Power supply with vehicle adapter and battery

Abstract

A control circuit for controlling a supply of power to an external electronics module for controlling an implanted device of the user, the control circuit electrically coupled to a switching circuit for controlling an electrical connection between an external power source, a battery, and an external electronics module, the control circuit further electrically coupled to a sensor for sensing at least one from the group consisting of a voltage and a current received from the external power source, the control circuit being configured to control the switching circuit to electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the external power source and electrically connect the external electronics module to the battery in response to a sensed fluctuation of at least one from the group consisting of voltage and current and electrically connect the external electronics module to the external power source and electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the battery when the fluctuation is not sensed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control circuit for controlling a supply of power to an external electronics module mountable to a user for controlling an implanted device of the user, the control circuit electrically coupled to a switching circuit for controlling an electrical connection between an external power source, a battery, and an external electronics module, the control circuit further electrically coupled to a sensor for sensing at least one from the group consisting of a voltage and a current received from the external power source, the control circuit being configured to control the switching circuit to:
 electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the external power source, and electrically connect the external electronics module to the battery in response to a sensed fluctuation of the sensed at least one from the group consisting of voltage and current, the external electronics module including an alert module configured to issue and alert to the user when the external electronics module is not electrically connected to the external power source, the external electronics module being connected to an adapter including a buck-boost converter, a controller, a switching circuit and a second battery which stores an amount of charge sufficient to damp fluctuations of the power from the outlet, the controller comparing a voltage from the back-boost converter coupled with the external power source and when its determined to not have fluctuations, the switching circuit resumes electrically connecting the external power module.   
     
     
         2 . The control circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensed fluctuation of at least one from the group consisting of the measured voltage and current is at least one from the group consisting of:
 above a threshold maximum;   being below a threshold minimum;   increasing more than a threshold percentage; and   decreasing more than a threshold percentage.   
     
     
         3 . The control circuit of  claim 2 , wherein the external power source is a 12-volt vehicle battery, and wherein the sensed fluctuation is the measured voltage being below 9 volts. 
     
     
         4 . The control circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the switching circuit to temporarily electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the external power source and temporarily electrically connect the external electronics module to the battery for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         5 . The control circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the switching circuit to electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the external power source and electrically connect the external electronics module to the battery until the control circuit determines to control the switching circuit to electrically connect the external electronics module to the external power source based on a subsequent measurement of the at least one from the group consisting of voltage and current received from the external power source. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for adapting power from an outlet of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
 a control circuit for controlling the supply of power to an external electronics module mountable to a user for controlling an implanted device of the user, the control circuit electrically coupled to a switching circuit for controlling an electrical connection between an external power source, a battery, and an external electronics module, the control circuit further electrically coupled to a sensor for sensing at least one from the group consisting of a voltage and a current received from the external power source, the control circuit being configured to control the switching circuit to:   electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the external power source and electrically connect the external electronics module to the battery in response to a sensed fluctuation of the sensed at least one from the group consisting of voltage and current, the external electronics module including an alert module configured to issue at least one of an audible and visual alert to the user when the external electronics module is not electrically connected to the external power source, the external electronics module being connected to an adapter including a buck-boost converter, a controller, a switching circuit and a battery which stores an amount of charge sufficient to damp fluctuations of the power from the outlet;   the controller comparing a voltage from the back-boost converter coupled with the external power source with a second battery located within the adapter, and when its determined to not have fluctuations, the switching circuit resumes electrically connecting the external power module; and   electrically connect the external electronics module to the external power source and electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the battery when the fluctuation is not sensed, the control circuit being configured to deactivate the alert module when the control circuit detects that power is being provided from the external power source.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising an adapter for at least one from the group consisting of increasing and decreasing a voltage and current received from the outlet to a desired level. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the battery is rechargeable and electrically coupled to the adapter, the battery being charged by the outlet when the battery is not electrically connected to the external electronics module. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the adapter, the battery, a second battery, the switching circuit and the control circuit are contained in a common housing. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to provide an electrical connection to a vehicle battery through a vehicle outlet. 
     
     
         11 . A system for controlling a supply of power to an implanted device, the system comprising:
 an apparatus including:   a control circuit for controlling the supply of power to an external electronics module mountable to a user for controlling an implanted device of the user, the control circuit electrically coupled to a switching circuit for controlling an electrical connection between an external power source, a battery, and an external electronics module, the control circuit further electrically coupled to a sensor for sensing at least one from the group consisting of a voltage and a current received from the external power source, the control circuit being configured to control the switching circuit to:   electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the external power source and electrically connect the external electronics module to the battery in response to a sensed fluctuation of at least one from the group consisting of voltage and current, the external electronics module being connected to an adapter including a buck-boost converter, a controller, a switching circuit and a battery which stores an amount of charge sufficient to damp fluctuations of the power from the outlet; the controller comparing a voltage from the back-boost converter coupled with the external power source with battery located within the adapter, and when its determined to not have fluctuations, the switching circuit resumes electrically connecting the external power module;   electrically connect the external electronics module to the external power source and electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the battery when the fluctuation is not sensed; and   the apparatus being electrically coupled between the external power source and an external electronics module;   the control circuit, the switching circuit, the battery, the external electronics module, and the sensor are contained in a common housing carriable by the user,
 a switch for switching between providing power from the apparatus to the implanted device and providing power from the battery to the implanted device, in response to the determination of the external electronics module controller; and 
 an alert module configured to issue at least one of an audible and visual alert to the user when the external electronics module is not electrically connected to the external power source, the control circuit of the apparatus being configured to deactivate the alert module when the control circuit detects that power is being provided from the external power source. 
   
     
     
         12 . A method of controlling the supply of power to an external electronics module mountable to a user of an implanted device, the external electronics module providing power to the implanted device, the method comprising:
 at a control circuit, detecting a fluctuation in the level of power provided from an external power source; and   in response to the detection, the control circuit controlling a switching circuit to electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the external power source and electrically connect the external electronics module to a battery coupled to the switching circuit in response to a detected fluctuation; the external electronics module being connected to an adapter including a buck-boost converter, a controller, a switching circuit and a battery which stores an amount of charge sufficient to damp fluctuations of the power from the outlet; the controller comparing a voltage from the back-boost converter coupled with the external power source with battery located within the adapter, and when its determined to not have fluctuations, the switching circuit resumes electrically connecting the external power module.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein detecting a fluctuation includes detecting the power provided from the external power source from at least one from the group consisting of:
 exceeding a threshold maximum,   dropping below a threshold minimum, and   increasing or decreasing by more than a threshold percentage.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the switching circuit is controlled to electrically disconnect the external electronics module from the external power source for a predetermined amount of time, and the control circuit determines whether there is a fluctuation remains after the predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further including, at the control circuit, determining that power is being provided from the external power source and that the fluctuation has cleared, and in response, controlling the switching circuit to electrically connect the implanted device to the external power source.