Current monitor for an implantable medical device

• US 20030181953A1
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Dropps, Frank R., Brumwell, Dennis A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,898,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3706 Pacemaker parameters stimulation threshold A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for performing a device component failure analysis in an implantable medical device using current consumption data. A current consumption signal relating to current consumption in an implantable medical device is generated. The current consumption signal is then processed. A defect of a component in the implantable medical device is assessed in response to the processing of the current consumption signal and appropriate action is taken, such as selecting alternate therapies, generating an alert signal, and turning off circuits corresponding to the assessed defect.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating component performance in an implantable medical device, comprising the steps of:

generating a current consumption signal relating to current consumption in an implantable medical device;

processing the current consumption signal; and

assessing a defect of a component in the implantable medical device in response to the processing of the current consumption signal.

2. The method described in claim 1, further comprising the step of switching from a first power source to a second power source based upon the processing of the current consumption signal.

3. The method described in claim 1, wherein the step of generating a current consumption signal further comprises generating a current consumption signal relating to a quiescent current related to the implantable medical device.

4. The method described in claim 1, wherein the step of generating a current consumption signal further comprises generating a current consumption signal relating to an operating current related to the implantable medical device.

5. The method described in claim 1, wherein the step of processing the current consumption signal further comprises converting the current consumption signal into a digital format to generate a current consumption data.

6. The method described in claim 5, wherein the step of processing the current consumption signal further comprises storing the current consumption data.

7. The method described in claim 1, wherein the step of processing the current consumption signal further comprises calculating an average current consumption by the implantable medical device for a predetermined time period.

8. The method described in claim 1, wherein the step of processing the current consumption signal further comprises determining whether there is an unusual current leak based upon the current consumption signal.

9. The method described in claim 8, wherein the step of assessing a defect of a component in the implantable medical device further comprises identifying a probable component in the implantable medical device corresponding to the unusual current leak.

10. The method described in claim 9, wherein the step of identifying a probable component further comprises identifying at least one of a capacitor, inductor, resistor, transistor, and a crystal oscillator that may malfunction.

11. The method described in claim 1, wherein the step of assessing a defect of a component further comprises determining whether a leak in a hermetic seal associated with the implantable medical device exists based upon the processing of the current consumption signal.

12. The method described in claim 1, further comprising the step of altering operation of the implantable medical device in response to the step of assessing a defect of a component of the implantable medical device.

13. The method described in claim 12, wherein the step of altering operation of the implantable medial device includes one of selecting alternate therapies, generating an alert signal, and turning off circuits corresponding to the assessed component.

14. A method of evaluating component performance in an implantable medical device, comprising the steps of:

generating a current consumption signal relating to current consumption in the implantable medical device, the generated current consumption signal including at least one of a current consumption signal relating to a quiescent current corresponding to the device and a current consumption signal relating to an operating current corresponding to the device;

determining whether there is a current leak based upon the current consumption signal; and

identifying a component in the device corresponding to the determined current leak.

15. The method described in claim 14, wherein the step of determining further comprises:

converting the current consumption signal into a digital format to generate current consumption data; and

storing the current consumption data.

16. The method described in claim 14, wherein the step of identifying comprises identifying at least one of a capacitor, inductor, resistor, transistor, and a crystal oscillator that is malfunctioning.

17. The method described in claim 14, wherein the step of determining further comprises determining whether a leak in a hermetic seal associated with the device exists based upon the current consumption signal.

18. The method described in claim 14, further comprising the step of altering operation of the implantable medical device in response to the step of assessing a defect of a component of the implantable medical device.

19. The method described in claim 18, wherein the step of altering operation of the implantable medial device includes one of selecting alternate therapies, generating an alert signal, and turning off circuits corresponding to the assessed component.

20. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a processor;

a control logic unit operatively coupled to the processor, the control logic unit generating at least one control signal in response to a command from the processor;

a memory unit, operatively coupled to the control logic unit, storing and providing data to the processor via the control logic unit; and

a power control unit, operatively coupled to the control logic unit, determining whether a component associated with the implantable medical device has malfunctioned.

21. The implantable medical device of claim 20, wherein the power control unit further comprises:

a first power source and a second power source;

a current monitor unit monitoring current consumption of the implantable medical device and generating a current consumption signal in response to the current consumption;

an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), operatively coupled to the current monitor unit, converting the current consumption signal to a digital current consumption data; and

power control circuitry, operatively coupled to the ADC, switching a power supply from the first power source to the second power source based upon the current consumption data.

22. The implantable medical device of claim 20, wherein the current monitor unit includes a current monitor circuit generating a current signal indicative of current consumption of the implantable medical device.

23. The implantable medical device of claim 20, wherein the processor generates a current consumption signal relating to current consumption in the device and assesses component defects in response to the current consumption signal.

24. An implantable medical device, comprising:

means for generating a current consumption signal relating to current consumption in the implantable medical device;

means for processing the current consumption signal; and

means for assessing a defect of a component in the implantable medical device in response to the processing of the current consumption signal.

25. A computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs steps, comprising:

generating a current consumption signal relating to current consumption in a implantable medical device;

processing the current consumption signal; and

assessing component defects in the implantable medical device in response to the processing of the current consumption signal.

26. The computer readable program storage device of claim 25, further comprising switching from a first power source to a second power based upon the processing of the current consumption signal.

27. The computer readable program storage device of claim 25, wherein the step of generating a current consumption signal comprises generating a current consumption signal relating to a quiescent current related to the implantable medical device.

28. The computer readable program storage device of claim 25, wherein the step of generating a current consumption signal comprises generating a current consumption signal relating to an operating current related to the implantable medical device.

29. The computer readable program storage device of claim 25, wherein the step of processing the current consumption signal comprises converting the current consumption signal into a digital format to generate current consumption data.

30. The computer readable program storage device of claim 29, wherein the step of processing the current consumption signal includes storing the current consumption data.

31. The computer readable program storage device of claim 25, wherein the step of processing the current consumption signal comprises calculating an average current consumption of the implantable medical device for a predetermined time period.

32. The computer readable program storage device of claim 25, wherein the step of processing the current consumption signal comprises determining whether there is a current leak based upon the current consumption signal.

33. The computer readable program storage device of claim 32, wherein the step of assessing component defect comprises identifying a probable component in the implantable medical device causing a current leak.

34. The computer readable program storage device of claim 33, wherein the step of identifying a probable component comprises identifying at least one of a capacitor, an inductor, a resistor, a transistor, and a crystal oscillator.

35. The computer readable program storage device of claim 25, wherein the step of assessing component defects comprises determining whether a leak in a hermetic seal associated with the implantable medical device exists based upon the processing of the current consumption signal.