BATTERY LIFE OPTIMIZER

• US 20130103114A1
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Single, Peter Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,805,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation

Abstract

A method of controlling charging of a battery (16) of a totally implantable auditory prosthesis and a control system (50) therefor. The method comprises determining a first charge related characteristic of the battery (16) such as the predetermined minimum amount of charge (58), and a second charge related battery characteristic such as the preset charge level or charge rate of the battery (16). The method further comprises detecting when a charge cycle of the battery (16) commences and monitoring where the charge level of the battery (16) is in relation to the first charge related battery characteristic when the charge cycle commences and adjusting the second charge related battery characteristic depending on the relationship between the charge level and the first charge related battery characteristic at the commencement of the charge cycle. The control system and method has the potential to increase the operational life of the battery (16).

Claims

1. A control system for controlling charging of a battery of a totally implantable auditory prosthesis, the control system comprising:

a controller for controlling charging of the battery, the controller being a programmable controller having data relating to a first charge related battery characteristic and a second charge related battery characteristic and for adjusting the second charge related battery characteristic dependent upon where a charge level of the battery is relative to the first charge related battery characteristic when a charging cycle commences; and

a switching arrangement for switching a charging source into charging communication with the battery when charging of the battery is required.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein the switching arrangement is a switch controlled by the controller.

3. The control system of claim 2 wherein the charging source includes a radio frequency (RF) link which provides charging to the battery when required and/or power to the implant.

4. The control system of claim 3 wherein the switch is connected between the RF link and the battery and is closed under the action of the controller when the battery of the implant requires charging.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system includes an analog-to-digital converter for converting a battery voltage to a number to be fed to the controller.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller detects when charging of the battery has commenced.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the auditory prosthesis is a cochlear implant.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first charge related battery characteristic is a safety margin specifying a desired minimum amount of battery charge after a time period during which the battery discharges

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the second charge related battery characteristic is a battery charge rate.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein adjusting the battery charge rate comprises:

increasing the battery charge rate by a specified amount when the battery charge level is below the safety margin.

11. The control system of claim 9, wherein adjusting the battery charge rate comprises:

decreasing the battery charge rate by a specified amount when the battery charge level is above the safety margin.

12. The control system of claim 8, wherein the second charge related battery characteristic is adjusted using feedback control.

13. The control system of claim 8, wherein the second charge related battery characteristic is a preset charge level.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein adjusting the preset charge level comprises:

adjusting the preset charge to a level that is lower than a maximum charge of the battery.

15. The control system of claim 13, wherein adjusting the preset charge level comprises:

reducing the preset charge level by a specified amount when the battery charge level exceeds the safety margin.

16. The control system of claim 13, wherein adjusting the preset charge level comprises:

increasing the preset charge level by a specified amount when the battery charge level is below the safety margin.

17. The control system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the safety margin.

18. The control system of claim 17, wherein the safety margin is automatically altered when the battery characteristic is altered based on a corresponding value in a look up table.

19. The control system of claim 17, wherein the safety margin is manually altered.

20. The control system of claim 8, wherein adjusting the second charge related battery characteristic provides an adjusted second charge related battery characteristic, the method further comprising:

detecting when a second charge cycle of the battery commences;

measuring the battery charge level when the second charge cycle commences;

determining the difference between the battery charge level and the safety margin when the second charge cycle commences; and

adjusting, by the specified amount, the adjusted second charge related battery characteristic based on the difference between the charge level and the safety margin at the commencement of the second charge cycle.

21. The control system of claim 19, wherein the step of adjusting the second charge related battery characteristic at commencement of the first charge cycle comprises:

increasing the second charge related battery characteristic by the specified amount to provide an adjusted second charge related battery characteristic; and

wherein the step of adjusting the second charge related battery characteristic at commencement of the second charge cycle comprises;

increasing the adjusted second charge related battery characteristic by the specified amount.