Power management system for an implantable device

• US 6,426,628 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Van Hofwegen, Lloyd A., Palm, William A., Hsung, Jean-Cheui
• Primary Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US09/665,235
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 324/427, 324/429, 324/433
• US Class Current: 324/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3937 Monitoring output parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3975 Power supply A61N1/378 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3981 High voltage charging circuitry

Abstract

A power management system for an implantable device is disclosed. One application is an implantable cardioverter/defibrillator. Charging circuits for implantable cardioverter/defibrillators require relatively large currents from the power supply. The present power management system provides extended device operation and reduced charge cycle time. The present system monitors both current and voltage drawn from the power supply to prevent a loss of system voltage. Elective replacement indication is performed using charging information provided by the present power management system.

Claims

1. A depth of discharge test system, comprising:

an analog to digital converter, connected to a battery output voltage;

a storage device for storing digital samples from the analog to digital converter, the storage device having a stored battery characteristic curve representing the battery output voltage over a charge depletion during a battery lifetime; and

a processor for processing digital samples and comparing the digital samples to the stored battery characteristic curve to determine a depth of discharge by determining where a battery is operating on the stored battery characteristic curve.

2. A method for characterizing depth of discharge in a battery comprising the steps of:

periodically monitoring an analog open circuit output voltage, comprising the steps of;

converting the analog open circuit output voltage into a digital sample;

incrementing a counter for each digital sample falling within a predetermined range about a present voltage;

if the counter is greater than zero, decrementing the counter for each digital sample outside of the predetermined range;

if the counter exceeds a minimum count value, designating the digital sample as the present voltage and storing the digital sample in a storage device;

and resetting the counter; and

comparing the digital samples in the storage device to a battery open circuit output voltage curve to characterize depth of discharge of the battery.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the digital samples are calibrated in voltage based on the battery open circuit output voltage curve.

4. A method for noise compensation in a power supply having an output voltage modulated by a noise signal, comprising the steps of:

sweeping a reference voltage generator into a first input of a comparator, the comparator having a second input which is connected to an output voltage;

recording a plurality of output voltage samples by analog to digital conversion for each reference voltage provided to the comparator; and

detecting the noise signal by reading transitions of the plurality of output voltage samples,

wherein the samples are recorded at intervals such that both minima and maxima of the noise signal are obtained.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the samples are taken in a twenty-four hour period for temperature mapping and wherein an updown counter is used to reject erroneous samples.

6. A battery test device, comprising:

a comparator with a first input connected to the output voltage of a battery;

a digital to analog converter, connected to a second input of the comparator, to provide an analog voltage reference for the comparator;

a processor, connected to the digital to analog converter, for sweeping the analog voltage reference and for processing outputs from the comparator, the outputs including battery voltage readings;

a storage device, connected to the processor, for storing the battery voltage readings; and

a filter, connected to the processor, to reject any battery voltage reading that deviates from a preceding battery voltage reading by a predetermined value.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising an updown counter, connected to the processor, to count a predetermined number of battery voltage readings, excluding the rejected battery voltage readings, that completes one battery voltage measurement.