Controlling a Link for Different Load Conditions

• US 20140270296A1
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Fort, Andrew, Meskens, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 9,820,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/323
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers for hearing aids H04R25/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to devices, systems, and methods for supporting different load conditions in a data/power link. In one example, a device includes a transformer that has a first tap with a first turns ratio and a second tap with a second turns ratio. The device further includes electronics and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to selectively couple the electronics to the first tap of the transformer for a first application and to couple the electronics to the second tap of the transformer for a second application.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a transformer including a first tap with a first turns ratio and a second tap with a second turns ratio;

electronics; and

switching circuitry configured to selectively couple the electronics to the first tap of the transformer for a first application and to couple the electronics to the second tap of the transformer for a second application.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first application is a higher power use application and the second application is a lower power use application.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the electronics include a power supply and medical device stimulation electronics, and wherein the first application is for charging the power supply and the second application is for providing stimulation data to the stimulation electronics.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the medical device stimulation electronics include hearing prosthesis stimulation electronics.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the first turns ratio is lower than the second turns ratio.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising receiver circuitry coupled to the transformer, wherein the receiver circuitry is configured to receive a first signal for the first application and a second signal for the second application, and wherein the first signal and the second signal are received over a wireless communication link and are applied through the transformer.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled to the switching circuitry, wherein the transformer is configured to receive a first signal for the first application and a second signal for the second application, and wherein the controller is configured to control the switching circuitry to selectively couple the electronics to the transformer for the first application and the second application in accordance with the first signal and the second signal, respectively.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the transformer is configured to receive a first signal for the first application and a second signal for the second application, and wherein the switching circuitry is configured to selectively couple the electronics to the transformer for the first application and the second application in accordance with a first level of the first signal and a second level of the second signal, respectively.

9. A system comprising:

a secondary coil;

a transformer with a variable turns ratio coupled to the secondary coil;

a first load;

a second load;

one or more coupling components for selectively coupling the first load and the second load to the transformer; and

a controller configured to control the one or more coupling components to couple the first load to the transformer at a first turns ratio for operation in a first mode and to couple the second load to the transformer at a second turns ratio for operation in a second mode.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a primary coil; and

a signal generator coupled to the primary coil and configured to energize the primary coil to transmit signals to the secondary coil.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first load includes a battery and the second load includes hearing prosthesis stimulation electronics, and wherein the first mode is for receiving electrical signals transmitted from the primary coil to the secondary coil and applying the electrical signals to charge the battery, and wherein the second mode is for receiving electrical signals transmitted from the primary coil to the secondary coil and providing the electrical signals as stimulation data to the hearing prosthesis stimulation electronics.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the secondary coil, the transformer, the battery, and the hearing prosthesis stimulation electronics are enclosed within a single operational unit that is configured to be at least partially implanted in a person.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the single operational unit further includes a microphone and a sound processor, and wherein the sound processor is configured to generate stimulation signals from audio signals detected by the microphone and to provide the stimulation signals to the hearing prosthesis stimulation electronics.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the signal generator is configured to energize the primary coil to transmit electrical signals to the secondary coil at a first duty cycle for operation in the first mode and to energize the primary coil to transmit electrical signals to the secondary coil at a second duty cycle for operation in the second mode.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the signal generator is configured to energize the primary coil to transmit a first signal for the first application and to transmit a second signal for the second application, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the signal generator to control a first level of the first signal and a second level of the second signal, and wherein the one or more coupling components are configured to couple the first load to the transformer for operation in the first mode and to couple the second load to the transformer for operation in the second mode in accordance with the first level of the first signal and the second level of the second signal, respectively.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first mode is a higher power use mode and the second mode is a lower power use mode, and wherein the first turns ratio is lower than the second turns ratio.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, by receiver circuitry of a device, a first electrical signal over a wireless link;

supplying the first electrical signal to a power supply of the device via a first tap of a transformer, wherein the first tap defines a first turns ratio;

receiving, by the receiver circuitry, a second electrical signal over the wireless link; and

supplying the second electrical signal to electronics of the device via a second tap of the transformer, wherein the second tap defines a second turns ratio.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first electrical signal has a first duty cycle and the second electrical signal has a second duty cycle.

19. A method comprising:

performing a first duty cycle adjustment of a first electrical signal to produce a first adjusted signal;

supplying the first adjusted signal through a transformation circuit to a power supply of a device;

performing a second duty cycle adjustment of a second electrical signal to produce a second adjusted signal; and

supplying the second adjusted signal through the transformation circuit to electronics of the device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein supplying the first adjusted signal to the power supply is a higher power use application than supplying the second adjusted signal to the electronics, and wherein the first adjusted signal has a higher duty cycle than the second adjusted signal.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the transformation circuit includes a first transformer tap that defines a first turns ratio and a second transformer tap that defines a second turns ratio.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the transformation circuit includes a full-wave rectifier and a voltage doubler.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the second electrical signal includes audio data.