Systems and methods for new battery identification and derived battery capacity

• US 9,635,471 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Kindred, Jon S., Movahedi, Mohammed Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): FISCHER, MARK L
• Application Number:
  US14/733,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20160360323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• 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 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing

Abstract

The present subject matter includes systems and methods for detecting a new hearing aid battery and estimating hearing aid battery life by analyzing changes in battery voltage signatures during the hearing aid device booting process. The analysis may include analyzing a boot signature voltage drop occurring upon initial application of a higher load. The analysis may include analyzing a boot signature voltage slope occurring during sustained application of a higher load. The analysis may also include analyzing a boot signature voltage droop occurring throughout application of a lower load and application of a higher load.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a hearing aid battery state, the method comprising:

executing a boot sequence on a hearing aid;

detecting a plurality of battery voltage measurements during the boot sequence;

determining a boot signature voltage slope based on the plurality of battery voltage measurements; and

identifying the hearing aid battery state for a hearing aid battery based on the boot signature voltage slope.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

executing a high battery load boot sequence;

wherein determining the boot signature voltage slope is further based on the high battery load boot sequence.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the hearing aid battery state includes:

comparing the boot signature voltage slope to a slope threshold;

determining the boot signature voltage slope is below the slope threshold; and

identifying the hearing aid battery as a new battery.

4. The method of claim 1, further including:

executing a low battery load boot sequence and an operational boot sequence; and

determining a boot signature voltage droop based on a voltage droop difference between the low battery load boot sequence and the operational boot sequence.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein identifying the hearing aid battery state includes:

comparing the boot signature voltage droop to a first droop threshold;

determining the boot signature voltage droop is above the first droop threshold; and

identifying the hearing aid battery as a used battery.

6. The method of claim 4, further including determining a boot signature voltage drop based on a voltage drop difference between a low battery load voltage and a high battery load voltage.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying the hearing aid battery state includes:

comparing the boot signature voltage drop to a drop threshold;

determining the boot signature voltage drop is above the drop threshold; and

identifying the hearing aid battery as a new battery.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying the hearing aid battery state includes:

comparing the boot signature voltage droop to a second droop threshold;

determining the boot signature voltage droop is above the second droop threshold; and

identifying the hearing aid battery as a used battery.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying the hearing aid battery state includes:

comparing the boot signature voltage droop to a third droop threshold;

determining the boot signature voltage droop is not above the third droop threshold;

determining that a low voltage indicator was previously set;

determining that a present voltage is above a low voltage threshold; and

identifying the hearing aid battery as a new battery.

10. The method of claim 1, further including:

detecting a hearing aid operation state, the hearing aid operation state corresponding to an estimated decreased battery life;

obtaining a first estimated remaining battery life; and

generating an estimated remaining battery life by subtracting the estimated decreased battery life from the first estimated remaining battery life.

11. A hearing aid apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a radio;

a hearing aid battery; and

a processor, the processor configured to;

execute a boot sequence on a hearing aid;

detect a plurality of battery voltage measurements during the boot sequence;

determine a boot signature voltage slope based on the plurality of battery voltage measurements; and

identify a hearing aid battery state for the hearing aid battery based on the boot signature voltage slope.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the processor being further configured to determine a boot signature voltage slope based on a high battery load boot sequence.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, the processor being further configured to:

compare the boot signature voltage slope to a slope threshold;

determine the boot signature voltage slope is below the slope threshold; and

identify the hearing aid battery as a new battery.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, the processor being further configured to:

execute a low battery load boot sequence and an operational boot sequence; and

determine a boot signature voltage droop based on a voltage droop difference between the low battery load boot sequence and the operational boot sequence.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, the processor being further configured to:

compare the boot signature voltage droop to a first droop threshold;

determine the boot signature voltage droop is above the first droop threshold; and

identify the hearing aid battery as a used battery.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, the processor being further configured to determine a boot signature voltage drop based on a voltage drop difference between a low battery load voltage and a high battery load voltage.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, the processor being further configured to:

compare the boot signature voltage drop to a drop threshold;

determine the boot signature voltage drop is above the drop threshold; and

identify the hearing aid battery as a new battery.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, the processor being further configured to:

compare the boot signature voltage droop to a second droop threshold;

determine the boot signature voltage droop is above the second droop threshold; and

identify the hearing aid battery as a used battery.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, the processor being further configured to:

compare the boot signature voltage droop to a third droop threshold;

determine the boot signature voltage droop is not above the third droop threshold;

determine that a low voltage indicator was previously set;

determine that a present voltage is above a low voltage threshold; and

identify the hearing aid battery as a new battery.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, the processor being further configured to:

detect a hearing aid operation state;

the hearing aid operation state corresponding to an estimated decreased battery life;

obtain a first estimated remaining battery life; and

generate an estimated remaining battery life by subtracting the estimated decreased battery life from the first estimated remaining battery life.