Defibrillator Battery Authentication System

• US 20090295326A1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Nova, Richard C., McGrath, Thomas J., Daynes, John C., Peterson, Kenneth J., Neumiller, James S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,728,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3975 Power supply A61N1/378 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4221 with battery type recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method for operating an external medical device such as a defibrillator includes obtaining a data set from a battery pack and examining the data set to determine whether the battery pack is authenticated for use in the external medical device. If the examination does not confirm the authentications the method includes causing the device to follow a non-authenticated battery pack protocol. The non-authenticated battery pack protocol may include drawing power from the non-authenticated battery pack only if it is the only available source of power for the external medical device. It may include limiting functionality of the external medical device. It may include modifying the battery status information display for the non-authenticated battery pack. A power system for an external medical device may include a power source external to the medical device and including a memory which stores data indicative of an authorized status of the power source and a processor in the medical device configured to analyze the data and to control a function of the medical device based at least in part on the authorization status.

Claims

1. A method for operating an external medical device comprising:

obtaining a data set from a battery pack;

examining the data set to determine whether the battery pack is authenticated for use in the external medical device;

if the examination does not confirm the authentication, causing the external medical device to follow a non-authenticated battery pack protocol.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the non-authenticated battery pack protocol includes the step of drawing power from the non-authenticated battery pack only if it is the only available source of power for the external medical device.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the non-authenticated battery pack protocol includes the steps of limiting functionality of the external medical device.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the external medical device is a defibrillator which has the capability of operating in both of a manual mode and an AED mode, and wherein the step of limiting the functionality of the defibrillator includes limiting the functionality to AED mode.

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein the external medical device is a defibrillator and the step of limiting the functionality of the defibrillator includes limiting the patient parameter monitoring functionality of the defibrillator.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein limiting the patient parameter monitoring functionality of the defibrillator includes the step of disabling one or more of capnography, pulse oximetry, non-invasive blood pressures end tidal CO₂, ECG, invasive blood pressure, temperature or CPR performance monitoring.

7. A method according to claim 3 wherein the external medical device is a defibrillator and the step of limiting the functionality of the defibrillator includes disabling one or more of pacing therapy and synchronized cardioversion therapy.

8. A method according to claim 3 wherein the step of limiting the functionality of the external medical device includes disabling a charging function.

9. A method according to claim 3 wherein the step of limiting the functionality of the external medical device includes disabling an information display functionality.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the non-authenticated battery pack protocol includes the step of notifying a user of the non-authorized status of the battery pack.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the non-authenticated battery pack protocol includes the step of modifying the battery status information display for the non-authenticated battery pack.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining a data set from a battery pack includes the step of transmitting a query to the battery pack.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining a data set from a battery pack includes the step of transmitting a data set from the battery pack upon device power-on.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining a data set from a battery pack includes the step of transmitting a data set from the battery pack upon electrical engagement of the battery pack with the external medical device.

15. A method according to claim 2 further including the steps of:

before drawing power from the non-authenticated battery pack,

determining whether an alternative power source is coupled to the medical device and

determining whether power is available from the alternative power source.

16. A power system for an external medical device comprising:

a power source external to the medical device and including a memory which stores data indicative of an authorized status of the power source

a processor in the medical device configured to analyze the data and to control a function of the medical device based at least in part on the authorization status.

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein the function is a therapy delivery function.

18. A system according to claim 16 wherein the function is a patient monitoring function.

19. A system according to claim 16 wherein the power source is a battery.

20. A system according to claim 17 wherein the therapy delivery function is a defibrillation shock delivery function.

21. A system according to claim 16 wherein the function is a power source status information display function.