BATTERY ALARM FOR A HEARING AID, A HEARING AID AND A METHOD FOR THE USE IN A BATTERY ALARM

• US 20080187158A1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Widex A/S (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Widex A/S (WS Audiology A/S)
• Inventors: WELNER, David, Toft, Ole Erik
• Granted Patent: US 10,768,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing

Abstract

A method for monitoring the supply voltage of a hearing aid comprising an electric cell (1) comprises the steps of counting the number of times the supply voltage falls below a predetermined value, and setting an alarm flag if said number of times reaches a predetermined value. The method may be implemented using a circuit for monitoring the supply voltage of an electric cell. The circuit comprises a timer timing a detection interval, a detector for detecting drops in the voltage below a predetermined threshold value, a counter for counting the number of detections within said detecting interval, means (3) for setting an alarm flag if said number of times reaches a predetermined value within said first detection interval, and means (12) for suspending alarms during warm-up phase.

Claims

1. A method for the use in a battery alarm of a hearing aid, said method comprising the steps of

within a first predetermined time period counting the number of times the supply voltage falls below a predetermined value,

setting a first alarm flag if said number reaches a first predetermined value within said first predetermined time period and

checking said alarm flag for setting off an alarm using a state machine, said state machine comprising a warm up phase during which no alarm is set off.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a second alarm flag is set if, within said first predetermined time period, said number reaches a second predetermined value higher than said first predetermined value.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the number of times the supply voltage falls below a predetermined value during a second predetermined time period, following said first predetermined time period, is counted, and a third alarm flag is set if said number of times counted within said second predetermined time period, reaches said first predetermined value.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second alarm flag is set if said number of times counted within said first predetermined time period, reaches a second predetermined value higher than said first predetermined value, or if the number of times the supply voltage falls below a predetermined threshold value counted within said second predetermined time period following said first predetermined time period, reaches said first predetermined value.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein an alarm is set off if a predetermined one of said first to third alarm flags is set.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein an alarm is set off if any one of said first to third alarm flags is set.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of suspending new alarms for a third time period after an alarm has been set off.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the duration of said third time period depends on which one of the alarm flags caused the alarm to be set off.

9. A circuit for monitoring the supply voltage of a hearing aid, said circuit comprising

a first timer timing a first detecting interval,

a detector for detecting drops in said supply voltage below a predetermined threshold value,

a first counter for counting the number of detections within said detecting interval,

means for setting a first alarm flag if said number of times reaches a predetermined value within said first detecting interval and checking means, said checking means being adapted for checking said first alarm flag and setting off an alarm while suspending alarms during a warm-up phase.

10. The circuit according to claim 9, comprising a second counter for counting the number of consecutive detecting intervals, in which the first alarm flag is set.

11. The circuit according to claim 10, comprising means for suspending new alarms for a third pre-determined time period after an alarm has been set off.

12. A hearing aid comprising a circuit for monitoring the supply voltage of said hearing aid, said circuit comprising

a first timer timing a first detecting interval,

a detector for detecting drops in said supply voltage below a predetermined threshold value,

a first counter for counting the number of detections within said detecting interval,

means for setting a first alarm flag if said number of times reaches a predetermined value within said first detecting interval and checking means, said checking means being adapted for checking said first alarm flag and setting off an alarm while suspending alarms during a warm-up phase.

13. A method for setting off an alarm in a hearing aid, said method comprising the steps of:

a0) entering a warm-up phase of a predetermined duration, during which no alarm flag is checked,

a2) checking the state of a first alarm flag,

b1) giving off an alarm if said first alarm flag is set,

c1) suspending the possibility of giving off an alarm for a first predetermined time period, and

d) returning to step a2).

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising the steps of

a1) checking the state of a second alarm flag prior to the step a2) and if said second alarm flag is set,

b2) giving off an alarm,

c2) suspending the possibility of giving off an alarm for a second predetermined time period shorter than said first predetermined time period, and

d) returning to step a1).

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising the step of

e) prior to step b2), setting said second pre-determined time period shorter than said first predetermined time period.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising the step of

f) checking the state of said second alarm flag again upon expiry of the second predetermined time period, and

d) if said second flag is not set, returning to step a1), or

g) if said second alarm flag is set, incrementing a counter representing the number of alarms given off in step b2), and

h) if said counter exceeds a predetermined number, reducing said second predetermined time period to a shorter duration, and

i) returning to step b2).

17. A hearing aid comprising,

a first timer timing a first detecting interval,

a detector for detecting drops below a predetermined threshold value in a supply voltage for said hearing aid,

a first counter for counting the number of detections within said detecting interval,

means for setting an alarm flag if said number of times reaches a predetermined value within said first detecting interval, and

checking means adapted for checking said alarm flag for giving off an alarm in dependence of said alarm flag, while suspending alarms during a warm-up phase.