Power Management Techniques for an Infusion Pump System

• US 20090069749A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insulet Corporation, M2 Medical Group Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: M2 Medical A/S
• Inventors: Miller, Steve, Mochel, Ken, Rich, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,287,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1402 Priming
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/16863 Occlusion detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31518 designed to reduce the overall size of an injection device, e.g. using flexible or pivotally connected chain-like rod members
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/276 preventing unwanted use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8262 connectable to external power source, e.g. connecting to automobile battery through the cigarette lighter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 : by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 : The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 : Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 : The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

Some embodiments of an infusion pump system can employ a number of power management techniques to avoid using substantially excessive power during operation of the pump drive system. Thus, the infusion pump system can draw upon the energy supply in an efficient manner that extends the useful life on the power supply. Furthermore, the infusion pump system can be configured estimate an amount of power remaining to operate the pump system without the requirement of directly detecting the remaining charge on power supply device (e.g., without detecting the remaining charge on a battery). As such, the infusion pump system can readily inform a user of a particular estimated amount of time remaining for medicine dispensing operations.

Claims

1. A wearable infusion pump system, comprising:

a pump device including a drive system to dispense medicine from the pump device, the pump device including a non-rechargeable battery; and

a controller device including a rechargeable energy source that outputs electrical energy to the drive system of the pump device, the rechargeable energy source receiving electrical energy from the non-rechargeable battery of the pump device to maintain the rechargeable energy source at a charge level greater than a threshold charge level when the non-rechargeable battery is in a non-depleted state;

wherein the controller device outputs an alert indicative of a remaining power supply based at least partially on the threshold charge level when the non-rechargeable battery of the pump device is in a depleted state or disconnected from electrical communication with the rechargeable energy source.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller device comprises a user interface that displays the alert indicative of the remaining power supply.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold charge level allows for at least 4 hours of remaining medicine dispensing time after the non-rechargeable battery transitions to the depleted state.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the threshold charge level allows for at least 12 hours of remaining medicine dispensing time after the non-rechargeable battery transitions to the depleted state.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller device directs energy from the non-rechargeable battery to charge the rechargeable energy source until the non-rechargeable battery transitions to the depleted state.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller device maintains the rechargeable energy source at a charge level greater than the threshold charge level by monitoring the voltage output of the rechargeable energy source and directing energy supplied from the non-rechargeable battery to the rechargeable energy source when the monitored voltage output of the rechargeable energy source falls below a threshold voltage level.

7. The system of claim 1,

wherein the pump device comprises a disposable an non-reusable pump device and defines a space to receive a medicine cartridge;

and

wherein the controller device comprises a reusable controller device including a user interface, the controller device being removable attachable to the pump device, the controller device including control circuitry to communicate signals to the drive system of the pump device.

8. A medicinal fluid supply system comprising:

a drive system to dispense a medicine from a portable infusion pump unit;

control circuitry to communicate electronic control signals to the drive system;

a rechargeable power supply electrically connected to the control circuitry, wherein the drive system is powered by the electrical energy stored in the rechargeable power supply; and

a replaceable battery electrically connected to the rechargeable power supply, the rechargeable power supply receiving electrical energy from replaceable battery to maintain the rechargeable power supply at a charge level greater than a threshold charge level when the replaceable battery is in a non-depleted state; and

a user interface that outputs a user alert indicative of a remaining power supply based at least partially on the threshold charge level when the non-rechargeable battery device is in a depleted state or disconnected from the electrical connection with the rechargeable power supply.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the drive system is at least partially arranged in a pump housing and the control circuitry is at least partially arranged in a controller housing, the pump housing being removably attachable to the controller housing.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the threshold charge level allows for at least 12 hours of remaining medicine dispensing time after the replaceable battery transitions to the depleted state.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry directs energy from the replaceable battery to charge the rechargeable power supply until the replaceable battery transitions to the depleted state.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry maintains the rechargeable power supply at a charge level greater than the threshold charge level by monitoring the voltage output of the rechargeable power supply and directing energy supplied from the replaceable battery to the rechargeable power supply when the monitored voltage output of the rechargeable power supply falls below a threshold voltage level.

13. A method of administering medicinal fluid to a patient, the method comprising:

supplying electrical energy from a rechargeable energy source to a drive system of a pump device to activate the drive system and dispense medicinal fluid from the pump device;

charging the rechargeable energy source with energy from a replaceable battery to maintain the rechargeable energy source at a charge level greater than a threshold charge level when the replaceable battery is in a non-depleted state; and

outputting a user alert indicative of a remaining power supply based at least partially on the threshold charge level when the replaceable battery is in a depleted state or disconnected from electrical communication with the rechargeable energy source.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pump device comprises a disposable and non-reusable instrument that houses the replaceable battery.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the user alert indicative of the remaining power supply indicates an estimated amount of medicine dispensing time remaining.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the estimated amount of medicine dispensing time remaining is about 4 hours or greater from the time when the replaceable battery transitions to the depleted state or is disconnected from electrical communication with the rechargeable energy source.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the estimated amount of medicine dispensing time remaining is about 12 hours or greater from the time when the replaceable battery transitions to the depleted state or is disconnected from electrical communication with the rechargeable energy source.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the estimated amount of medicine dispensing time remaining comprises a predetermined amount of medicine dispensing time reduced by an amount of time indicated by an internal timer.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising detecting an rate of use of the infusion pump system and estimating the estimated amount of medicine dispensing time remaining based on the rate of use of the infusion pump system and the threshold charge level.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising maintaining the rechargeable energy source at a charge level greater than the threshold charge level by monitoring a voltage output level of the rechargeable energy source and charging the rechargeable energy storage module with energy from the replaceable battery when the voltage output level falls below a threshold voltage level.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the rechargeable energy source is housed in a reusable controller device having a user interface to display the user alert, the controller device being removably attached to the pump device, the controller device including control circuitry communicating signals to the drive system of the pump device.

22. A wearable infusion pump system, comprising:

a pump device including a drive system to dispense medicine from the pump device, the drive system defining an energy requirement profile to perform a medicine dispensing operation;

an energy storage source to deliver electrical energy to the drive system; and

a controller device to initiate the medicine dispensing operation by supplying a pattern of voltage pulses from the energy storage source to the drive system, the pattern of voltage pulses being correlated to the energy requirement profile of the drive system.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the controller device adjusts the pattern of voltage pulses based on a detected voltage output of the energy storage source.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the controller detects a time period for completing a medicine dispensing operation, adjusts the energy requirement profile for the pump device based on the detected time period for completing the medicine dispensing operation and a predetermined actuation time, and supplies a pattern of voltage pulses from the energy storage source to provide a pattern of voltage pulses to the drive system in a subsequent medicine dispensing operation that correlates to the adjusted energy requirement profile of the drive system.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the energy requirement profile includes an gradual increase in the amount of energy delivered to the drive system during the medicine dispensing operation.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the energy requirement profile includes an initial period of higher energy supply to overcome static forces of the drive system followed by a second period of lower energy.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the controller device comprises a pulse-width modulation controller to supply the pattern of voltage pulses.

28. A method of administering medicinal fluid to a patient, the method comprising:

delivering a pattern of voltage pulses from an energy source to a drive system of a portable infusion pump device, the pattern of voltage pulses being correlated to an energy requirement profile defined by the drive system; and

actuating one or more components of the drive system in response to the delivery of the pattern of voltage pulses so as to dispense a medicinal fluid from the portable infusion pump device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the pattern of voltage pulses based on a detected voltage output of the energy source.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

detecting a time interval for the drive system to complete the medicine dispensing operation;

adjusting the energy requirement profile defined by the drive system based on the detected time interval and a predetermined actuation time; and

delivering a pattern of voltage pulses from the energy source to the drive system of the portable infusion pump device that correlates to the adjusted energy requirement profile defined by the drive system.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

storing the adjusted energy requirement profile in memory in the portable infusion pump device.

32. A wearable infusion pump system, comprising:

a disposable and non-reusable pump device defining a space to receive a medicine cartridge and including a drive system to dispense medicine from the pump device, the drive system defining an energy requirement profile to perform a medicine dispensing operation;

a reusable controller device including a pulse-width modulation controller and an energy storage source to deliver electrical energy to the drive system, the pulse-width modulation controller providing a pattern of voltage pulses from the energy storage source to the drive system, the pattern of voltage pulses being correlated to the energy requirement profile of the drive system.

33. A wearable infusion pump system, comprising:

a pump device including a drive system to dispense medicine from the pump device;

an energy storage source to deliver electrical energy to the drive system; and

a controller device to initiate the medicine dispensing operation by supplying a pattern of voltage pulses from the energy storage source to the drive system, the controller device detecting a voltage output level of the energy storage source and adjusting the frequency or duration of the voltage pulses based on the detected voltage output level.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the controller device comprises a pulse-width modulation controller to supply the pattern of voltage pulses.

35. A method of administering medicinal fluid to a patient, the method comprising:

detecting a voltage output of an energy source electrically connected to a drive system of a portable infusion pump system, the portable infusion pump system comprising a medicine dispensed to a user when one or more components of the drive system are actuated, the portable infusion pump system actuating one or more components of the drive system by supplying patterns of voltage pulses from the energy source to the drive system;

determining a pattern of voltage pulses to be supplied to the drive system based on the detected voltage output; and

delivering the determined pattern of voltage pulses from the energy source to the drive system of a portable infusion pump device to actuate one or more components of the drive system to dispense a medicinal fluid from the portable infusion pump device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the drive system defines an energy requirement profile to perform a medicine dispensing operation and the determined pattern of voltage pulses is correlated to the energy requirement profile of the drive system.