Implantable pump system

• US 6,605,032 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ReliantHeart Inc.
• Original Assignee: MicroMed Technology, Inc (MicroMed Cardiovascular, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morello, Gino F., Winstrom, William L., Benkowski, Robert J., Lynch, Bryan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/778,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 600/16, 600/17, 600/18, 417/42, 417/43, 417/44.1, 417/213, 417/410.1
• US Class Current: 600/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/148 in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/178 drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/232 Centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/237 the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/422 the force acting on the blood contacting member being electromagnetic, e.g. using canned motor pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/523 using blood flow data, e.g. from blood flow transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/546 of blood flow, e.g. by adapting rotor speed
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/562 for making blood flow pulsatile in blood pumps that do not intrinsically create pulsatile flow

Abstract

A controller module for an implantable pump system which has a pump motor includes a processor, a motor controller electrically coupled to the processor and adapted to power the pump motor such that the pump motor operates at a desired speed. The motor controller outputs digital representations of the pump motor operating parameters to the processor. A first memory device is coupled to the processor for storing the digital signals representing the pump motor operating parameters. The controller module further includes a user interface. The controller module may be coupled to a data acquisition system, which provides power and exchanges data with the controller module. The controller module may alternately be coupled to a home support system which provides power for the controller module and storage for system components.

Claims

1. A controller module for an implantable pump system including a pump having an electric motor, the controller module comprising:

a processor;

a motor controller including a reference voltage output terminal and a speed control voltage input terminal;

a potentiometer having a control input, first and second voltage input terminals and a voltage output terminal, the control input connected to the processor, the first voltage input terminal connected to the reference voltage output terminal;

a voltage divider, the second voltage input terminal connected to the reference voltage output terminal via the voltage divider; and

the potentiometer voltage output terminal connected to the speed control voltage input terminal, such that the voltage received at the speed control voltage input terminal varies from a predetermined proportion of the reference voltage output to the reference voltage output.

2. A controller module for an implantable pump system including a pump having an electric motor, the controller module comprising:

a processor;

a plurality of power switching devices connectable to an implantable pump system motor;

the power switching devices operable to provide current to a motor connected thereto;

a motor controller connected to the power switching devices to control operation of the power switching devices, the motor controller having a speed control input;

a speed control circuit having an input connected to the processor and an output connected to the speed control input, the speed control circuit outputting a variable speed control signal corresponding to a desired motor speed received from the processor; and

a failure detection device connected to the processor, the failure detection device operable to disconnect the speed control circuit from the speed control input and connect the speed control input to a preset speed control signal in response to a processor failure detected by the failure detection device.

3. The controller module of claim 2, wherein the failure detection device comprises:

a switching device connected between the speed control circuit and the speed control input, the switching device having a control input; and

a watchdog timer having a reset terminal connected to the processor and an output connected to the control input of the switching device;

the watchdog timer receiving a reset signal at predetermined intervals from the processor during normal operation of the processor, such that if the watchdog timer fails to receive the reset signal, the switching device is actuated to disconnect the speed control circuit from the speed control input.

4. The controller module of claim 3, wherein the motor controller includes a reference output, and wherein the speed control circuit comprises:

a potentiometer connected to the processor, the potentiometer having a high input terminal, a low input terminal, and a wiper output terminal, the high input terminal directly connected to the reference output of the motor controller;

a first voltage divider, the low input terminal connected to the reference output via the first voltage divider and the wiper output terminal connected to the speed control input via the switching device; and

a second voltage divider, the reference output connected to the speed control input via the second voltage divider.