POWER REGULATED IMPLANT

• US 20120046674A1
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apollo Endosurgery US, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Augarten, Mike, Snow, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 9,211,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0016 comprising measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0059 with wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2201/0801 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/022 by means of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04

Abstract

An implantable pumping system for pumping a fluid in an implantable gastric banding system comprises a pump for pumping the fluid. A voltage source provides a pump voltage to the system, and a voltage control circuit increases or decreases the pump voltage. A pump driver applies the pump voltage to the pump at a phase and a frequency. The implantable pumping system comprises a sensor that monitors a parameter to facilitate adjusting at least one of the phase or the frequency to maintain a desired value of the parameter. The parameter is associated with at least one of the implantable pumping system or the implantable gastric banding system. A micro controller is configured to manipulate at least one of the phase or the frequency to maintain the desired value of the parameter. The sensor may comprise a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and/or a flow rate sensor.

Claims

1. An implantable pumping system for pumping a fluid in an implantable gastric banding system, comprising:

a pump for pumping the fluid;

a voltage source for providing a pump voltage to the system;

a voltage control circuit to increase or decrease the pump voltage;

a pump driver that applies the pump voltage to the pump at a phase and a frequency;

a sensor that monitors a parameter to facilitate adjusting at least one of the phase, the frequency, or the pump voltage to maintain a desired value of the parameter, wherein the parameter is associated with at least one of the implantable pumping system or the implantable gastric banding system; and

a micro controller to manipulate at least one of the phase or the frequency to maintain the desired value of the parameter.

2. The implantable pumping system of claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a piezo actuator.

3. The implantable pumping system of claim 1, wherein the pump is an electro-mechanical pump.

4. The implantable pumping system of claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a stepper motor.

5. The implantable pumping system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

6. The implantable pumping system of claim 5, wherein the parameter is a temperature that is associated with at least one of the pump, an enclosure for the implantable pumping system, the micro controller, or a radio transmitter.

7. The implantable pumping system of claim 6, wherein the temperature facilitates inferring an enclosure temperature of the enclosure for the implantable pumping system.

8. The implantable pumping system of claim 1, wherein the desired value of the temperature is between approximately −

2 degrees Celsius and approximately +2 degrees Celsius from a calibrated temperature of the implantable pumping system.

9. The implantable pumping system of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a pressure within an inflatable portion of the implantable gastric banding system.

10. The implantable pumping system of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a flow rate within the implantable gastric banding system.

11. A method for monitoring a parameter of an implantable pumping system for an implantable gastric banding system, the method comprising:

setting a frequency and a voltage of a power consumed by a pump;

measuring the parameter, wherein the parameter is associated with the power consumed by the pump;

comparing the parameter to a desired threshold;

adjusting at least one of a frequency or a voltage of the power consumed by the pump to adjust operation of the pump when the parameter is above the desired threshold; and

periodically repeating a measurement of the parameter.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising scaling the frequency utilizing at least one of software or hardware.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising scaling the voltage utilizing at least one of software or hardware.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameter is at least one of temperature, flow rate, or pressure.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein setting the frequency and the voltage comprises setting up to a maximum frequency and up to a maximum voltage.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising cycling the pump off when the parameter is above the desired threshold.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising resetting the frequency and the voltage up to the maximum frequency and up to the maximum voltage when the parameter is below the desired threshold.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein periodically repeating the measurement comprises measuring the parameter approximately every 0.1 seconds to approximately every 10 minutes.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameter is a temperature change with respect to a calibrated temperature.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising adjusting the power consumed by the pump up to approximately a maximum power when the temperature change is between approximately −

2 degrees Celsius and approximately +2 degrees Celsius from the calibrated temperature.

21. An implantable pumping system for pumping a fluid in an implantable gastric banding system, comprising:

a pump for pumping the fluid, wherein the pump comprises a piezo actuator;

a voltage source for providing a voltage to the system and for polarizing the piezo actuator;

a voltage control circuit to increase or decrease the voltage;

a pump driver that applies the voltage to the pump at a phase and a frequency;

a sensor that monitors a temperature to facilitate adjusting at least one of the phase or the frequency to maintain a desired value of the temperature, wherein the sensor is located on an enclosure of at least one of the implantable pumping system or the implantable gastric banding system, and wherein the temperature is based on a calibrated temperature of the enclosure; and

a micro controller to manipulate at least one of the phase or the frequency to maintain the desired value of the temperature.