Battery monitor and power demand adjuster
AssigneeCochlear Limited
InventorPeter Seligman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for monitoring and controlling power demands in devices with DC power supplies. In response to a detected decline in voltage levels, the device reduces power demands of the device, in one or more stages before powering down entirely. This approach has application to battery powered devices, particularly fro medical applications such as cochlear implants.
Claims10
A method of operating a speech processor for a cochlear prosthesis, said processor being powered by a DC power source and including monitoring means for measuring the output voltage of said power source, said processor being arranged to implement speech processing strategies and stimulation strategies, and to permit one or more of the speech processing strategy, the stimulation strategy, and stimulation rate to be changed, said processor further includes control means responsive to said monitoring means, said method comprising:
- measuring the output voltage of said power source;
- reducing power demands of said device when said measured output voltage falls below a first predetermined voltage level, by control means, comprising, altering one or more of the speech processing strategy, stimulation strategy and stimulation rate implemented by said processor;
- and
- shutting down the processor when said measured output voltage falls below a second predetermined voltage level, wherein said second level is lower than said first level.
A speech processor for a cochlear prosthesis, said processor being powered by a DC power source and including monitoring means for measuring the output voltage of said power source, said processor being arranged to implement speech processing strategies and stimulation strategies and to permit one or more of the speech processing strategy, the stimulation strategy, and stimulation rate to be changed, the speech processor comprising:
- control means, responsive to said monitoring means, for altering one or more of the speech processing, stimulation strategy and stimulation rate implemented by said processor, said control means comprising:
- means for altering one or more of the speech processing strategy, stimulation strategy and stimulation rate implemented by said processor so as to reduce power requirements of the device when the output voltage level of said power source falls below a first predetermined level, and
- means for shutting down the processor when the output voltage level detected by said monitoring means falls below a second predetermined level, said second level being lower than said first level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.