Automated external defibrillator with lid activated self-test system

• US 5,645,571 A
• Filed: 08/08/1995
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Science Operating Company (Cardica Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SurVivaLink Corporation (Cardica Incorporated)
• Inventors: Anderson, Katherine H., Olson, Kenneth F., Gilman, Byron L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H.
• Application Number:
  US08/512,441
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 607/5, 607/8, 607/142
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3931 Protecting, e.g. back-up systems

Abstract

An automated external defibrillator which automatically performs self-tests on a daily and weekly basis. Tested functions include the presence and interconnection of defibrillator electrodes, battery charge state and the operability of the high voltage circuit. Visual and audible indicators are actuated to alert an operator if faults are identified. A record of each self-test is stored in memory, and can be subsequently retrieved through a communications port.

Claims

1. An automated external defibrillator, comprising:

a case;

a pair of defibrillator electrodes electrically connected to one another within a package and including lead wires with connectors extending from the package being removably disposed within the case;

electrode terminals being disposed within the case and configured for electrical interconnection to the lead wire connectors of the defibrillator electrodes;

a battery compartment and battery terminals in the case, the battery compartment and terminals configured for holding and interconnecting to one or more batteries;

a high voltage circuit being disposed within the case and coupled to the battery terminals and the electrode terminals, for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals;

a maintenance indicator on the case; and

a digital control system being disposed within the case and coupled to the electrode terminals, battery terminals, high voltage circuit and maintenance indicator, and including self-test means for periodically and automatically performing a self-test of the functionality of one or more defibrillator components, and for actuating the maintenance indicator if a malfunctioning component is identified wherein the self-test means includes means for checking the defibrillator electrodes by providing selected communications through a circuit formed in part of the lead wires and the electrically connected pair of electrodes.

2. An automated external defibrillator configured for use with a packaged pair of electrodes electrically connected to one another within the package and including lead wires with connectors extending from the package, the defibrillator including:

a case;

electrode terminals being disposed within the case and configured for electrical interconnection to defibrillator electrode connectors;

a battery compartment and battery terminals in the case, the battery compartment and terminals configured for holding and interconnecting to one or more batteries;

a high voltage circuit being disposed within the case and coupled to the battery terminals and the electrode terminals, for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals;

an impedance measuring circuit being disposed within the case for measuring the impedance between the electrode terminals;

a battery level monitoring circuit being disposed within the case for measuring the charge state of the batteries;

indicator on the case; and

a digital control system being disposed within the case and coupled to the electrode terminals, battery terminals, high voltage circuit, impedance measuring circuit, battery level monitoring circuit and maintenance indicator, including;

self-test initiating means for periodically and automatically initiating defibrillator self-tests, including daily self-test initiating means for initiating a first set of self-tests at least once each day, and further including weekly self-test initiating means for initiating a second set of self-tests which is different than the first set of self-tests at least once each week;

battery test means for checking the charge state of the batteries during self-tests, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when low battery charge states are identified;

electrode connection test means for checking the electrical interconnection of electrodes to the electrode terminals as a function of the measured impedance between the electrode terminals during self-tests, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when disconnected electrode states are identified;

high voltage circuit test means for checking the functionality of the high voltage circuit during self tests, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when high voltage circuit test faults are identified;

electronic memory;

memory test means for checking the functionality of the electronic memory during self-tests, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when memory faults are identified.

3. An automated external defibrillator configured for use with a packaged pair of electrodes electrically connected to one another within the package and including lead wires with connectors extending from the package, the defibrillator including:

a case;

electrode terminals being disposed within the case and configured for electrical interconnection to defibrillator electrode connectors;

a battery compartment and battery terminals in the case, the battery compartment and terminals configured for holding and interconnecting to one or more batteries;

a high voltage circuit being disposed within the case and coupled to the battery terminals and the electrode terminals, for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals;

an impedance measuring circuit being disposed within the case for measuring the impedance between the electrode terminals;

a battery level monitoring circuit being disposed within the case for measuring the charge state of the batteries;

indicator on the case; and

a digital control system being disposed within the case and coupled to the electrode terminals, battery terminals, high voltage circuit, impedance measuring circuit, battery level monitoring circuit and maintenance indicator, including;

self-test initiating means for periodically and automatically initiating defibrillator self-tests;

battery test means for checking the charge state of the batteries during self-tests, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when low battery charge states are identified;

electrode connection test means for checking the electrical interconnection of electrodes to the electrode terminals as a function of the measured impedance between the electrode terminals during self-tests, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when disconnected electrode states are identified;

electronic memory; and

memory test means for checking the functionality of the electronic memory during self-test, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when memory faults are identified.

4. An automated external defibrillator, having a case and having defibrillator components, including a packaged pair of defibrillator electrodes electrically connected to one another within the package and including lead wires with connectors extending from the package, at least two electrode terminals configured for electrical interconnection to the defibrillator electrodes, at least one self-contained power supply disposed within the case, a high voltage circuit electrically coupled to the at least one self-contained power supply and to the defibrillator electrode terminals, the high voltage circuit for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, and a digital control system coupled to the electrode terminals, the at least one self-contained power supply, and the high voltage circuit, and including self-test means controlled by the digital control system for periodically and automatically performing a self-test of one or more defibrillator components, and for providing a maintenance indication if a malfunctioning component is identified, the digital control system further controlling a rescue mode of operation, the rescue mode of operation including at least the steps of coupling the high voltage circuit to the battery terminals and the defibrillator electrode terminals, generating the defibrillation pulses, and applying the pulses to the defibrillator electrode terminals, comprising:

a voice circuit operably coupled to the digital control system, and

a speaker operably coupled to the voice circuit,

whereby the digital control system provides commands to the voice circuit, and responsive thereto, the voice circuit generates audible voice prompts emitted by the speaker.

5. An automated external defibrillator, having a case and having defibrillator components, including at least electrode terminals configured for electrical interconnection to defibrillator electrodes, at least one self-contained power supply disposed within the case, a high voltage circuit electrically coupled to the at least one self-contained power supply and to the electrode terminals, the high voltage circuit for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, and a digital control system coupled to the electrode terminals, the at least one self-contained power supply, and the high voltage circuit, and including self-test means controlled by the digital control system for periodically and automatically performing a self-test of one or more defibrillator components, and for providing a maintenance indication if a malfunctioning component is identified, the digital control system further controlling a rescue mode of operation, the rescue mode of operation including at least the steps of coupling the high voltage circuit to the battery terminals and the electrode terminals, generating the defibrillation pulses, and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, comprising:

a real time clock being operably communicatively coupled to the digital control system, the real time clock providing communication to the digital control system enabling the digital control system to maintain track of the steps of the rescue mode of operation.

6. An automated external defibrillator, having a case and having defibrillator components, including at least electrode terminals configured for electrical interconnection to defibrillator electrodes, at least one self-contained power supply disposed within the case, a high voltage circuit electrically coupled to the at least one self-contained power supply and to the electrode terminals, the high voltage circuit for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, and a digital control system coupled to the electrode terminals, the at least one self-contained power supply, and the high voltage circuit, and including self-test means controlled by the digital control System for periodically and automatically performing a self-test of one or more defibrillator components, and for providing a maintenance indication if a malfunctioning component is identified, the digital control system further controlling a rescue mode of operation, the rescue mode of operation including at least the steps of coupling the high voltage circuit to the battery terminals and the electrode terminals, generating the defibrillation pulses, and applying the pulses the electrode terminals, comprising:

a real time clock being operably communicatively coupled to the digital control system, the real time clock providing a signal of predetermined magnitude to the defibrillator electrodes and receiving a return signal therefrom, whereby the magnitude of the return signal from the defibrillator electrodes is an indicator of the operability of the defibrillator electrodes.

7. An automated external defibrillator, having a case and having defibrillator components, including at least electrode terminals configured for electrical interconnection to defibrillator electrodes, at least one self-contained power supply disposed within the case, a high voltage circuit electrically coupled to the at least one self-contained power supply and to the electrode terminals, the high voltage circuit for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, and a digital control system coupled to the electrode terminals, the at least one self-contained power supply, and the high voltage circuit, and including self-test means controlled by the digital control system for periodically and automatically performing a self-test of one or more defibrillator components, and for providing a maintenance indication if a malfunctioning component is identified, the digital control system further controlling a rescue mode of operation, the rescue mode of operation including at least the steps of coupling the high voltage circuit to the battery terminals and the electrode terminals, generating the defibrillation pulses, and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, comprising:

a real time clock being operably coupled to the digital control system, the real time clock providing a real time basis for storing data related to the time of placement of the defibrillator electrodes on the patient, the initiation of a cardiac rhythm analysis voice prompt, the patient'"'"'s cardiac rhythm, the initiation of a charging voice prompt, the completion of a charge mode of operation of the high voltage circuit, and the initiation of a charge to the defibrillator electrodes.

8. An automated external defibrillator, having a case and having defibrillator components, including at least two electrode terminals configured for electrical interconnection to defibrillator electrodes, at least one self-contained power supply disposed within the case, a high voltage circuit electrically coupled to the at least one self-contained power supply and to the electrode terminals, the high voltage circuit for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, and a digital control system coupled to the electrode terminals, the at least one self-contained power supply, and the high voltage circuit, and including self-test means controlled by the digital control system for periodically and automatically performing a self-test of one or more defibrillator components, and for providing a maintenance indication if a malfunctioning component is identified, the digital control system further controlling a rescue mode of operation, the rescue mode of operation including at least the steps of coupling the high voltage circuit to the battery terminals and the electrode terminals, generating the defibrillation pulses, and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, comprising:

a voice circuit operably coupled to the digital control system, and

a speaker operably coupled to the voice circuit,

whereby the digital control system provides commands to the voice circuit, and responsive thereto, the voice circuit generates audible voice prompts emitted by the speaker, and

the rescue mode of operation including a selected sequence of steps to be performed by an operator, the digital control system providing a series of voice prompts to the operator to assist the operator in performing the selected sequence of steps.

9. The defibrillator of claim 8 wherein the voice prompts at least include prompts to the steps of directing the operator to properly place the defibrillator electrodes on the patient, assess the cardiac rhythms of the patient, and deliver the high voltage defibrillating charge to the patient.

10. An automated external defibrillator configured for use with a packaged pair of electrodes electrically connected to one another within the package and including lead wires with connectors extending from the package, the defibrillator including:

a case;

electrode terminals being disposed within the case and configured for electrical interconnection to defibrillator electrode connectors;

a battery compartment and battery terminals in the case, the battery compartment and terminals configured for holding and interconnecting to one or more batteries;

a high voltage circuit being disposed within the case and coupled to the battery terminals and the electrode terminals, for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals;

an impedance measuring circuit being disposed within the case for measuring the impedance between the electrode terminals by providing selected communications through a circuit formed in part of the lead wires and the electrically connected pair of electrodes;

a battery level monitoring circuit being disposed within the case for measuring the charge state of the batteries;

indicator on the case; and

a digital control system being disposed within the case and coupled to the electrode terminals, battery terminals, high voltage circuit, impedance measuring circuit, battery level monitoring circuit and maintenance indicator, including;

self-test initiating means for periodically and automatically initiating defibrillator self-tests;

battery test means for checking the charge state of the batteries during self-tests, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when low battery charge states are identified;

electrode connection test means for checking the electrical interconnection of electrodes to the electrode terminals as a function of the measured impedance between the electrode terminals during self-tests, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when disconnected electrode states are identified.

11. The defibrillator of claim 10 wherein the digital control system further includes high voltage circuit test means for checking the functionality of the high voltage circuit during self-tests, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when high voltage circuit faults are identified.

12. The defibrillator of claim 10 wherein the maintenance indicator includes an audible indicator.

13. The defibrillator of claim 10 wherein the digital control system further includes:

electronic memory; and

memory test means for checking the functionality of the electronic memory during self-tests, and for actuating the maintenance indicator when memory faults are identified.

14. The defibrillator of claim 13 wherein the self-test initiating means includes daily self-test initiating means for initiating a first set of self-tests at least once each day.

15. An automated external defibrillator, having a case and having defibrillator components, including at least electrode terminals configured for electrical interconnection to defibrillator electrodes, at least one self-contained power supply disposed within the case, a high voltage circuit electrically coupled to the at least one self-contained power supply and to the electrode terminals, the high voltage circuit for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, and a digital control system coupled to the electrode terminals, the at least one self-contained power supply, and the high voltage circuit, and including self-test means controlled by the digital control system for periodically and automatically performing a self-test of one or more defibrillator components, and for providing a maintenance indication if a malfunctioning component is identified, comprising:

the self-contained power supply having at least one primary battery for powering the high voltage circuit and at least one backup battery.

16. The defibrillator of claim 15 wherein the at least one backup battery comprises a battery rated at a lesser voltage than the at least one primary battery.

17. The defibrillator of claim 15 wherein the at least one backup battery comprises a battery rated at nine volts and the at least one primary battery is rated at twelve volts.

18. The defibrillator of claim 15 wherein the digital control system includes an operating program stored in a program memory, the operating program utilizing the backup battery to perform self-tests when the primary battery is determined to be in a low charge state.

19. The defibrillator of claim 15 wherein the self-test powered by the backup battery provides a maintenance indication when the malfunctioning primary battery is identified.

20. An automated external defibrillator, having a case and having defibrillator components, including at least electrode terminals configured for electrical interconnection to defibrillator electrodes, at least one self-contained power supply disposed within the case, a high voltage circuit electrically coupled to the at least one self-contained power supply and to the electrode terminals, the high voltage circuit for generating defibrillation pulses and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, and a digital control system coupled to the electrode terminals, the at least one self-contained power supply, and the high voltage circuit, and including self-test means controlled by the digital control system for periodically and automatically performing a self-test of one or more defibrillator components, and for providing a maintenance indication if a malfunctioning component is identified, comprising:

the case having an openable and closeable lid, including means for activating the self-test means when opening or closing said lid.

21. The defibrillator of claim 20 wherein the lid is communicatively coupled to the digital control system, the means for activating the self-test means including a means for communicating with the digital control system which causes the digital control system to assess the charge state of the at least one self-contained power supply and the circuit integrity and the operability of the defibrillator electrodes when the lid is opened or closed.

22. The defibrillator of claim 20 further including a switch operably coupled to the case lid and operably communicatively coupled to the digital control system, the switch providing a signal to the digital control system representative of the open and closed conditions of the case lid.

23. The defibrillator of claim 22 wherein the switch comprises a magnetic reed relay switch.

24. The defibrillator of claim 22 wherein the digital control system includes an operating program stored in a program memory, the operating program controlling a rescue mode of operation, the rescue mode of operation including at least the steps of coupling the high voltage circuit to the battery terminals and the electrode terminals, generating the defibrillation pulses, and applying the pulses to the electrode terminals, the open signal of the lid switch acting to initiate the rescue mode of operation.

25. The defibrillator of claim 24 wherein the lid is communicatively coupled to the digital control system, the means for activating including a means for communicating with the digital control system which causes the digital control system to terminate the rescue mode of operation when the lid is opened or closed.