Automatic reconfiguration of a hearing assistance device based on battery characteristics

• US 9,113,276 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated, ZPower, LLC
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Kill, Howard, Newton, James R., Yan, Zheng, Natarajan, Harikrishna P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diaz, Sabrina
• Application Number:
  US13/707,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20130259278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 381/58, 381/60, 381/312, 381/314, 381317-318, 381/321, 381/323, 381/328, 320/160, 320/106, 607 55- 57, 600/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4221 with battery type recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• 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 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for detecting battery chemistry or battery type and reconfiguring a hearing assistance device based on the detected battery. One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a method of operating a hearing assistance device having a battery. A voltage of the battery is detected at a predetermined load current and a battery chemistry or battery type is determined based on the detected voltage. An operating parameter of the hearing assistance device is adjusted based on the determined battery chemistry or battery type, in various embodiments. Examples of adjustments made based on the determined battery chemistry or battery type include gain, feedback cancellation (FBC) filter, self-diagnostic thresholds of the hearing assistance device, indicator loudness, low battery set point, or an end-of-discharge battery set point.

Claims

1. A method of operating a hearing assistance device having a battery, the method comprising:

detecting voltage of the battery at a predetermined load current;

preventing the hearing assistance device from powering up before the battery voltage is detected;

determining battery type based on detected voltage; and

adjusting an operating parameter of the hearing assistance device based on determined battery type, the adjusting configured to reduce degradation in hearing assistance functions dependent on unregulated battery voltage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting voltage of the battery at a predetermined load current includes detecting voltage of the battery at a load current of approximately 1 mA.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting voltage of the battery at a predetermined load current includes detecting voltage of the battery at a load current of less than approximately 1 mA.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting voltage of the battery at a predetermined load current includes detecting voltage of the battery at an open circuit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting an operating parameter includes adjusting gain of the hearing assistance device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting an operating parameter includes adjusting a feedback cancellation (FBC) filter of the hearing assistance device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting an operating parameter includes adjusting self-diagnostic thresholds of the hearing assistance device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting an operating parameter includes adjusting indicator loudness of the hearing assistance device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting an operating parameter includes adjusting a low battery set point of the hearing assistance device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting an operating parameter includes adjusting an end-of-discharge battery set point of the hearing assistance device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing the hearing assistance device from powering up until the battery type is determined.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining battery type includes determining whether the battery is rechargeable.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising charging the battery if it is determined to be rechargeable.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting parameters for recharging the battery based on the determined battery type.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting parameters for power conversion based on the determined battery type.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining battery type includes determining the battery is a Zn-Air battery.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining battery type includes determining the battery is an Ag—

Zn battery.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein determining battery type includes determining the battery is a NiMH battery.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein determining battery type includes determining the battery is a Lithium battery.

20. A hearing assistance device, comprising:

a microphone;

hearing assistance electronics connected to the microphone;

a receiver connected to the hearing assistance electronics; and

a battery connected at least to the hearing assistance electronics,

wherein the hearing assistance electronics include a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to detect voltage of the battery at a predetermined load current, prevent the hearing assistance device from powering up before the battery voltage is detected, determine battery type based on the detected voltage, and adjust an operating parameter of the hearing assistance device based on the determined battery type to reduce degradation in hearing assistance functions dependent on unregulated battery voltage.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the battery is a Zn-Air battery.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the battery is an Ag—

Zn battery.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the battery is a NiMH battery.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein the battery is a Lithium battery.

25. The device of claim 20, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a hearing aid.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the hearing aid includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid component.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid component.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid component.