Implantable battery disconnection
AssigneeCochlear Limited
InventorsPadraig Hurley, Thomas Cooney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Presented herein are techniques for selectively disconnecting an implantable rechargeable battery of an implantable component configured to be implanted in a recipient. The implantable rechargeable battery can be temporarily disconnected to extend the calendar life of the implantable rechargeable battery and/or the implantable rechargeable battery can be permanently disconnected. While the implantable rechargeable battery is disconnected (either temporarily or permanently), the implantable component is configured to continue operation using only power signals (power) received from an external device.
Claims33
A method, comprising:
- monitoring a health of at least one implantable rechargeable battery of an implantable component configured to be implanted in a recipient, wherein the at least one implantable rechargeable battery is configured to selectively power electronics of the implantable component;
- electrically disconnecting the at least one implantable rechargeable battery such that the at least one implantable rechargeable battery can no longer be charged;
- and
- while the at least one implantable rechargeable battery is disconnected, powering the electronics of the implantable component using power signals received from an external device.
An implantable component configured to be implanted in a recipient, comprising:
- an inductive coil configured to receive power signals from an external device;
- at least one implantable rechargeable battery configured to be charged using power signals received at the inductive coil from the external device;
- implant electronics configured to be powered by power received from the at least one implantable rechargeable battery;
- and
- a battery disconnection module configured to selectively disconnect the at least one implantable rechargeable battery from the implant electronics and the inductive coil,
- wherein when the at least one implantable rechargeable battery is disconnected, the implant electronics are only powered using power signals received from the external device.
(canceled)
A method, comprising:
- generating battery status data associated with at least one implantable rechargeable battery of an implantable component configured to be implanted in a recipient;
- sending the battery status data to an external computing device;
- receiving one or more control signals from the external computing device indicating that the at least one implantable rechargeable battery should be disconnected;
- and
- in response to receipt of the one or more control signals, electrically disconnecting the at least one implantable rechargeable battery such that the at least one implantable rechargeable battery can no longer be charged.
(canceled)
33-44. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.