Fitting method using channels

Abstract

A method, comprising, fitting an electrical stimulating device to the recipient, the electrical stimulating device including electrodes implanted in the recipient, the electrical stimulating device being a multipolar electrical stimulating device, wherein the fitting includes simultaneously applying multipolar stimulation to the recipient via the electrodes based on at least two different stimulation channels of the electrical stimulating device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 fitting an electrical stimulating device to the recipient, the electrical stimulating device including electrodes implanted in the recipient, the electrical stimulating device being a multipolar electrical stimulating device, wherein the fitting includes:
 simultaneously applying multipolar stimulation to the recipient via the electrodes based on at least two different multipolar stimulation channels of the electrical stimulating device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the action of fitting the stimulating device includes:
 determining a threshold level specific to the recipient based on the simultaneously applied multipolar stimulation channels.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the action of fitting the stimulating device includes:
 determining a comfort level specific to the recipient based on the simultaneously applied multipolar stimulation channels.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 developing a first stimulation channel;   developing a second stimulation channel, wherein the at least two different stimulation channels include at least the first stimulation channel and the second stimulation channel;   identifying one of the first or second stimulation channels as the target channel; and   combining the first and second stimulation channels to make up a merged channel, wherein   the applied simultaneous multipolar stimulation corresponds to the merged channel.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first stimulation channel is the target channel; and   the second stimulation channel is a channel that interacts with the target channel.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 developing a first stimulation channel;   developing a second stimulation channel;   developing a third stimulation channel, wherein the at least two different stimulation channels include at least the first stimulation channel, the second stimulation channel and the third stimulation channel;   identifying one of the first, second or third stimulation channels as the target channel; and   combining the first, second and third stimulation channels to make up a merged channel, wherein   the applied simultaneous multipolar stimulation corresponds to the merged channel.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first stimulation channel is the target channel; and   the second and third stimulation channels are channels that interact with the target channel.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the merged channel does not include any other channels other than the first, second and third channels.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 developing a fourth simulation channel, wherein   the merged channel does not include the fourth channel.   
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining access to a recipient having a plurality of electrodes of an electrical stimulating device implanted in the recipient, wherein the electrical stimulating device is configured to apply electrical stimulation to the recipient via the plurality of electrodes by activating a plurality of stimulation channels;   identifying at least one interacting stimulation channel of the plurality of stimulation channels that interacts with a target stimulation channel of the plurality of stimulation channels during autonomous operation of the stimulating device;   creating a fitting channel based on the identified at least one interacting stimulation channel and the target stimulation channel;   activating the fitting channel to evoke a stimulation induced percept; and   setting at least one of a threshold level or a comfort level for the target stimulation channel based on activation of the fitting channel.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the action of creating the fitting channel includes merging the identified at least one interacting stimulation channel with the target stimulation channel.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the stimulation channels have respective weights for respective electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; and   the action of creating the fitting channel includes summing respective electrode weights for the at least one interacting stimulation channel and respective electrode weights for the target stimulation channel.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the action of identifying at least one interacting stimulation channel includes identifying all interacting stimulation channels that at least substantially interact with the target stimulation channel during autonomous operation of the stimulating device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the target channel is a first target channel and the at least one interacting stimulation channel is an at least one first interacting stimulation channel that includes one or more channels and the fitting channel is a first fitting channel; and   the method further comprises:
 identifying at least one second interacting stimulation channel of the plurality of stimulation channels that interacts with a second target stimulation channel of the plurality of stimulation channels; 
 creating a second fitting channel based on the identified at least one second interacting stimulation channel and the second target stimulation channel; 
 activating the second fitting channel to evoke a stimulation induced percept; and 
 setting at least one of a threshold level or a comfort level for the second target stimulation channel based on activation of the second fitting channel. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 one of the at least one first interacting stimulation channels is the second target channel; and   one of the at least one second interacting stimulation channels is the first target channel.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first and second target channels are channels for base electrodes that are immediately adjacent to one another relative to other electrodes of the stimulating device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 identifying at least one third interacting stimulation channel of the plurality of stimulation channels that interacts with a third target stimulation channel of the plurality of stimulation channels;   creating a third fitting channel based on the identified at least one third interacting stimulation channel and the third target stimulation channel;   activating the third fitting channel to evoke a stimulation induced percept; and   setting at least one of a threshold level or a comfort level for the third target stimulation channel based on activation of the third fitting channel, wherein   none of the third interacting stimulation channel(s) substantially interact with the first target stimulation channel during autonomous operation of the stimulating device.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having recorded thereon, a computer program for executing at least a portion of a method of fitting an electrical stimulating device including electrodes implanted in a recipient, wherein the electrical stimulating device is configured to apply electrical stimulation to the recipient via the plurality of electrodes, the computer program including:
 code for identifying a recipient specific parameter related to a current level of the stimulating device for a first stimulation channel of a plurality of electrode stimulation channels of the electrical stimulating device by instructing the electrical stimulating device to apply multichannel electrical stimulation to the recipient.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the multichannel stimulation is based on the first simulation channel and a second stimulation channel;   the first stimulation channel corresponds to activation of a plurality of electrodes of the stimulation device at respective first weights;   the second stimulation channel corresponds to activation of the plurality of electrodes of the stimulation device at respective second weights; and   at least one of the weights of the first weights is different from a respective weight of the second weights.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the multichannel stimulation entails activating the plurality of electrodes at respective third weights, wherein at least one of the weights of the third weights is different from the respective weights of the first and second weights.