Battery management apparatus for portable electronic devices

• US 6,169,387 B1
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Lifecor Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaib, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/361,110
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 320/113, 320/114, 320/115, 320/132, 320/134, 320/136, 320/149, 320/155
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3931 Protecting, e.g. back-up systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3975 Power supply A61N1/378 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/389 Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery management system can have a portable electronic device for providing electrical therapy to the body of a patient responsive to the occurrence of a treatable condition. The portable device can have a rechargeable battery, memory, data processor for determining available operating time for the portable device prior to recharging, and a display panel, or alarm, to inform the patient of, inter alia, available operating time. The portable device data processor can obtain and record data regarding the patient, the battery, and the portable device operational status. The battery management system can also include a rechargeable “smart battery,” of known design, which has an integral processor and memory capable of monitoring and updating the status and condition of the battery. The portable electronic device can communicate with and update the operational characteristics stored by the smart battery. The smart battery can be recharged using an appropriate conventional recharger. The portable electronic device can include battery maintenance capabilities to perform tests on the smart battery to independently evaluate the condition thereof. The portable electronic device can also have a battery status monitoring circuit which can monitor the battery condition independently of the smart battery internal monitoring system. The portable electronic device can further include a converter-defibrillator.

Claims

1. A battery management system for a portable patient worn electronic energy delivery device for monitoring and administering therapy for a treatable heart condition, the battery management system comprising:

a. a portable electronic device having a data storage/processor, a receptacle for a rechargeable battery pack, and portable electronic device maintenance circuitry for providing an indication of the operating condition of the portable electronic device;

b. a rechargeable battery pack removably received in said receptacle, said battery pack having a memory/processor for monitoring and storing an operational condition of the battery pack;

c. said portable electronic device data storage/processor adapted to exchange information with said battery pack memory/processor regarding said operational condition of said battery pack;

d. said portable electronic device having energy monitoring circuitry which monitors at least energy consumption during a high voltage operation of said portable electronic device such as when administering said therapy for a treatable heart condition; and

e. said portable electronic device updating said operational condition of said battery pack.

2. The battery management system of claim 1 further comprising said battery pack memory/processor continuously monitoring energy consumption by at least said portable electronic device data/storage processor and maintenance circuitry and correspondingly updating said operational condition of said battery pack stored in said memory/processor.

3. The battery management system as recited in claim 2 wherein said data storage/processor further comprises a data processing portion for determining available device operating time before said battery pack requires recharging.

4. The battery management system as recited in claim 3 wherein data corresponding to at least one of abnormally high current draw, normal current draw during an elapsed time period, device fault conditions, depletion of battery capacity during non-use, and said operational condition of said battery pack is stored by said data storage/processor, and wherein said data processing portion uses said data in determining said available device operating time.

5. The battery management system as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

a. said data corresponding to patient initiated energy usage resulting from manual manipulation of portable electronic device controls by the patient;

b. said data processing portion analyzing said energy usage over a time interval to determine a pattern of such patient initiated energy usage; and

c. said data processing portion adjusting said available operating time responsive to said analyzing to predict a more accurate available operating time by accounting for predictable future patient initiated energy usage.

6. The battery management system as recited in claim 5 further comprising a portable electronic device display operatively associated with said data processing portion, said available device operating time displayed by said portable electronic device display.

7. The battery management system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a battery pack recharger, said recharger comprising:

a. a processor for communicating with said battery pack memory/processor;

b. power supply circuitry to provide a current for recharging said battery pack;

c. a receptacle having contacts to operably receive said battery pack for recharging and transferring information between said recharger processor and said battery pack memory/processor; and

d. battery pack maintenance circuitry for providing an indication of the operating condition of said battery pack.

8. The battery management system as recited in claim 7 wherein said battery pack maintenance circuitry further comprises:

a. circuitry to determine a charging condition of said rechargeable battery pack;

b. circuitry to compare the charging condition with at least one predetermined parameter stored in said battery pack memory/processor; and

c. circuitry to induce said power supply means to provide a charging current to said rechargeable battery pack when the comparing circuitry has determined the charging condition is below a predetermined level of at least one predetermined parameter.

9. The battery management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said portable electronic device comprises a monitor-defibrillator unit adapted to be worn by a patient for delivering electrical therapy to the heart of the patient upon the occurrence of a treatable heart arrhythmia, and said data storage/processor has patient physiological data stored therein.

10. The battery management system as recited in claim 9 wherein said monitor-defibrillator unit further comprises an input/output interface such at an external device can input patient background data to said data storage/processor.

11. The battery management system as recited in claim 10 wherein input/output interface permiits said patient physiological data to be at least one of retrieved from said data storage/processor by an external device and transmitted to a remote location.

12. The battery management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said portable electronic device further comprises circuitry for at least one of permitting data to be retrieved from said data storage/processor by an external device and transmitted to a remote location.

13. The battery management system as recited in claim 7 wherein said data storage/processor comprises circuitry for storing manufacturing data for the portable electronic device, said manufacturing data including at least one of the following:

a. device serial number;

b. rechargeable battery pack serial number;

c. rechargeable battery pack expiration date; and

d. a permissible number of rechargeable battery pack recharges.

14. The battery management system as recited in claim 13 wherein said portable electronic device further comprises a real time clock for providing an indication of actual date and time and means for comparing said actual date and time with said battery pack expiration date, and means for providing an alarm if said actual date and time exceeds said rechargeable battery pack expiration date.

15. The battery management system as recited in claim 14 wherein said portable electronic device further comprises a back-up power source operatively associated with said real time clock independent of said power supply circuitry.

16. The battery management system as recited in claim 7 wherein said battery pack recharger further comprises test circuitry for testing the operation of said rechargeable battery pack, said test circuitry comprising:

a. circuitry to discharge the battery pack to a predetermined starting level;

b. circuitry to recharge the battery pack to a predetermined charging level; and

c. circuitry to perform a load test on said battery pack to determine the integrity of said battery pack.

17. The battery management system as recited in claim 16 wherein said recharger processor further comprises:

a. a counter to count the number of times said power supply circuitry provides current to said battery pack;

b. circuitry to compare said permissible number of battery pack recharges with the number of times counted by said counter; and

c. circuitry to provide a second alarm if the number of times counted by said counter is equal to said permissible number of battery pack recharges.

18. The battery management system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a. said data storage/processor having a data processing portion, said data processing portion determining available device operating time before said battery pack requires recharging;

b. said data storage/processor having a data storage portion wherein there is stored data corresponding to at least one of abnormally high current draw, normal current draw during an elapsed time period, device fault conditions, and depletion of battery pack capacity during non-use, and wherein said data processing portion utilizing said data stored in said data storage portion in determining said available device operating time;

c. a patient display operatively associated with said data processing portion to display said available device operating time; and

d. an alarm associated with at least one of said data processing portion and said patient device display, said alarm notifying a patient of said available device operating time.

19. The battery management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said personal electronic device further comprises:

a. voltage converter for storing energy from said battery pack; and

b. a controller operatively associated with said voltage converter and said battery pack, said controller further comprising;

i. circuitry to determine an energy condition of said voltage converter, said energy condition including at least an insufficient energy condition wherein there is insufficient energy to both deliver a treatment to the patient and preserve operating data;

ii. circuitry to determine a voltage condition of said battery pack, said voltage condition including at least an inadequate voltage condition wherein the battery capacity is inadequate for reliable operation of the portable electronic device;

iii. circuitry responsive to at least one of said inadequate voltage condition and said insufficient energy condition to one of operate said voltage converter in a low current mode and terminate operation of said voltage converter, and

iv. a discharge circuit responsive to said inadequate energy condition for discharging said voltage converter; and

c. an alarm operatively associated with said controller, said alarm notifying the patient whether the personal electronic device can provide treatment based on said converter energy condition and said voltage condition, and wherein said alarm is at least one of an audible message and a visual display on a portable electronic device display.

20. The battery management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said personal electronic device further comprises:

a. a controller operatively associated with said battery pack, said controller operating said personal electronic device in a low current mode when said portable electronic device is not performing necessary system operating functions;

b. said controller further having circuitry to determine a voltage condition of said battery pack, said voltage condition including at least an inadequate voltage condition wherein said battery pack capacity is inadequate for reliable operation of said portable electronic device and wherein said controller does not supply power to said personal electronic device responsive to said inadequate voltage condition; and

c. a digital to analog converter operatively associated with said controller, said controller able to power down said analog to digital converter to conserve energy when not in use.

21. The battery management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said personal electronic device further comprises:

a. voltage converter to store energy from said battery pack;

b. controller operatively associated with said voltage converter and said battery pack, said controller further comprising;

i. circuitry to determine an energy condition of said voltage converter;

ii. circuitry to determine a voltage condition of said battery pack; and

iii. circuitry to perform a load test on said battery pack for testing high current capability thereof; and

c. an analog to digital converter operatively associated with said controller and said analog to digital converter for use in monitoring stored battery energy.

22. The battery management system as recited in claim 3 wherein said data processing portion further comprises an analog to digital converter.

23. The battery management system as recited in claim 22 further comprising powering down said analog to digital converter when not being used to conserve power to conserve power.

24. The battery management system as recited in claim 1 wherein said portable electronic device further comprises:

a. a controller operatively associated with said battery pack; and

b. a voltage converter for storing energy from said battery pack.

25. The battery management system as recited in claim 24 wherein said controller comprises:

a. circuitry to determine a converter energy condition of said voltage converter, said converter energy condition including at least an insufficient energy condition wherein there is insufficient energy to both deliver a treatment to the patient and preserve operating data;

b. circuitry to determine a battery voltage condition of said battery pack, said battery voltage condition including at least an inadequate voltage condition wherein said battery pack capacity is inadequate for reliable operation of said portable electronic device;

c. circuitry responsive to at least one of said inadequate voltage condition and said insufficient energy condition to one of operate said voltage converter in a low current mode and terminate operation of said voltage converter; and

d. discharge circuit responsive to said insufficient energy condition to discharge said voltage converter.

26. The battery management system as recited in claim 25 further comprising an alarm operatively associated with said controller for notifying a patient whether said personal electronic device can provide sufficient energy for treatment based on said converter energy condition and said battery voltage condition.

27. The battery management system as recited in claim 26 wherein said alarm further comprises at least one of an audible message and a visual message via a personal electronic device display.

28. The battery management system as recited in claim 25 wherein said controller further comprises an analog to digital converter for monitoring stored battery energy.

29. The battery management system as recited in claim 25 wherein said controller further comprises circuitry to perform a load test on said battery pack for testing high current capability of said battery pack.

30. A method for determining available operating time of a portable electronic device having a rechargeable battery pack, said portable electronic device having a data/storage processor for calculating said available operating time, said rechargeable battery pack having a memory/processor communicating with said data/storage processor, said method for determining available operating time comprising:

a. storing at least a first value in said battery pack memory/processor indicative of an operating condition of said battery pack;

b. storing at least a second value in said portable electronic device data storage/processor indicative of at least operating parameters of said portable electronic device; and

c. determining said available operating time as a function of said first and second values.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

a. said first value is a variable indicative of remaining battery capacity and continuously updating said first value responsive to changes in said remaining battery capacity due to energy consumption by said portable electronic device;

b. said second value is a pair of values, one being a battery calibration constant and the other being a constant representative of system current; and

c. said available operating time being the difference between said remaining battery capacity and said battery calibration constant divided by said system current constant.

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

a. monitoring patient initiated energy usage resulting from manual operation of at least one of status and display functions of said portable electronic device;

b. analyzing said patient initiated energy usage over a time interval to determine a pattern of patient initiated energy usage; and

c. adjusting said available operating time responsive to said pattern of patient initiated energy usage to more accurately predict said available operating time.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein said adjusting of said available operating time comprises decreasing said available operating time proportionally to a depletion of energy from said battery pack which would result if said patient initiated energy usage continued consistently with said pattern of patient initiated energy usage.

34. A battery management method for a recharging device for a rechargeable battery pack of a portable electronic device, said rechargeable battery pack having a memory/processor and said recharging device having a processor operably connected to said memory/processor, said battery management method comprising:

a. storing a first value in said battery pack memory/processor indicative of how many battery capacity tests said battery pack has been subjected to;

b. storing a second value in said battery pack memory/processor indicative of how many charge cycles said battery pack has been subjected to between said battery capacity tests;

c. storing a third value in said battery pack memory/processor indicative of a battery error condition;

d. reading said first, second and third values stored in said battery pack memory/processor;

e. determining whether a battery capacity test required based upon said first, second and third values; and

f. performing a battery capacity test on said battery pack if required.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising:

a. storing a fourth value in said battery pack memory/processor indicative of a low limit capacity of said battery pack;

b. performing said battery capacity test to measure prevailing battery capacity;

c. comparing said prevailing battery capacity to said low limit capacity; and

d. updating said third value stored in said battery pack to indicate a battery error condition responsive to said prevailing battery capacity being less than said low limit capacity.