Systems and Methods for Regulating Power in a Medical Device

• US 20070274693A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Farbarik, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 388/806
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0072 Tidal volume piston pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0018 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0033 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/1025 the O2 concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8212 with means or measures taken for minimising energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/0673 Battery powered
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/004 by varying driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A system for controlling a motor for use in a ventilation system may include a motor, a voltage adjustment system, a user interface, and a motor controller. The voltage adjustment system may be configured to adjust a voltage applied to the motor. The user interface may be configured to receive patient settings input from a user and communicate target ventilation parameters to the motor controller. The motor controller may include a calculation engine configured to calculate motor performance parameters for achieving the target ventilation parameters, and based at least on the calculated motor performance parameters, perform a voltage adjustment analysis for controlling the voltage adjustment system. The motor controller may further include a voltage adjuster controller configured to activate the voltage adjustment system based on a first result of the voltage adjustment analysis and to not activate the voltage adjustment system based on a second result of the voltage adjustment analysis.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a motor for use in a ventilation system, comprising:

receiving one or more target ventilation parameters regarding the ventilation of a patient;

based at least on the one or more received target ventilation parameters, calculating one or more motor performance parameters for achieving the one or more target ventilation parameters;

based at least on the one or more calculated motor performance parameters, performing a voltage adjustment analysis for controlling a voltage adjustment system configured to adjust a voltage applied to the motor;

activating the voltage adjustment system based on a first result of the voltage adjustment analysis;

not activating the voltage adjustment system based on a second result of the voltage adjustment analysis; and

controlling the motor based on the one or more calculated motor performance parameters.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein activating the voltage adjustment system comprises activating the voltage adjustment system to increase a voltage applied to the motor.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein activating the voltage adjustment system comprises activating the voltage adjustment system to decrease a voltage applied to the motor.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the voltage adjustment analysis includes:

determining a first voltage for achieving the one or more calculated motor performance parameters;

accessing power supply data regarding a second voltage supplied by a power supply; and

comparing the first voltage and the second voltage.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein

activating the voltage adjustment system based on a first result of the voltage adjustment analysis comprises activating the voltage adjustment system if the second voltage is less than the first voltage;

and

not activating the voltage adjustment system based on a first result of the voltage adjustment analysis comprises not activating the voltage adjustment system if the second voltage is greater than the first voltage.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein activating the voltage adjustment system based on a first result of the voltage adjustment analysis comprises activating the voltage adjustment system if the second voltage is greater than the first voltage by a predetermined threshold.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the voltage adjustment analysis comprises determining a voltage to apply to the motor to achieve the one or more motor performance parameters.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving motor data regarding the motor;

and

wherein the voltage adjustment analysis is based at least on the one or more calculated motor performance parameters and the received motor data.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising accessing motor data regarding the motor;

and

wherein the one or more motor performance parameters are calculated based at least on the motor data and the one or more target ventilation parameters.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the motor data defines a relationship between voltage supplied to the motor and one or more performance parameters of the motor.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the motor data defines a relationship between voltage supplied to the motor and a speed of the motor.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the motor data is determined based on physical testing of the motor.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more motor performance parameters comprise at least one of a motor speed and a motor acceleration.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising adjusting a magnitude of voltage increase provided by the voltage adjustment system based on a third result of the voltage adjustment analysis.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more target ventilation parameters comprise at least one of a target air pressure and a target air flow volume.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the voltage adjustment system comprises a DC-DC voltage converter.

17. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

periodically repeating the voltage adjustment analysis; and

controlling the voltage adjustment system based on the result of each voltage adjustment analysis.

18. A method for controlling a motor for use in a ventilation system, comprising:

receiving one or more target ventilation parameters regarding the ventilation of a patient;

based at least on the one or more received target ventilation parameters, performing a voltage adjustment analysis for controlling a voltage adjustment system, the voltage adjustment system configured to adjust a voltage applied to the motor;

activating the voltage adjustment system based on a first result of the voltage adjustment analysis;

not activating the voltage adjustment system based on a second result of the voltage adjustment analysis; and

controlling the motor based on the one or more calculated motor performance parameters.

19. A method for controlling a motor for use in a ventilation system, comprising:

receiving one or more parameters regarding the ventilation of a patient;

identifying from a plurality of motor performance levels a particular motor performance level corresponding to the one or more received parameters; and

controlling a voltage adjustment system based on the identified motor performance level, including;

activating the voltage adjustment system if the identified motor performance level is a first performance level, wherein activating the voltage adjustment system adjusts a voltage applied to the motor; and

not activating the voltage adjustment system if the identified motor performance level is a second performance level.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein activating the voltage adjustment system increases a voltage applied to the motor.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein activating the voltage adjustment system decreases a voltage applied to the motor.

22. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

calculating one or more motor performance parameters for achieving the one or more received parameters; and

controlling the motor based on the one or more calculated motor performance parameters.

23. A method according to claim 19, wherein the first performance level is a high performance level and the second performance level is a low performance level.

24. A method according to claim 19, wherein the one or more parameters corresponding to the first performance level include at least one of altitude and patient size.

25. A system for controlling a motor for use in a ventilation system, comprising:

a motor;

a voltage adjustment system operable to adjust a voltage applied to the motor;

a user interface configured to receive patient settings input from a user and to communicate one or more target ventilation parameters; and

a motor controller configured to receive the one or more target ventilation parameters from the user interface;

the motor controller including a calculation engine configured to;

calculate one or more motor performance parameters for achieving the one or more target ventilation parameters; and

based at least on the one or more calculated motor performance parameters, perform a voltage adjustment analysis for controlling the voltage adjustment system; and

the motor controller further including a voltage adjuster controller configured to activate the voltage adjustment system based on a first result of the voltage adjustment analysis and to not activate the voltage adjustment system based on a second result of the voltage adjustment analysis.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein the motor controller is configured to control the motor based on the one or more calculated motor performance parameters.

27. A system according to claim 25, wherein the voltage adjustment system operable to increase a voltage applied to the motor.

28. A system according to claim 25, wherein the voltage adjustment system operable to increase or decrease a voltage applied to the motor.

29. A system for controlling a motor for use in a ventilation system, comprising:

motor means;

voltage adjusting means for adjusting a voltage applied to the motor means;

interface means for receiving patient settings input from a user and for communicating one or more target ventilation parameters; and

motor controlling means for;

receiving the one or more target ventilation parameters from the interface means;

calculating one or more motor performance parameters for achieving the one or more target ventilation parameters; and

based at least on the one or more calculated motor performance parameters, performing a voltage adjustment analysis for controlling the voltage adjustment system; and

voltage adjustment controlling means for activating the voltage adjusting means based on a first result of the voltage adjustment analysis and to not activate the voltage adjusting means based on a second result of the voltage adjustment analysis.

30. A computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions for controlling a motor for use in a ventilation system, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving one or more target ventilation parameters regarding the ventilation of a patient;

instructions for calculating one or more motor performance parameters for achieving the one or more target ventilation parameters;

instructions for performing a voltage adjustment analysis for controlling a voltage adjustment system configured to adjust a voltage applied to the motor, the voltage adjustment analysis based at least on the one or more calculated motor performance parameters;

instructions for activating the voltage adjustment system based on a first result of the voltage adjustment analysis;

instructions for not activating the voltage adjustment system based on a second result of the voltage adjustment analysis; and

instructions for controlling the motor based on the one or more calculated motor performance parameters.