METHOD FOR OPERATING A HEARING DEVICE AND A HEARING DEVICE OPTIMIZED FOR BEING POWERED BY A MERCURY-FREE BATTERY

• US 20160295334A1
• Filed: 12/04/2013
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: CHERIGUI, Fethi, SUDAN, Jrg
• Granted Patent: US 10,104,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/24 Resetting means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/22 Modifications for ensuring a predetermined initial state when the supply voltage has been applied bi-stable generators H03K3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/302 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• 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 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing

Abstract

The present invention proposes a method for operating a hearing device which prevents battery leakage, especially in the case when the hearing device 1 is powered by a mercury-free battery 2. The method comprises monitoring a supply voltage of at least one of a plurality of electronic units 7, 8, 9 of the hearing device 1, initiating a low battery leakage shutdown state when a low supply voltage condition is identified based on the monitoring, wherein the initiating a low battery leakage shutdown state includes activating at least one power gate 10 to disconnect at least one of the plurality of electronic units 7, 8, 9 from the power supply when entering the low battery leakage shutdown state, and discharging a buffer capacitor 4 provided for stabilising the battery voltage. Moreover, a hearing device 1 optimised for being powered by a mercury-free battery 2 is provided.

Claims

1. A method for operating a hearing device (1) comprising a power management unit (6), a loudspeaker and a plurality of electronic units, such as for instance a control unit (7), a signal processing unit (8), a memory unit, a wireless transceiver unit and an amplifier (9), the method comprising the steps of:

a) powering the plurality of electronic units (7, 8, 9) by means of a battery (2) providing a battery voltage;

b) stabilising the battery voltage by means of a buffer capacitor (4) connected parallel to the battery (2), and thus providing a supply voltage;

c) monitoring the “

supply voltage of at least one of the plurality of electronic units (7, 8, 9);

d) initiating a low battery leakage shutdown state when a low supply voltage condition is identified based on the monitoring;

wherein the initiating a low battery leakage shutdown state is characterised by

activating at least one power gate (10) to disconnect at least one of the plurality of electronic units (7, 8, 9) from the supply voltage when entering the low battery leakage shutdown state;

discharging the buffer capacitor (4).

2-15. -15. (canceled)