RECHARGEABLE HEARING DEVICE, A BATTERY CHARGER FOR CHARGING SUCH A HEARING DEVICE AND A METHOD OF CHARGING SUCH A HEARING DEVICE

• US 20160134960A1
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: DEN HARTOG, Leo, FREI, Christian
• Application Number:
  US14/896,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20160134960A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/556 External connectors, e.g. plugs or modules H04R25/607 takes precedence

Abstract

A hearing device powered by a rechargeable battery. The hearing device includes an input converter, a signal processing unit, an output converter, a rechargeable battery for supplying power, at least one charging contact located at an outer surface of the hearing device for feeding electrical energy into the battery, and a magnetically activated switch interconnected in between the charging contact and the battery. A battery charger is used for charging such a hearing device as well as a method of charging such a hearing device.

Claims

1. A hearing device (1), comprising:

an input converter (2) for receiving an input signal;

a signal processing unit (3) for processing the input signal and for providing a processed signal;

an output converter (4) for outputting the processed signal;

a rechargeable battery (5) for supplying power to the input converter (2), the signal processing unit (3), and the output converter (4);

at least one charging contact (6) located at an outer surface of the hearing device (1) for feeding electrical energy into the battery (5),

characterised in further comprising a magnetically activated switching means (7) interconnected in between the at least one charging contact (6) and the battery (5).

2. The hearing device (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the switching means (7) is adapted to connect the at least one charging contact (6) with the battery (5) when sensing a magnetic field (8) with a field-strength above a first threshold, and in particular to disconnect the at least one charging contact (6) from the battery (5) when no magnetic field (8) is sensed.

3. The hearing device (1) of claim 2, characterised in that the switching means (7) is adapted to disconnect the at least one charging contact (6) from the battery (5) when the sensed magnetic field (8) has a field-strength below a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is greater than the second threshold, in particular the first threshold is 5% greater than the second threshold, more particularly the first threshold is 10% greater than the second threshold.

4. The hearing device (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the switching means (7) comprises a magnetoresistive sensor (15) for sensing a magnetic field (8).

5. The hearing device (1) of claim 4, characterised in that the sensor (15) makes use of the giant magnetoresistive effect or the tunnel magnetoresistive effect for sensing the magnetic field (8).

6. The hearing device (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the switching means (7) is a GMR or TMR switch (7).

7. The hearing device (1) of claim 1, characterised in that the signal processing unit (3) and the switching means (7) are both packaged in a hybrid circuit.

8. The hearing device (1) of claim 2, characterised in that the first threshold is in the range from 10 to 30 Oersted.

9. A battery charger (9) for charging a hearing device (1) having at least one charging contact (6) located at an outer surface of the hearing device (1) for feeding electrical energy into a rechargeable battery (5) and a magnetically activated switching means (7) interconnected in between the at least one charging contact (6) and the battery (5), the charger (9) comprising:

a controllable current source (10);

a connector (11) for connecting the current source (10) with the at least one charging contact (6);

a control unit (12) for controlling a level of a charging current and/or of a charging voltage provided by the current source (10),

characterised in further comprising a magnetic means (13) for providing a magnetic field (8) adapted to activate the magnetically activated switching means (7), in particular when the connector (11) is connected with the at least one charging contact (6).

10. The charger (9) of claim 9, characterised in that the magnetic means (13) is a permanent magnet or an electromagnet (13).

11. The charger (9) of claim 10, characterised in that the magnetic field (8) generated by the electromagnet (13) is controllable by the control unit (12).

12. The charger (9) of claim 9, characterised in that the control unit (12) is adapted to prevent the magnetic means (13) from providing a magnetic field (8) when charging of the battery (5) is completed.

13. A method of charging a hearing device (1) having at least one charging contact (6) located at an outer surface of the hearing device (1) for feeding electrical energy into a rechargeable battery (5) and a magnetically activated switching means (7) interconnected in between the at least one charging contact (6) and the battery (5), the method comprising the steps of:

connecting a current source (10) to the at least one charging contact (6);

applying an external magnetic field (8) adapted to trigger the magnetically activated switching means (7) so that the at least one charging contact (6) is connected with the battery (5);

providing a charging current and/or a charging voltage from the current source (10) to the battery (5);

removing or reducing the external magnetic field (8) to trigger the magnetically activated switching means (7) so that the at least one charging contact (6) is disconnected from the battery (5).

14. The method of claim 13, characterised in that the external magnetic field (8) is generated by an electromagnet (13).

15. The method of claim 14, characterised in that the electromagnet (13) is controlled by a charging control unit (12), which further controls a level of the charging current and/or of the charging voltage provided by the current source (10) to the battery (5).