Power management features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11528565-B2
Application number	US-201916708910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2019
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A method performed by an electronic controller includes determining a charge level of a power supply configured to provide power to a medical device, and estimating, based on the charge level of the power supply, a first power supply life for operating the medical device according to a first mode. Further, the method includes estimating, based on the charge level of the power supply, a second power supply life for operating the medical device according to a second mode. As recited, operating the medical device according to the first mode has a different power use or consumption characteristic from operating the medical device according to the second mode. The method also includes generating a notification indicative of the first power supply life and the second power supply life.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medical device, comprising:
memory; and
at least one processor configured to:
operate the medical device according to an awake mode,
monitor one or more operating conditions of the medical device, wherein the one or more operating conditions include:
an orientation of the medical device, and
sound signals received by the medical device,

determine that the one or more operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions, and
responsive to the determining that the one or more operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions, configuring the medical device to operate according to a sleep mode.

2. The medical device of 1 , wherein to determine that the one or more operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions, the at least one processor is configured to:
determine that the orientation of the medical device indicates that a recipient of the medical device is in at least one of a substantially vertical orientation or a substantially horizontal orientation.

3. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein to determine that the one or more operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions, the at least one processor is configured to:
determine that the sound signals received by the medical device include a voice of a person.

4. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein to determine that the one or more operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions, the at least one processor is configured to:
determine that a computing device that is separate from the medical device is communicatively coupled to the medical device.

5. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more threshold conditions are set based on historical information regarding operation of the medical device in one or more modes.

6. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
determine a time period that the medical device has been operating in the awake mode; and
adjust one or more threshold conditions based on the time period.

7. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the medical device comprises an external unit and an implantable unit, wherein the external unit comprises a first sensor and a first processor and the implantable unit comprises a second sensor and a second processor, and wherein in the awake mode the medical device is configured to receive first sound signals via the first sensor and to process the first sound signals with the first processor, and wherein in the sleep mode the medical device is configured to receive second sound signals via only the second sensor and to process the second sound signals with only the second processor.

8. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein responsive to the determining that the one or more operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions, the at least one processor is configured to:
generate information for providing at least one of a visual indication or an audible indication that the medical device is operating according to the sleep mode.

9. The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
communicate the information to a separate device, wherein the separate device is configured to display the visual indication or provide the audible indication.

10. The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the medical device comprises stimulation electronics configured to apply stimulation signals to a recipient of the medical device, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the stimulation electronics to generate the audible indication.

11. A method, comprising:
operating a medical device according to an awake mode;
monitoring, by the medical device, operating conditions of:
an orientation of the medical device, and
sound signals received by the medical device,

determining that the operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions; and
responsive to the determining that the operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions, configuring the medical device to operate according to a sleep mode.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining that the operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions comprises:
determining that the orientation of the medical device has changed.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining that the operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions comprises:
determining that the sound signals received by the medical device include characteristics that correspond to a recipient of the medical device.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining that the operating conditions satisfy one or more threshold conditions comprises:
determining that a computing device that is separate from the medical device is communicatively coupled to the medical device.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
obtaining from a recipient of the medical device or other person confirmation before configuring the medical device to operate according to the sleep mode.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the medical device is a prosthesis.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
reconfiguring the medical device to operate according to the awake mode, wherein one or more threshold conditions for reconfiguring the medical device to operate according to the awake mode are based on a time period since the medical device was configured to operate according to the sleep mode.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
using the sleep mode while a recipient of the medical device is asleep and using the awake mode while the recipient is awake.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
applying, with the medical device, stimulation signals to a recipient of the medical device.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
adjusting power consumed by generation of the stimulation signals based on an operating mode of the medical device.

Assignees

• Cochlear Ltd

Inventors

• Goorevich Michael
• Oplinger Kenneth
• Smith Zachary

Classifications

• H04R25/30 Primary

  Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power · CPC title

• H04R2460/13

  Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers · CPC title

• H04R2460/03

  Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices · CPC title

• H04R25/558

  Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency · CPC title

• H04R25/606

  acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window · CPC title