Patent Document ID: 8998914
Application ID: 13555098
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. An apparatus for optical stimulation of neurons of a plurality of auditory nerve pathways of a person, including a first auditory nerve pathway and a second auditory nerve pathway, to provide auditory sensations for the person, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of independently controllable light sources that are configured to generate a plurality of pulsed light signals that each have a plurality of successive pulses and that, when applied to a neuron of the person, will each stimulate a nerve action potential (NAP) in the neuron, wherein the plurality of light signals includes a first light signal generated by a first light source and a second light signal generated by a second light source, wherein the first light signal includes a power level and a pulse-repetition rate; and a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of light sources to selectively control the plurality of light signals such that the first light signal is delivered to one or more neurons of the first auditory nerve pathway of the person in order to provide controlled optical stimulation to trigger nerve action potentials (NAPs) in the one or more neurons of the first auditory nerve pathway but not in the second auditory nerve pathway of the person, and such that the second light signal is delivered to one or more neurons of the second auditory nerve pathway of the person in order to provide controlled optical stimulation to trigger nerve action potentials (NAPs) in the one or more neurons of the second auditory nerve pathway but not in the first auditory nerve pathway of the person, wherein the controller is configured to empirically test the apparatus to determine which pulse-repetition rates of a plurality of pulse-repetition rates used for the plurality of light signals during the empirical test are most effective for optical stimulation of the neurons of the plurality of auditory nerve pathways of the person, wherein the controller is configured to use results of the empirical test such that the plurality of light signals is delivered during normal operation at a pulse-repetition rate that was determined to be most effective for optical stimulation during the empirical test, wherein the controller is configured to process and to store input audio signals into historic audio channel operational data for a first time period, the operational data including the power level of the first light signal during the first time period, and wherein the controller is configured to reduce the pulse-repetition rate of the first light signal relative to the normal operation pulse-repetition rate during a second time period, subsequent to the first time period, based on the historic audio channel operational data of the first time period, so as to limit potential nerve damage in a cochlea of the person.