Systems and methods for new battery identification and derived battery capacity
View Patent ↗The present subject matter includes systems and methods for detecting a new hearing aid battery and estimating hearing aid battery life by analyzing changes in battery voltage signatures during the hearing aid device booting process. The analysis may include analyzing a boot signature voltage drop occurring upon initial application of a higher load. The analysis may include analyzing a boot signature voltage slope occurring during sustained application of a higher load. The analysis may also include analyzing a boot signature voltage droop occurring throughout application of a lower load and application of a higher load.
1. A method for identifying a hearing aid battery state, the method comprising:
executing a boot sequence on a hearing aid;
detecting a plurality of battery voltage measurements during the boot sequence;
determining a boot signature voltage slope based on the plurality of battery voltage measurements; and
identifying the hearing aid battery state for a hearing aid battery based on the boot signature voltage slope.
2. The method of claim 1 , further including:
executing a high battery load boot sequence;
wherein determining the boot signature voltage slope is further based on the high battery load boot sequence.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein identifying the hearing aid battery state includes:
comparing the boot signature voltage slope to a slope threshold;
determining the boot signature voltage slope is below the slope threshold; and
identifying the hearing aid battery as a new battery.
4. The method of claim 1 , further including:
executing a low battery load boot sequence and an operational boot sequence; and
determining a boot signature voltage droop based on a voltage droop difference between the low battery load boot sequence and the operational boot sequence.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying the hearing aid battery state includes:
comparing the boot signature voltage droop to a first droop threshold;
determining the boot signature voltage droop is above the first droop threshold; and
identifying the hearing aid battery as a used battery.
6. The method of claim 4 , further including determining a boot signature voltage drop based on a voltage drop difference between a low battery load voltage and a high battery load voltage.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein identifying the hearing aid battery state includes:
comparing the boot signature voltage drop to a drop threshold;
determining the boot signature voltage drop is above the drop threshold; and
identifying the hearing aid battery as a new battery.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein identifying the hearing aid battery state includes:
comparing the boot signature voltage droop to a second droop threshold;
determining the boot signature voltage droop is above the second droop threshold; and
identifying the hearing aid battery as a used battery.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein identifying the hearing aid battery state includes:
comparing the boot signature voltage droop to a third droop threshold;
determining the boot signature voltage droop is not above the third droop threshold;
determining that a low voltage indicator was previously set;
determining that a present voltage is above a low voltage threshold; and
identifying the hearing aid battery as a new battery.
10. The method of claim 1 , further including:
detecting a hearing aid operation state, the hearing aid operation state corresponding to an estimated decreased battery life;
obtaining a first estimated remaining battery life; and
generating an estimated remaining battery life by subtracting the estimated decreased battery life from the first estimated remaining battery life.
11. A hearing aid apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a radio;
a hearing aid battery; and
a processor, the processor configured to:
execute a boot sequence on a hearing aid;
detect a plurality of battery voltage measurements during the boot sequence;
determine a boot signature voltage slope based on the plurality of battery voltage measurements; and
identify a hearing aid battery state for the hearing aid battery based on the boot signature voltage slope.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
the processor being further configured to determine a boot signature voltage slope based on a high battery load boot sequence.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , the processor being further configured to:
compare the boot signature voltage slope to a slope threshold;
determine the boot signature voltage slope is below the slope threshold; and
identify the hearing aid battery as a new battery.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 , the processor being further configured to:
execute a low battery load boot sequence and an operational boot sequence; and
determine a boot signature voltage droop based on a voltage droop difference between the low battery load boot sequence and the operational boot sequence.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , the processor being further configured to:
compare the boot signature voltage droop to a first droop threshold;
determine the boot signature voltage droop is above the first droop threshold; and
identify the hearing aid battery as a used battery.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , the processor being further configured to determine a boot signature voltage drop based on a voltage drop difference between a low battery load voltage and a high battery load voltage.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , the processor being further configured to:
compare the boot signature voltage drop to a drop threshold;
determine the boot signature voltage drop is above the drop threshold; and
identify the hearing aid battery as a new battery.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , the processor being further configured to:
compare the boot signature voltage droop to a second droop threshold;
determine the boot signature voltage droop is above the second droop threshold; and
identify the hearing aid battery as a used battery.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , the processor being further configured to:
compare the boot signature voltage droop to a third droop threshold;
determine the boot signature voltage droop is not above the third droop threshold;
determine that a low voltage indicator was previously set;
determine that a present voltage is above a low voltage threshold; and
identify the hearing aid battery as a new battery.
20. The apparatus of claim 11 , the processor being further configured to:
detect a hearing aid operation state; the hearing aid operation state corresponding to an estimated decreased battery life;
obtain a first estimated remaining battery life; and
generate an estimated remaining battery life by subtracting the estimated decreased battery life from the first estimated remaining battery life.