METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING BATTERY STATUS OF IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20110208455A1
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth Tobacman
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Tobacman
• Inventors: Tobacman, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion

Abstract

A battery monitoring system monitors status of a battery in an implantable medical device by comparing a measured battery status trend to a calculated battery status trend. The measured battery status trend is a trend of measured parameter values each indicative of an actual state of depletion of the battery. The calculated battery status trend is a trend of calculated parameter values each indicative of an expected state of depletion of the battery.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring status of a battery in an implantable medical device, the method comprising:

measuring values of a battery functional parameter indicative of a state of depletion of the battery, the measured values each indicative of an actual state of depletion of the battery;

calculating values of the battery functional parameter each as a function of one or more specification parameters of the battery and one or more parameters indicative of energy consumption from the battery, the calculated values each indicative of an expected state of depletion of the battery;

producing a measured battery status trend being a trend of the measured values of the battery functional parameter and a calculated battery status trend being a trend of the calculated values of the battery functional parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving the measured values of the battery functional parameter from a plurality of other implantable medical devices, and

analyzing the status of the battery using the measured values of the battery functional parameter from the plurality of other implantable medical devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the values of the battery functional parameter comprises measuring values of a terminal voltage being a voltage across two terminals of the battery.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the values of the battery functional parameter comprises measuring values of a capacitor charging time being a time interval during which a capacitor in the implantable medical device is charged to a specified energy level using the battery.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the values of the battery functional parameter comprises measuring values of a charge depletion parameter indicative of a cumulative charge depleted from the battery.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the values of the battery functional parameter comprises calculating values of the battery functional parameter each as a function of one or more specification parameters of the battery and one or more consumption parameters indicative of energy consumption from the battery.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein calculating the values of the battery functional parameter comprises calculating values of the battery functional parameter each as a function of at least a specified battery capacity.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein calculating the values of the battery functional parameter comprises calculating values of the battery functional parameter each as a function of at least a length of time since implantation of the implantable medical device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein calculating the values of the battery functional parameter comprises calculating values of the battery functional parameter each as a function of at least a programmed parameters of the implantable medical device.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein calculating the values of the battery functional parameter comprises calculating values of the battery functional parameter each as a function of at least a measured parameters of the implantable medical device.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein calculating the values of the battery functional parameter comprises calculating values of the battery functional parameter each as a function of at least an operation history parameters indicative of energy consumed from the battery.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving the measured values of the battery functional parameter from a plurality of other implantable medical devices, and wherein producing the calculated battery status trend comprises adjusting the calculated battery status trend using the measured values of the battery functional parameter from the plurality of other implantable medical devices.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein producing the measured battery status trend and the calculated battery status trend comprises updating the measured battery status trend and the calculated battery status trend on a periodic bases.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising presenting the measured battery status trend and the calculated battery status trend using a screen or printer.

15. The method of claim 13, comprising producing an alert signal when the measured battery status trend deviates from the calculated battery status trend by at least a specified performance margin for a monitoring period.

16. The method of claim 13, comprising producing an alert signal when a derivative of the measured battery status trend deviates from a derivative of the calculated battery status trend by at least a specified performance rate margin for a monitoring period.

17. The method of claim 13, comprising producing a battery life parameter representing an estimated remaining life expectancy of the battery using the measured battery status trend and the calculated battery status trend.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising receiving the measured values of the battery functional parameter from a plurality of other implantable medical devices, and wherein producing the battery life parameter comprises producing the battery life parameter using the measured and calculated values of the battery functional parameter from the plurality of other implantable medical devices.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting one or more of the measured battery status trend and the calculated battery status trend using a remote device communicatively coupled to the implantable medical device through a telecommunication network.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising producing an alert signal in response to the measured battery status trend deviating from the calculated battery status trend by at least a specified performance margin for a monitoring period.