Device for recharging hearing aid batteries using USB dongle

• US 9,543,778 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2012
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Corti, Deborah
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhou, Zixuan
• Application Number:
  US13/440,815
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 361/789
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for recharging hearing aid batteries using a USB adapter. A system includes a hearing assistance device and a battery recharger. The hearing assistance device includes a rechargeable battery, a recharge coil configured to receive power across a wireless inductive link, and charging circuitry configured to control power received by the recharge coil to recharge the battery. The battery recharger includes a device compartment configured to receive the hearing assistance device, a transmit coil configured to transmit power across the wireless inductive link, and a USB adapter port configured to connect to a USB adapter. The USB adapter is configured to provide power to the recharger.

Claims

1. A battery recharger system, comprising:

a spare battery recharger, the battery recharger including circuitry to recharge one or more individual spare rechargeable battery cells for a hearing assistance device, the battery recharger including;

a housing configured to receive the one or more individual uninstalled rechargeable battery cells, the housing configured to cover the one or more individual spare rechargeable battery cells received in the housing; and

a male USB connector configured for direct connection with a female power supply USB connector to receive power;

a hearing assistance device recharger, separable from the spare battery recharger, comprising;

a power connector to receive power;

a female USB connector adapted to dock with the male USB connector and provide power to the spare battery recharger;

a transmit coil configured to transmit power across a wireless inductive link;

a device compartment configured to receive at least one hearing assistance device, the at least one hearing assistance device comprising;

an installed rechargeable battery interchangeable with the one or more individual spare rechargeable battery cells;

a recharge coil configured to receive power across the wireless inductive link; and

charging circuitry configured to control power received by the recharge coil to recharge the installed rechargeable battery.

2. The battery recharger system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to visually communicate at least one of charging progress and error information received by the spare battery recharger, wherein the user interface comprises at least one light emitting diode.

3. The battery recharger system of claim 1, wherein the spare battery recharger and the hearing assistance device recharger are configured to recharge the one or more individual spare rechargeable battery cells and the installed rechargeable battery simultaneously.

4. The battery recharger system of claim 2, wherein the user interface is a first user interface, the system further comprising:

a second user interface configured to communicate at least one of charging progress and error information received by the hearing assistance device recharger.

5. The battery recharger system of claim 1, wherein the male USB connector is configured to dock with and receive power from a USB wall adapter, a computer, or a cigarette lighter in a vehicle.

6. The battery recharger system of claim 1, wherein the spare battery recharger includes a battery drawer configured to receive the one or more individual spare rechargeable battery cells.

7. A recharging device comprising:

a spare battery recharger for recharging one or more spare rechargeable battery cells for a hearing assistance device, the spare battery recharger comprising;

a battery drawer configured to receive the individual one or more spare rechargeable battery cells;

a housing configured to slidingly receive the battery drawer, the housing configured to cover the individual one or more spare rechargeable battery cells received in the battery drawer; and

a male USB connector configured to dock with and to receive power directly from a USB wall adapter, a computer, or a cigarette lighter in a vehicle;

a hearing assistance device recharger, separable from the spare battery recharger, the hearing assistance device recharger comprising;

a power connector to receive power;

a female USB connector adapted to connect with the spare battery recharger;

a transmit coil configured to transmit power across a wireless inductive link;

a device compartment configured to receive at least one hearing assistance device, the at least one hearing assistance device comprising;

an installed rechargeable battery interchangeable with the one or more spare rechargeable battery cells;

a recharge coil configured to receive power across the wireless inductive link; and

charging circuitry configured to control power received by the recharge coil to recharge the installed rechargeable battery.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the spare battery recharger and the hearing assistance device recharger are configured to recharge the respective one or more spare rechargeable battery cells and the installed rechargeable battery simultaneously.

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a user interface configured to communicate at least one of charging progress and error information regarding at least the one or more spare rechargeable battery cells or the installed rechargeable battery,

wherein the user interface comprises at least one light emitting diode.

10. The recharging device of claim 7, wherein the recharging device is configured to receive power from a USB wall adapter.

11. The recharging device of claim 7, wherein the recharging device is configured to receive power from a computer.

12. A portable recharging device, comprising:

a hearing assistance device recharger comprising;

a power connector to receive power;

a transmit coil configured to transmit power across a wireless inductive link;

a device compartment configured to receive at least one hearing assistance device, the at least one hearing assistance device comprising;

an installed rechargeable battery;

a recharge coil configured to receive power across the wireless inductive link; and

charging circuitry configured to control power received by the recharge coil to recharge the installed rechargeable battery;

a first spare battery connector;

a spare battery recharger, separable from and dockable with the hearing assistance device recharger, for recharging one or more spare rechargeable battery cells for a hearing assistance device, wherein the spare rechargeable battery cells are interchangeable with the installed rechargeable battery, the spare battery recharger comprising;

a housing configured to cover the individual one or more spare rechargeable battery cells received in the battery drawer;

a second spare battery connector configured to dock with the first spare battery connector to receive power from the hearing assistance device recharger; and

charging circuitry configured to control power received by the hearing assistance device recharger to recharge the one or more spare rechargeable battery cells.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the recharging device is configured to receive power from a USB wall adapter.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the recharging device is configured to receive power from a computer.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the battery recharger and the hearing assistance device recharger are configured to recharge the one or more individual spare rechargeable battery cells and the installed rechargeable battery simultaneously.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a user interface configured to communicate at least one of charging progress and error information received by the recharging device,

wherein the user interface comprises at least one light emitting diode.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the user interface is a first user interface, the system further comprising:

a second user interface configured to communicate at least one of charging progress and error information received by the hearing assistance device recharger from the charging circuitry,

wherein the second user interface comprises at least one light emitting diode.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a lid movably coupled to the hearing assistance device recharger, the lid includes a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein in the closed configuration, the lid covers the device compartment, and in the open configuration, at least one hearing assistance device is installable or removable from the device compartment.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the first spare battery connector and the second spare battery connector are USB connectors.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising the spare battery recharging including a battery drawer configured to receive the individual one or more spare rechargeable battery cells, the housing configured to slidingly receive the battery drawer.