Battery longevity monitoring

• US 8,090,566 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Brown, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIERRE LOUIS, ANDRE
• Application Number:
  US12/061,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 703/13, 607/29, 320/134, 320/136, 320/137, 320/157, 320/159
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided that estimate when to replace a medical device that is implanted in a patient due to battery depletion. These systems and methods significantly reduce the need for service calls made to medical device manufacturers that relate to battery longevity. In some examples, these systems and methods estimate a battery end of life based, at least in part, on an actual battery voltage received on an actual transmission date and a model transmission date determined based on the actual battery voltage. The estimated battery end of life is further based on a comparison of the model transmission date with the actual transmission date.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

receive a plurality of parameters from a data mart, the plurality of parameters including at least some parameters having been provided by a medical device implanted in a patient to the data mart on an actual transmission date, the parameters including an actual battery voltage value as of the actual transmission date;

generate a curve indicating how a battery of the medical device implanted in the patient will deplete over time by at least applying a battery longevity model to the plurality of parameters, the curve including a model battery voltage versus a model medical device implant duration;

determine a model transmission date by finding the actual battery voltage value on the curve;

compare the model transmission date with the actual transmission date;

adjust the curve until the model transmission date accords with the actual transmission date to a threshold degree; and

determine a model replacement date by finding a replacement battery voltage value on the curve.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein adjusting the curve comprises increasing a model current drain input if the actual transmission date is earlier than the model transmission date.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein adjusting the curve comprises decreasing a model current drain input if the actual transmission date is later than the model transmission date.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

determine the model replacement date without adjusting the curve if the actual transmission date is (i) earlier than a threshold date and (ii) more than a threshold quantity of days earlier than the model transmission date; and

adjust the model replacement date by adding to the model transmission date a quantity of days that corresponds to the difference between the model transmission date and the actual transmission date.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to notify a customer if (i) the actual transmission date is earlier than a threshold date and (ii) the actual battery voltage value is below a threshold value.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the parameters received from the data mart include a previous battery voltage value that was provided by the medical device to the data mart on a previous transmission date, the computer-readable medium further comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to (i) determine a model previous transmission date by finding the previous battery voltage value on the curve, (ii) compare the model previous transmission date with the previous transmission date, and (iii) adjust the curve until the model previous transmission date accords with the previous transmission date to a threshold degree.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to provide the model replacement date to a customer.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of parameters from a data mart, the plurality of parameters including at least some parameters having been provided by a medical device implanted in a patient to the data mart on an actual transmission date, the parameters including an actual battery voltage value as of the actual transmission date as well as other information related to the medical device and/or to the patient;

generate a curve indicating how a battery of the medical device implanted in the patient will deplete over time by at least applying a battery longevity model to the plurality of parameters, the curve including a model battery voltage versus a model medical device implant duration;

determining a model transmission date by finding the actual battery voltage value on the curve;

comparing the model transmission date with the actual transmission date;

adjusting the curve until the model transmission date accords with the actual transmission date to a threshold degree; and

determining a model replacement date by finding a replacement battery voltage value on the curve.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the curve comprises increasing a model current drain input if the actual transmission date is earlier than the model transmission date.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the curve comprises decreasing a model current drain input if the actual transmission date is later than the model transmission date.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining the model replacement date without adjusting the curve if the actual transmission date is (i) earlier than a threshold date and (ii) more than a threshold quantity of days earlier than the model transmission date; and

adjusting the model replacement date by adding to the model transmission date a quantity of days that corresponds to the difference between the model transmission date and the actual transmission date.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining the model replacement date without adjusting the curve if (i) the actual transmission date is more than a threshold quantity of days later than the model transmission date (ii) a model current drain input is below a current drain threshold; and

adjusting the model replacement date by subtracting from the model transmission date a quantity of days that corresponds to the difference between the actual transmission date and the model transmission date.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the parameters received from the data mart include a previous battery voltage value that was provided by the medical device to the data mart on a previous transmission date, the computer- implemented method further comprising (i) determining a model previous transmission date by finding the previous battery voltage value on the curve, (ii) comparing the model previous transmission date with the previous transmission date, and (iii) adjusting the curve until the model previous transmission date accords with the previous transmission date to a threshold degree.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising providing the model replacement date to a customer.

15. A system comprising:

a data mart adapted to receive and store data provided by a medical device implanted in a patient;

receiving means for receiving a plurality of parameters from the data mart, the plurality of parameters including at least some parameters having been provided by the medical device implanted in the patient to the data mart on an actual transmission date, the parameters including an actual battery voltage value as of the actual transmission date as well as other information related to the medical device and/or to the patient; and

modeling means for (a) generating a curve indicating how a battery of the medical device implanted in the patient will deplete over time by at least applying a battery longevity model to the plurality of parameters, the curve including a model battery voltage versus a model medical device implant duration, (b) determining a model transmission date by finding the actual battery voltage value on the curve, (c) comparing the model transmission date with the actual transmission date, (d) adjusting the curve until the model transmission date accords with the actual transmission date to a threshold degree, and (e) determining a model replacement date by finding a replacement battery voltage value on the curve.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the modeling means is adapted to adjust the curve by (i) increasing a model current drain input if the actual transmission date is earlier than the model transmission date or (ii) decreasing the model current drain input if the actual transmission date is later than the model transmission date.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the modeling means is further adapted to:

determine the model replacement date without adjusting the curve if the actual transmission date is (i) earlier than a threshold date and (ii) more than a threshold quantity of days earlier than the model transmission date; and

adjust the model replacement date by adding to the model transmission date a quantity of days that corresponds to the difference between the model transmission date and the actual transmission date.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the modeling means is further adapted to:

determine the model replacement date without adjusting the curve if (i) the actual transmission date is more than a threshold quantity of days later than the model transmission date (ii) a model current drain input is below a current drain threshold; and

adjust the model replacement date by subtracting from the model transmission date a quantity of days that corresponds to the difference between the actual transmission date and the model transmission date.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the parameters received by the receiving means include a previous battery voltage value that was provided by the medical device to the data mart on a previous transmission date, the modeling means being further adapted to (i) determine a model previous transmission date by finding the previous battery voltage value on the curve, (ii) compare the model previous transmission date with the previous transmission date, and (iii) adjust the curve until the model previous transmission date accords with the previous transmission date to a threshold degree.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising notifying means for providing the model replacement date to a customer.