Power management system
First Claim
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1. A method of managing the supply of power to an output circuit of an implantable hearing prosthesis comprising a voltage converter circuit and a plurality of rechargeable batteries, the method comprising the steps of:
- converting, with the voltage converter circuit, a supply voltage to a battery voltage;
selectively connecting, using a switch matrix, a desired one of the batteries to the voltage converter circuit;
charging the desired one of the batteries based on information on each of the batteries stored in a register;
selectively connecting, based on the information on each of the batteries stored in the register and using the switch matrix, a selected one of the batteries to the voltage converter circuit to enable the selected one of the batteries to be discharged through the output circuit; and
converting, with the voltage converter circuit, the voltage output from the selected one of the batteries to a voltage for use by the output circuit.
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Abstract
A power management system for supplying power to an output circuit comprising a plurality of rechargeable batteries, a conversion means for converting a supply voltage to a battery voltage to enable charging of one or more of the rechargeable batteries and switch means to enable a selected battery of the plurality of rechargeable batteries to be connected to an output circuit to enable the selected battery to be discharged through the output circuit.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of managing the supply of power to an output circuit of an implantable hearing prosthesis comprising a voltage converter circuit and a plurality of rechargeable batteries, the method comprising the steps of:
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converting, with the voltage converter circuit, a supply voltage to a battery voltage; selectively connecting, using a switch matrix, a desired one of the batteries to the voltage converter circuit; charging the desired one of the batteries based on information on each of the batteries stored in a register; selectively connecting, based on the information on each of the batteries stored in the register and using the switch matrix, a selected one of the batteries to the voltage converter circuit to enable the selected one of the batteries to be discharged through the output circuit; and converting, with the voltage converter circuit, the voltage output from the selected one of the batteries to a voltage for use by the output circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An implantable hearing prosthesis, comprising:
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an output circuit; and a power management system configured to supply power to the output circuit comprising; a plurality of rechargeable batteries; a voltage converter circuit configured to convert a supply voltage to a battery voltage; a multiplexer having inputs each connected to a terminal of each of the batteries; a shunt resistor connected to a second terminal of each of the batteries, wherein the shunt resistor is connected in parallel to a shunt switch to short circuit the resistor when the resistor is not in use; and a control unit configured to control a switch matrix to selectively connect a desired one of the batteries to the voltage converter circuit for charging of the desired one of the batteries and to selectively connect a selected one of the batteries to the output circuit to enable the selected one of the batteries to be discharged through the output circuit, wherein the voltage converter circuit further connects the output circuit to the switch matrix and is configured to convert the voltage of the selected one of the batteries to a voltage for use by the output circuit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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a power supply having a first induction coil; and an implantable hearing prosthesis comprising; a second induction coil configured to detect a varying magnetic field from the first induction coil when the first and second induction coils are in close proximity; an output circuit; and a power management system configured to receive a supply voltage from the second induction coil and provide power to the output circuit, comprising; a plurality of rechargeable batteries; a multiplexer having an input connected to one terminal of each of the batteries; a shunt resistor connected to a second terminal of each of the batteries, wherein the shunt resistor is connected in parallel to a shunt switch to short circuit the resistor when the resistor is not in use; a voltage converter circuit configured to convert the supply voltage to a battery voltage; and a switch matrix configured to selectively connect a desired one of the batteries to the voltage converter circuit for charging of the desired one of the batteries and for selectively connecting a selected one of the batteries to the output circuit to enable the selected one of the batteries to be discharged through the output circuit, wherein the voltage converter circuit further connects the output circuit to the switch matrix and is configured to convert the voltage of the selected one of the batteries to a voltage for use by the output circuit. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification