1. A method for facilitating collection of electronic data, the method comprising:
associating a data gathering module with an electronic device of a user;
collecting interaction data via the data gathering module;
compensating the user based on the collecting interaction data step; and
maintaining a user profile based at least in part on the interaction data.
2. The method of claim 2, wherein the compensating step comprises:
providing at least one of discounted merchandise and discounted services to the user.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
enabling the user to select at least one of data collection levels and data sharing levels; and
compensating the user with compensation in proportion to at least one of the data collection levels and the data sharing levels.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
selecting a first data collection level for a first type of data; and
selecting a second data collection level for a second type of data.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
selecting a first sharing level for the first type of data; and
selecting a second sharing level for the second type of data.
6. The method of claim 6, wherein the compensating the user step comprises:
compensating the user at a first compensation rate for at least one of the selecting a first data collection level step and the selecting a first sharing level steps; and
compensating the user at a second compensation rate for at least one of the selecting a second data collection level step and the selecting a second sharing level step.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first type of data comprises spatial data.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first type of data comprises temporal data
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the first type of data comprises the interaction data.
10. The method of claim 5, wherein the first type of data comprises data from at least two of spatial data, temporal data and the interaction data.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second type of data comprises data from at least one of spatial data, temporal data and interaction data not included in the first type of data.
12. The method of claim 5, wherein the first sharing level relates to data shared with businesses.
13. The method of claim 5, wherein the first sharing level relates to data shared with governmental entities.
14. The method of claim 5, wherein the first sharing level relates to data shared with personal relations.
15. The method of claim 5, wherein the first sharing level allows shares the first type of data with a first entity, and the second sharing level shares the second type of data with a second entity.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first type of data and the second type of data include at least some common data, and wherein the common data is shared with the first entity and wherein the common data is not shared with the second entity.
17. The method of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the compensation is derived from revenue generated via the maintaining of the user profile step.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: enabling a vendor to access to the user profile, wherein a maintainer of the user profiles provides at some of the compensation, and wherein the vendor provides at some of the compensation.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mobile electronic device.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the mobile electronic device is a mobile phone.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array, the method comprising:
processing an acoustic audio signal to generate a plurality of band pass signals each representing an associated band of audio frequencies;
extracting stimulation information from the band pass signals to generate a set of stimulation event signals defining electrode stimulation signals;
mapping the stimulation event signals according to independent channel-specific loudness functions based on ISO normal hearing contours to produce a set of electrode stimulation signals within channel-specific minimum and maximum threshold levels; and
developing the electrode stimulation signals into a set of output electrode pulses to the electrodes in the implanted electrode array.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein stimulation event signals below the minimum threshold level are mapped to a minimum stimulation event signal.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein stimulation event signals above the maximum threshold level are mapped to a maximum stimulation event signal.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the threshold levels are based on system sound pressure level (SPL) limits.
5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the loudness functions are logarithmic functions.
6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the loudness functions are frequency related.
7. A computer program product implemented in a computer readable storage medium for generating electrode stimulation signals for a plurality of stimulation electrodes in an implanted electrode array, the product comprising:
program code for processing an acoustic audio signal to generate a plurality of band pass signals each representing an associated band of audio frequencies;
program code for extracting stimulation information from the band pass signals to generate a set of stimulation event signals defining electrode stimulation signals;
program code for mapping the stimulation event signals according to independent channel-specific loudness functions based on ISO normal hearing contours to produce a set of electrode stimulation signals within channel-specific minimum and maximum threshold levels; and
program code for developing the electrode stimulation signals into a set of output electrode pulses to the electrodes in the implanted electrode array.
8. A product according to claim 7, wherein stimulation event signals below the minimum threshold level are mapped to a minimum stimulation event signal.
9. A product according to claim 7, wherein stimulation event signals above the maximum threshold level are mapped to a maximum stimulation event signal.
10. A product according to claim 7, wherein the threshold levels are based on system sound pressure level (SPL) limits.
11. A product according to claim 7, wherein the loudness functions are logarithmic functions.
12. A product according to claim 7, wherein the loudness functions are frequency related.
13. A system for generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array, the system comprising:
means for processing an acoustic audio signal to generate a plurality of band pass signals each representing an associated band of audio frequencies;
means for extracting stimulation information from the band pass signals to generate a set of stimulation event signals defining electrode stimulation signals;
means for mapping the stimulation event signals according to independent channel-specific loudness functions based on ISO normal hearing contours to produce a set of electrode stimulation signals within channel-specific minimum and maximum threshold levels; and
means for developing the electrode stimulation signals into a set of output electrode pulses to the electrodes in the implanted electrode array.
14. A system according to claim 13, wherein stimulation event signals below the minimum threshold level are mapped to a minimum stimulation event signal.
15. A system according to claim 13, wherein stimulation event signals above the maximum threshold level are mapped to a maximum stimulation event signal.
16. A system according to claim 13, wherein the threshold levels are based on system sound pressure level (SPL) limits.
17. A system according to claim 13, wherein the loudness functions are logarithmic functions.
18. A system according to claim 13, wherein the loudness functions are frequency related.