Stimulation channel selection methods

1. A stimulation channel selection method for an implantable cochlear stimulation system having a multiplicity of channels, comprising:

computing a probability for each channel within the multiplicity of channels; and

selecting, by a speech processor included within the implantable cochlear stimulation system, at least one of the channels for stimulation during a frame;

wherein the selecting of the at least one of the channels for stimulation during the frame comprises:

selecting a channel;

obtaining a random number;

comparing the random number to the probability of the channel; and

selecting the channel for stimulation if the probability of the channel is greater than the random number.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting of the channel comprises randomly selecting a channel which has not previously been selected for the frame.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating the selecting of the at least one of the channels for stimulation during the frame until one or more random numbers have been obtained and compared to corresponding probabilities of each of the channels within the multiplicity of channels.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said implantable neural stimulation system comprises at least one or more of a spinal cord stimulation system and a deep brain stimulation system.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an amplitude for each channel within the multiplicity of channels, and wherein the step of computing the probability for each channel comprises computing a probability for each channel based on the amplitude of each channel.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of determining an amplitude for each channel comprises determining an envelope of each channel.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of computing a probability for each channel based on the amplitude of each channel comprises:

determining a number N of channels to be stimulated during the frame;

summing the amplitudes of the channels to obtain a sum; and

computing the probability for each channel by dividing the amplitude of each channel by the sum and multiplying the result by the number N.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the probabilities of the channels based on center frequencies of the channels.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of adjusting the probabilities of the channels based on the center frequencies of the channels comprises:

selecting at least one center frequency to adjust;

scaling the probability of the channel with the selected center frequency; and

normalizing the probabilities of all of the channels.