INFUSION PUMP SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120203178A1
• Filed: 02/09/2011
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insulet Corporation
• Original Assignee: Asante Solutions, Inc
• Inventors: Tverskoy, Boris
• Granted Patent: US 8,852,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/002 in which a reserve is maintained in an energy source by disconnecting non-critical loads, e.g. maintaining a reserve of charge in a vehicle battery for starting an engine

Abstract

Some embodiments of an infusion pump system can include a controller in electrical communication with a pump device so as to provide selected dosages of a medicine to a user over a period of time. The infusion pump system can employ a number of power management techniques to reduce the likelihood current drain of a rechargeable battery of the infusion pump system.

Claims

1. A portable infusion pump system, comprising:

a pump device including;

a pump housing that defines a space to receive a medicine, and a drive system to dispense the medicine from the pump device when the medicine is received in the space of the pump housing; and

a controller device electrically connectable to the pump device so as to control dispensation of the medicine from the pump device, the controller device comprising;

a battery pack including a voltage output terminal, a return terminal, a third terminal, and at least one rechargeable battery cell that is coupled to the voltage output terminal so as to provide electrical energy to at least one of a component of the controller device and the drive system of the pump device;

a monitor circuit that senses a voltage of the at least one rechargeable battery cell;

a first resistor coupled between the at least one rechargeable battery cell and a voltage sense terminal of the monitor circuit;

a second resistor coupled between the voltage sense terminal of the monitor circuit and the third terminal of the battery pack;

wherein when a low-resistance connection is provided between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack, the monitor circuit shifts the battery pack to a low power mode that reduces electrical current drawn from the at least one rechargeable battery cell.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first switch coupled to a return terminal of the monitor circuit and to the return terminal of the battery pack, and controlled by the monitor circuit, wherein the monitor circuit causes the first switch to open when the monitor circuit puts the battery pack in the low power mode, thereby breaking an electrical connection between the return terminal of the monitor circuit and the return terminal of the battery pack.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein when a charging voltage is applied across the voltage output terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack, the monitor circuit shifts the battery pack to a normal mode in which a greater level of electrical current is drawn from the at least one rechargeable battery cell.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the pump device further comprises a non-rechargeable battery, and wherein the charging voltage is derived from the non-rechargeable battery and applied across the voltage output terminal and the return terminal of the battery pack when the pump device and the controller device are removable attached to form an electrical connection.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller device further comprises a processor and a second switch, the second switch coupled between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack, and wherein the processor causes the second switch to close and provide the low-resistance connection between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second switch comprises a MOSFET.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the low-resistance connection is provided between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack without an external voltage source applied to any of the voltage output terminal, return terminal, or third terminal of the battery pack.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, at a time when the low-resistance connection is provided between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack, a potential of the at least one rechargeable battery cell is greater than a predetermined low voltage threshold value of the monitor circuit.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first resistor and the second resistor comprise a resistive divider across the voltage sense terminal of the monitor circuit when the low-resistance connection is provided between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the low-resistance connection between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack is provided in response to a user-initiated detachment of the pump device from the controller device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-resistance connection between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack is provided in response to a user-initiated detachment of the pump device from the controller device.

11. A method of controlling a portable infusion pump system, comprising:

providing a controller device that is electrically connectable to a pump device so as to control dispensation of medicine from the pump device, the controller device comprising;

a battery pack including a voltage output terminal, a return terminal, a third terminal, and at least one rechargeable battery cell that is coupled to the voltage output terminal and that is configured to provide electrical energy to at least one of a user interface component of the controller device and a drive system of the pump device;

a monitor circuit that senses a voltage of the at least one rechargeable battery cell;

a first resistor coupled between the at least one rechargeable battery cell and a voltage sense terminal of the monitor circuit;

a second resistor coupled between the voltage sense terminal of the monitor circuit and the third terminal of the battery pack;

providing a low-resistance connection between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack to cause the safety integrated circuit to put the battery pack in a low power mode that reduces electrical current drawn from the at least one rechargeable battery cell.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising applying a charging voltage across the voltage output terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack causes the safety integrated circuit to reinstate the battery pack to a normal mode in which a greater level of electrical current is drawn from the at least one rechargeable battery cell.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the pump device further comprises a non-rechargeable battery, and wherein the charging voltage is derived from the non-rechargeable battery and applied across the voltage output terminal and the return terminal of the battery pack when the pump device and the controller device are removably attached to form an electrical connection.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller device further comprises a first switch coupled to a return terminal of the safety integrated circuit and to the return terminal of the battery pack, and controlled by the safety integrated circuit, and wherein the safety integrated circuit causes the first switch to open when the safety integrated circuit puts the battery pack in the low power mode, thereby breaking an electrical connection between the return terminal of the safety integrated circuit and the return terminal of the battery pack.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller device further comprises a processor and a second switch, the second switch coupled between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack, and wherein the processor causes the second switch to close and provide the low-resistance connection between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second switch comprises a MOSFET.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the low-resistance connection between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack to cause the safety integrated circuit to put the battery pack in a low power mode is implemented without applying an external voltage source to any of the voltage output terminal, return terminal, or third terminal of the battery pack.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein, at a time when the low-resistance connection is provided between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack, a potential of the at least one rechargeable battery cell is greater than a predefined low voltage threshold value of the safety integrated circuit.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first resistor and the second resistor comprise a resistive divider across the voltage sense terminal of the safety integrated circuit when the low-resistance connection is provided between the third terminal of the battery pack and the return terminal of the battery pack.