  may be removed or otherwise bypassed if the patient desires to utilize EAS system  100  without the use of earmold  406 . 
       FIG. 4  also shows that headpiece module  104  may be removably coupled to sound processor module  102 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , headpiece module  104  may be coupled to sound processor module  102  by way of cable  408 . To this end, headpiece module  104  and sound processor module  102  may each include a connector port (not shown) configured to connect to corresponding connectors  410  and  412  of cable  408 . When a user desires to disconnect headpiece module  104  from sound processor module  102 , he or she may remove connector  412  of cable  408  from the connector port of sound processor module  102  and/or connector  410  of cable  408  from the connector port of headpiece module  104 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , microphone  108  may be integrated into a surface of housing  404 . Audio content detected by microphone  108  may be routed to sound processer module  102  by way of cable  408  and/or in any other manner. In some embodiments, sound processor module  102  may additionally or alternatively include an auxiliary audio input port  414  configured to receive auxiliary audio content (e.g., from an auxiliary audio input device such as an MP3 player, an FM transmitter, and/or any other device configured to provide audio input that may be processed by sound processor module  102 ). Electrical and/or acoustic stimulation representative of the auxiliary audio content may be applied to the patient as described herein. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another exemplary configuration of EAS system  100  wherein loudspeaker  110  is configured to be located external to headpiece module  104 . As shown, loudspeaker  110  may be communicatively coupled directly to headpiece module  104  (e.g., to circuitry included within the housing of headpiece module  104 ) with one or more wires (e.g., wire  502 ). 
     To illustrate,  FIG. 6  shows an exemplary implementation  600  of system  100  wherein loudspeaker  110  is at least partially integrated into an earmold  602  configured to be located within the outer ear of the patient. Loudspeaker  110  is represented by dashed lines in  FIG. 6  to illustrate that it has been integrated into earmold  602 . A cable  604  comprising one or more wires (not shown) may be configured to communicatively removably couple loudspeaker  110  to headpiece module  104 . To this end, headpiece module  104  may include a connector port (not shown) configured to connect to a corresponding connector  606  of cable  604 . Implementation  600  may be beneficial when it is desired for loudspeaker  110  to be located within the ear. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary method  700  of facilitating electro-acoustic stimulation using an off-the-ear sound processor module. While  FIG. 7  illustrates exemplary steps according to one embodiment, other embodiments may omit, add to, reorder, and/or modify any of the steps shown in  FIG. 7 . One or more of the steps shown in  FIG. 7  may be performed by any component or combination of components of sound processor module  104 . 
     In step  702 , the off-the-ear sound processor module communicatively coupled directly to a headpiece module detects audio content included in a first frequency band and audio content included in a second frequency band. Step  702  may be performed in any of the ways described herein. 
     In step  704 , the off-the-ear sound processor module transmits a first signal to a cochlear implant by way of a headpiece module. The first signal is configured to direct the cochlear implant to apply electrical stimulation representative the audio content included in the first frequency band to a patient. Step  704  may be performed in any of the ways described herein. 
     In step  706 , the off-the-ear sound processor module transmits a second signal to a loudspeaker communicatively coupled directly to the headpiece module. The second signal is configured to direct the loudspeaker to apply acoustic stimulation representative of the audio content included in the second frequency band to the patient. Step  706  may be performed in any of the ways described herein. 
     It will be recognized that the systems and methods described herein may be applied to a bilateral EAS system configuration electrical and acoustic stimulation may be applied to both ears of the patient. For example, sound processor module  102  may be directly coupled to a first headpiece associated with the right ear of the patient and to a second headpiece associated with the left ear of the patient. Each headpiece may be wirelessly connected to a distinct cochlear implant configured to provide electrical stimulation to its associated ear and directly connected to a distinct loudspeaker configured to provide acoustic stimulation to its associated ear. 
     In the preceding description, various exemplary embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. For example, certain features of one embodiment described herein may be combined with or substituted for features of another embodiment described herein. The description and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.