Patent Document ID: 7636603
Application ID: 11428302
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A bionic ear implant adapted to stimulate the auditory nerve of a patient comprising: means for sensing sound information; an electrode array having multiple electrode contacts, the electrode array being adapted to be inserted into the cochlea of the patient; pulse generator means for generating a pulsitile stimulation waveform having a pulse rate of at least 2000 Hz, and pulse widths of less than about 75 μS; means for amplitude modulating the pulsatile stimulation waveform with the sound information, whereby an amplitude modulated pulsitile stimulation waveform is created having an energy content that varies as a function of the sound information; means for applying the amplitude-modulated pulsatile stimulation waveform to selected ones of the multiple electrode contacts; means for measuring an M-level associated with application of the amplitude-modulated pulsatile stimulation waveform, where an M-level comprises a comfortable stimulation intensity; means for globally determining a T-level for all of the electrode contacts, where a T-level comprises a minimally perceptible stimulation intensity; and means for using the M- and T-levels to help set the intensity of stimuli applied to the electrode contacts; wherein the amplitude modulated pulsitile stimulation waveform is adapted to elicit stochastic firing of auditory nerve fibers in the vicinity of the electrode contacts on which the amplitude-modulated pulsitile stimulation waveform is applied as a function of the energy content within the amplitude modulated pulsitile stimulation waveform and wherein the means for globally determining a T-level comprises means for setting the T-level to zero as the determined T-level.