MAINTENANCE SYSTEM FOR MAINTAINING AN ENERGY ACCUMULATOR ARRANGEMENT

• US 20110270337A1
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biotronik SE & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Biotronik SE & Company KG
• Inventors: Lang, Volker, Doerr, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,220,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/6
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3937 Monitoring output parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3975 Power supply A61N1/378 takes precedence

Abstract

An energy accumulator arrangement for an electromedical implant includes a battery, a capacitor, and a charging device which is designed to supply an electric charge from the battery to the capacitor according to a charging program. A maintenance system for maintaining the energy accumulator arrangement includes a monitoring device contained in the implant which captures a physical parameter value of the energy accumulator arrangement; an evaluation unit for evaluating the captured physical parameter value and generating a resulting evaluation result signal; a transceiver contained in the implant which sends the captured physical parameter value to the evaluation unit, and receive the evaluation result signal generated by the evaluation unit; and additionally a control unit contained in the implant which controls the charging device and the monitoring device, and adapts the charging program as a function of the evaluation result signal.

Claims

1. A maintenance system for maintaining an energy accumulator arrangement of an implant, the energy accumulator arrangement including a battery, a capacitor, and a charging device configured to supply an electric charge from the battery to the capacitor in accordance with a charging program, wherein the maintenance system includes:

a. a monitoring device contained in the implant, the monitoring device being configured to capture a physical parameter value of the energy accumulator arrangement;

b. an evaluation unit configured to;

(1) evaluate the captured physical parameter value, and

(2) generate an evaluation result signal as a function of the captured physical parameter value;

c. a transceiver contained in the implant, the transceiver being configured to;

(1) send the captured physical parameter value to the evaluation unit, and

(2) receive the evaluation result signal generated by the evaluation unit; and

d. a control unit contained in the implant, the control unit being configured to;

(1) control the charging device and the monitoring device, and

(2) adapt the charging program as a function of the evaluation result signal.

2. The maintenance system of claim 1 wherein the evaluation unit is configured to:

a. receive several captured physical parameter values of energy accumulator arrangements of several different implants, and

b. generate the evaluation result signal as a function of the several captured physical parameter values.

3. The maintenance system of claim 1 further including a patient device separate and spaced from the implant, wherein the patient device is configured to:

a. receive the captured physical parameter value from the transceiver and relay the captured physical parameter value to the evaluation unit, and

b. receive the evaluation result signal generated by the evaluation unit and relay the evaluation result signal to the transceiver.

4. The maintenance system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to adapt the charging program as a function of the evaluation result signal by changing one or more of:

a. a charging voltage,

b. a charging current, and

c. a charging interval.

5. The maintenance system of claim 1 wherein the evaluation unit is configured to also generate the evaluation result signal as a function of manufacturing data characterizing the implant.

6. The maintenance system of claim 1 wherein the evaluation unit is contained in the implant.

7. The maintenance system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to control the charging device and the monitoring device to periodically charge the capacitor by:

a. initiating the charging of the capacitor by the charging device;

b. interrupting the charging process for a first defined time period after a first defined capacitor voltage of the capacitor has been reached;

c. continuing the charging of the capacitor after expiration of the first time period;

d. capturing the physical parameter value in the form of a second time period which at least approximates the time period between;

(1) the start of continued charging, and

(2) the time when the first defined capacitor voltage is reached again;

e. sending the value of the captured second time period to the evaluation unit using the transceiver;

f. receiving the evaluation result generated by the evaluation unit as a function of the captured second time period;

g. adapting the charging program as a function of the evaluation result signal.

8. The maintenance system of claim 7 wherein the control unit is configured to adapt the charging program by reducing the first defined capacitor voltage if the second time period has exceeded a specified time duration.

9. The maintenance system of claim 8 wherein the control unit is configured to lower the reduced first defined capacitor voltage until the second time duration no longer exceeds the specified time duration if, after lowering the first defined capacitor voltage, the specified time duration is again exceeded.

10. The maintenance system of claim 1 wherein:

a. the monitoring device is configured to capture the physical parameter value in the form of a curve of a value of battery voltage present at the battery during a charging process of the capacitor, and

b. the control unit is configured to adapt the charging program as a function of the evaluation result signal, wherein the evaluation result signal is indicative of a need for maintenance of the battery based on the battery voltage value curve.

11. The maintenance system of claim 10 wherein the control unit is configured to adapt the charging program such that the charging device:

a. charges the capacitor in several consecutive charge cycles using a reduced charge voltage, and

b. aborts one of the several charge cycles if the value of the capacitor voltage does not reach a predetermined threshold value in a predetermined time period.

12. The maintenance system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to adapt the charging program such that the charging device:

a. continuously charges the capacitor to a voltage level which is significantly below a rated capacitor voltage;

b. subsequently charges the capacitor incrementally until the rated capacitor voltage has been reached; and

c. thereafter maintains the rated capacitor voltage by cyclical recharging if the evaluation result signal is indicative of increased leakage current of the capacitor.

19. The maintenance system of claim 1 wherein the step of adapting the charging program includes:

a. continuously charging the capacitor to a voltage level which is significantly below a rated capacitor voltage;

b. subsequently charging the capacitor in incremental steps until the rated capacitor voltage has been reached; and

c. thereafter maintaining the rated capacitor voltage by repeated recharging if the evaluation result signal is indicative of increased leakage current of the capacitor.

13. A method for maintaining an energy accumulator of an implant wherein the energy accumulator includes a battery, a capacitor, and a charging device configured to supply an electric charge from the battery to the capacitor in accordance with a charging program, the method including:

a. capturing a physical parameter value of the energy accumulator arrangement using a monitoring device contained in the implant;

b. sending the captured physical parameter value to an evaluation unit using a transceiver;

c. within the evaluation unit;

(1) evaluating the captured physical parameter value, and

(2) generating an evaluation result signal as a function of the captured physical parameter value;

d. receiving the evaluation result signal generated by the evaluation unit using the transceiver; and

e. adapting the charging program as a function of the evaluation result signal.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the steps of:

a. charging the capacitor using the charging device;

b. interrupting the charging of the capacitor for a first defined time period after a first defined capacitor voltage has been reached;

c. continuing the charging of the capacitor after expiration of the first time period;

d. capturing the physical parameter value in the form of a second time period which at least approximates the time period between;

(1) the start of continued charging, and

(2) the time when the first defined capacitor voltage is reached again;

wherein the evaluation result signal is generated within the evaluation unit as a function of the captured second time period.

15. The maintenance system of claim 14 wherein the charging program is adapted by reducing the first defined capacitor voltage if the second time period exceeds a specified time duration.

16. The maintenance system of claim 15 wherein the reduced first defined capacitor voltage is lowered until the second time duration no longer exceeds the specified time duration if, after lowering the first defined capacitor voltage, the specified time duration is again exceeded.

17. The maintenance system of claim 13 further including the step of capturing the physical parameter value in the form of a curve of a value of battery voltage present at the battery during a charging process of the capacitor.

18. The maintenance system of claim 17 wherein the step of adapting the charging program includes:

a. charging the capacitor in several charge cycles using a reduced charge voltage, and

b. aborting one of the several charge cycles if a capacitor voltage value does not reach a predetermined threshold value within a predetermined time period.

20. An electromedical implant including:

a. an energy accumulator having;

(1) a battery;

(2) a capacitor; and

(3) a charging device configured to supply an electric charge from the battery to the capacitor in accordance with a charging program;

b. an energy accumulator maintenance system having;

(1) a monitoring device configured to capture a physical parameter value of the energy accumulator;

(2) an evaluation unit configured to;

(a) evaluate the captured physical parameter value, and

(b) generate an evaluation result signal as a function of the captured physical parameter value;

(3) a control unit configured to adapt the charging program as a function of the evaluation result signal.

21. The electromedical implant of claim 20:

a. wherein the evaluation unit is separate and spaced from the implant;

b. the energy accumulator maintenance system further has a transceiver configured to;

(1) transmit the captured physical parameter value from the monitoring device to the evaluation unit, and

(2) receive the evaluation result signal generated by the evaluation unit.