Apparatuses and methods for timing-based power level control

1 . An apparatus comprising:

a signal generation circuit configured to generate a carrier signal for wireless transmission of output power and output data, the carrier signal associated with a first fundamental component having a particular frequency, a particular phase, and a first amplitude associated with a maximum supported power level for the output power; and

a power control circuit configured to generate, based on timing control data corresponding to a target power level for the output power that is lower than the maximum supported power level for the output power, a time-adjusted version of the carrier signal that maintains an amplitude of the carrier signal and adjusts a timing profile of the carrier signal such that a second fundamental component associated with the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal has the particular frequency, the particular phase, and a second amplitude lower than the first amplitude and associated with the target power level for the output power; wherein:

the carrier signal includes a series of pulses generated at the particular frequency; and

the timing profile of the carrier signal is adjusted for the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal by at least one of:

skipping a first sub-series of pulses from the series of pulses, the first sub-series of pulses having a first frequency lower than the particular frequency, or

symmetrically shortening a second sub-series of pulses from the series of pulses, the second sub-series of pulses having a second frequency lower than or equal to the particular frequency.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the second frequency is lower than or equal to a difference between the particular frequency and the first frequency; and

the first and second sub-series of pulses are non-overlapping.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , implemented within an external headpiece included in a cochlear implant system;

wherein the cochlear implant system further includes an internal cochlear implant configured to receive the wireless transmission of output power and output data from the external headpiece when the internal cochlear implant is implanted within a recipient of the cochlear implant system and the external headpiece is external to the recipient.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the external headpiece is an integrated headpiece that includes, together with the signal generation circuit and the power control circuit, a sound processing circuit configured to generate, based on input audio data, the output data wirelessly transmitted to the internal cochlear implant by way of the wireless transmission.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power control circuit is configured to generate the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal in a manner that modulates the output data onto the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal by causing the second fundamental component to have:

for a first binary value of the output data, the second amplitude associated with the target power level; and

for a second binary value of the output data, a third amplitude lower than the second amplitude associated with the target power level.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:

the third amplitude is a non-zero amplitude used within an amplitude shift keying (ASK) modulation protocol to implement the modulating of the output data onto the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal; and

the third amplitude is associated with an additional timing profile of the carrier signal distinct from the timing profile of the carrier signal that causes the second fundamental component to have the second amplitude.

7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the third amplitude is an amplitude of zero that is used within an on-off keying (OOK) modulation protocol to implement the modulating of the output data onto the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the power control circuit includes a delay circuit that inputs the carrier signal and outputs an array of delayed versions of the carrier signal; and

the power control circuit is configured to generate the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal by:

selecting, based on the timing control data and from the array of delayed versions of the carrier signal, a first delayed version and a second delayed version of the carrier signal, and

generating, based on the selected first and second delayed versions of the carrier signal, the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a storage facility configured to maintain a plurality of timing control datasets corresponding to a plurality of different target power levels for the output power;

wherein:

the plurality of timing control datasets includes a particular timing control dataset for the timing control data corresponding to the target power level, and

as part of the generating of the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal, the power control circuit selects and accesses the particular timing control dataset from the storage facility.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , implemented within an external component that is included within a medical system that further includes an internal component configured to receive the wireless transmission of output power and output data from the external component when the internal component is implanted within a recipient of the medical system and the external component is external to the recipient;

wherein:

prior to the selecting and accessing of the particular timing control dataset and as further part of the generating of the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal, the power control circuit identifies the target power level for the output power based on at least one of:

a program strategy used for the wireless transmission of output power and output data, or

a distance between the external and internal components of the medical system when the internal component is implanted within the recipient and the external component is external to the recipient; and

the power control circuit selects and accesses the particular timing control dataset from the storage facility based on the identified target power level.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a battery monitor circuit that continuously or periodically detects a battery level of a battery supplying power to the signal generation circuit and the power control circuit;

wherein:

the power control circuit is configured to generate the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal based on the timing control data when the battery monitor circuit detects that the battery level is above a threshold, and

the power control circuit is configured to generate the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal based on different timing control data corresponding to a different target power level for the output power when the battery monitor circuit detects that the battery level is below the threshold.

12 . A cochlear implant system comprising:

a headpiece configured to be worn externally by a recipient of the cochlear implant system and to provide a wireless transmission of output power and output data;

a cochlear implant configured to be implanted within the recipient and to receive the wireless transmission from the headpiece;

a signal generation circuit included within the headpiece and configured to generate a carrier signal for the wireless transmission, the carrier signal associated with a first fundamental component having a particular frequency, a particular phase, and a first amplitude associated with a maximum supported power level for the output power; and

a power control circuit included within the headpiece and configured to generate, based on timing control data corresponding to a target power level for the output power that is lower than the maximum supported power level for the output power, a time-adjusted version of the carrier signal that maintains an amplitude of the carrier signal and adjusts a timing profile of the carrier signal such that a second fundamental component associated with the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal has the particular frequency, the particular phase, and a second amplitude lower than the first amplitude and associated with the target power level for the output power; wherein:

the carrier signal includes a series of pulses generated at the particular frequency; and

the timing profile of the carrier signal is adjusted for the time-adjusted version of the carrier signal by at least one of:

skipping a first sub-series of pulses from the series of pulses, the first sub-series of pulses having a first frequency lower than the particular frequency, or

symmetrically shortening a second sub-series of pulses from the series of pulses, the second sub-series of pulses having a second frequency lower than or equal to the particular frequency.

13 . The cochlear implant system of claim 12 , wherein:

the second frequency is lower than or equal to a difference between the particular frequency and the first frequency; and

the first and second sub-series of pulses are non-overlapping.