Patent · US Expired

Method of fitting hearing prosthesis to a patient having impaired hearing

US4577641A · kind A · utility

43Cited by
7References
16Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 29, 1983
Grant dateMar 25, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 29, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04R25/505
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Disclosed is a process of fitting a hearing prosthesis to a deaf or severely hearing impaired patient. The prosthesis is connected to the patient, and a signal is then applied to the prosthesis across an audioband. The frequency response of the prosthesis is adjusted so that the patient detects a desired response to the signal. In one application the prosthesis may include a sound processor driving a transmitter, a transcutaneous receiver, and an implanted electrode. A constant amplitude signal is applied to the sound processor, and the frequency response of the sound processor is adjusted so that the patient detects a generally uniform response to the signal. Other signals can be applied, such as bursts of a sine wave or other periodic wave, and band-filtered noise can be employed with the band center frequency being swept either step-wise or continuously. The transmitter and receiver are first adjusted for normal operating coupling and then a constant amplitude continuous sinusoidal signal, for example, is applied. In a multiple channel system, the signal is applied sequentially to each channel. For each channel, the signal is varied in discrete frequency steps across an audio ba…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.