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 is disclosed. In response to a detected decline in voltage levels, the device reduces the power demands of the device, in one or more stages, before powering down entirely. This approach has application to battery powered devices, particularly for medical applications such as cochlear implants.
Claims30
A speech processor for a cochlear implant, comprising:
- a battery monitor configured to measure the voltage across the output of a power source connected to the speech processor;
- and
- a control circuit configured to downgrade performance of the speech processor when the measured voltage is below a predetermined threshold level.
The processor of 6, wherein the rate at which stimulation pulses are delivered to the patient is based on the voltage measured across the output of the power source.
A method for altering power consumption of a cochlear implant having a speech processor, comprising:
- measuring the voltage across the output of a power source connected to the speech processor;
- comparing the measured voltage to a predetermined threshold level;
- and
- downgrading speech processor performance when the measured voltage is below the predetermined threshold level.
A speech processor for a cochlear implant configured implement a speech processing strategy, the processor comprising:
- a battery monitor configured to measure the voltage across the output of a power source connected to the speech processor;
- and
- a control circuit configured to select one of a plurality of speech processing strategies when the measured voltage is above a predetermined threshold level, and configured to select a second speech processing strategy when the measured voltage output is below the predetermined threshold.
A method for altering power consumption of a cochlear implant, comprising:
- measuring the voltage across the output of a power source connected to the signal processor;
- comparing the measured voltage to a predetermined threshold level;
- and
- selecting one of a plurality of speech processing strategies when the measured voltage is above a predetermined threshold level, and selecting a second one of said plurality of strategies when the measured voltage is below the predetermined threshold.
A speech processor for a cochlear implant configured to deliver stimulation pulses to a patient, comprising:
- a battery monitor configured to measure the voltage across the output of a power source connected to the speech processor;
- and
- a control circuit configured to reduce the rate at which stimulation pulses are delivered to the patient when the measured voltage is below the predetermined threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.