Battery monitoring means for an implantable living tissue stimulator
First Claim
1. In an implantable living tissue stimulator powered by a battery and having a telemetry means for transmitting and receiving signals related to the operation of said tissue stimulator, a battery monitoring means comprising:
- means for providing said battery output voltage to said telemetry means;
load means for altering current through said battery; and
means for connecting said load means to said battery thereby altering said battery output voltage by an amount related to the internal impedance of said battery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery monitoring means for an implantable living tissue stimulator system in which various battery voltages are telemetered to an external receiving means, these voltages being related to the internal impedance of the implanted battery. More specifically, a battery loading circuit is provided which incorporates a switch means for loading the battery in accordance with a predetermined sequence. In a specific embodiment, first and second resistors are sequentially connected across the battery. The battery output voltage is telemetered to an external receiving means during this sequential connection. By knowing the values of the two resistors, the internal impedance of the battery can be calculated, this impedance being related to the remaining life of the implanted battery.
71 Citations
6 Claims
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1. In an implantable living tissue stimulator powered by a battery and having a telemetry means for transmitting and receiving signals related to the operation of said tissue stimulator, a battery monitoring means comprising:
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means for providing said battery output voltage to said telemetry means; load means for altering current through said battery; and means for connecting said load means to said battery thereby altering said battery output voltage by an amount related to the internal impedance of said battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. In an implantable living tissue stimulator powered by a battery and having a telemetry means for transmitting and receiving signals related to the operation of said tissue stimulator, a method for determining the internal impedance of said battery comprising the steps of:
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providing the battery output voltage to said telemetry means; connecting a load means across said battery; and measuring battery voltage changes resulting from said connecting step, said voltage changes being related to the internal impedance of said battery. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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Specification