Power source coupling and decoupling in medical device

• US 8,583,954 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Dinsmoor, David A., Anderson, Joel A., Michaels, Matthew J., Denison, Timothy J., Newell, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, VINCENT HUY
• Application Number:
  US12/879,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 713/340, 361/1, 361/5, 361/6, 361/21, 361/230
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24

Abstract

Aspects of this disclosure relate to coupling and decoupling a power source of a device with circuitry within the device. For example, in aspects of this disclosure, when a short develops within the device, a switch circuit may decouple the power source from the some of the circuitry within the device. Decoupling the power source when a short develops may extent the operational time of the power source, and may reduce thermal excursion.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

a switch circuit comprising a source terminal, a drain terminal, and a gate terminal, wherein the source terminal is coupled to a power source;

a switch circuit controller coupled directly to the drain terminal and the gate terminal of the switch circuit and configured to;

monitor a voltage at the drain terminal of the switch circuit, and

output a voltage to the gate terminal of the switch circuit to transition the switch circuit from a closed state to an open state when the voltage at the drain terminal of the switch circuit is less than a predetermined voltage threshold; and

a switch state selector comprising;

a sense resistor coupled to the power source and the source terminal of the switch circuit; and

a current comparator configured to monitor a voltage across the sense resistor to monitor a current delivered by the power source, and transmit a command to the switch circuit controller instructing the switch circuit controller to output the voltage to the gate terminal of the switch circuit to transition the switch circuit from the closed state to the open state when the voltage across the sense resistor is greater than an offset.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the switch circuit comprises a positive channel field effect transistor (PFET).

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the command comprises a first command, the medical device further comprising:

a voltage monitor unit configured to monitor a voltage of the power source and transmit an open switch command to the switch state selector when the voltage of the power source reduces below a predetermined threshold,

wherein the switch state selector transmits a second command to the switch circuit controller, in response to the open switch command, and

wherein the switch circuit controller outputs the voltage to the gate terminal of the switch circuit to transition the switch circuit from the closed state to the open state, in response to the second command from the switch state selector.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the command comprises a first command, the medical device further comprising:

a processor unit configured to;

determine whether the processor unit receives commands, within a time range, after the switch circuit transitions from the open state to the closed state; and

transmit an open switch command to the switch state selector when the processor unit does not receive the commands within the time range,

wherein the switch state selector transmits a second command to the switch circuit controller, in response to the open switch command, and

wherein the switch circuit controller outputs the voltage to the gate terminal of the switch circuit to transition the switch circuit from the closed state to the open state, in response to the second command from the switch state selector.

5. The medical device of claim 1,

wherein the command comprises a first command,

wherein the switch state selector is configured to receive detected recharge energy and transmit a second command to the switch circuit controller to transition the switch circuit from the open state to the closed state,

wherein the switch circuit controller is configured to output a voltage to the gate terminal of the switch circuit to ensure that the switch circuit is in the closed state, in response to the second command from the switch state selector.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the voltage to transition the switch circuit from the closed state to the open state comprises a voltage at a voltage level of the power source.

7. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising one or more units, wherein the one or more units are coupled to the drain terminal of the switch circuit, and wherein the transition of the switch circuit from the closed state to the open state decouples the power source from the one or more units.

8. The medical device of claim 1, wherein a short within the medical device causes the voltage at the drain terminal of the switch circuit to be less than the predetermined voltage threshold.

9. A method comprising:

monitoring a voltage at a drain terminal of a switch circuit, within a medical device, wherein the switch circuit comprises a source terminal coupled to a power source, a gate terminal, and the drain terminal;

directly outputting a voltage to the gate terminal of the switch circuit to transition the switch circuit from a closed state to an open state when the voltage at the drain terminal of the switch circuit is less than a predetermined voltage threshold;

monitoring a voltage across a sense resistor coupled to the power source and the source terminal of the switch circuit to monitor a current delivered by the power source; and

causing the switch circuit to transition from the closed state to the open state when the voltage across the sense resistor is greater than an offset.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the switch circuit comprises a positive channel field effect transistor (PFET).

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring a voltage of the power source; and

causing the switch circuit to transition from the closed state to the open state when the voltage of the power source reduces below a predetermined threshold.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether a processor unit receives commands, within a time range, after the switch circuit transitions from the open state to the closed state; and

causing the switch circuit to transition from the closed state to the open state when the processor unit does not receive the commands within the time range.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a recharge energy; and

causing the switch circuit to transition from the open state to the closed state when the recharge energy is detected.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the voltage to transition the switch circuit from the closed state to the open state comprises a voltage at a voltage level of the power source.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the medical device includes one or more units, and wherein the transition of the switch circuit from the closed state to the open state decouples the power source from the one or more units.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein a short with in the medical devices causes the voltage at the drain terminal of the switch circuit to be less than the predetermined voltage threshold.

17. A medical device comprising:

means for monitoring a voltage at a drain terminal of a switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit comprises a source terminal coupled to a power source, a gate terminal, and the drain terminal;

means for directly outputting a voltage to the gate terminal of the switch circuit to transition the switch circuit from a closed state to an open state when the voltage at the drain terminal of the switch circuit is less than a predetermined voltage threshold;

means for monitoring a voltage across a sense resistor coupled to the power source and the source terminal of the switch circuit to monitor a current delivered by the power source; and

means for causing the switch circuit to transition from the closed state to the open state when the voltage across the sense resistor is greater than an offset.

18. The medical device of claim 17, wherein the switch circuit comprises a positive channel field effect transistor (PFET).

19. The medical device of claim 17, further comprising:

means for monitoring a voltage of the power source; and

means for causing the switch circuit to transition from the closed state to the open state when the voltage of the power source reduces below a predetermined threshold.

20. The medical device of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining whether a processor unit receives commands, within a time range, after the switch circuit transitions from the open state to the closed state; and

means for causing the switch circuit to transition from the closed state to the open state when the processor unit does not receive the commands within the time range.

21. The medical device of claim 17, further comprising:

means for detecting a recharge energy; and

means for causing the switch circuit to transition from the open state to the closed state when the recharge energy is detected.

22. The medical device of claim 17, wherein the voltage to transition the switch circuit from the closed state to the opened state comprises a voltage at a voltage level of the power source.

23. The medical device of claim 17, wherein the medical device includes one or more units, and wherein the transition of the switch circuit from the closed state to the open state decouples the power source from the one or more units.

24. The medical device of claim 17, wherein a short with in the medical devices causes the voltage at the drain terminal of the switch circuit to be less than the predetermined voltage threshold.

25. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause one or processors, in a medical device, to:

monitor a voltage at a drain terminal of a switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit comprises a source terminal coupled to a power source, a gate terminal, and the drain terminal;

directly output a voltage to the gate terminal of the switch circuit to transition the switch circuit from a closed state to an open state when the voltage at the drain terminal of the switch circuit is less than a predetermined voltage threshold;

monitor a voltage across a sense resistor coupled to the power source and the source terminal of the switch circuit to monitor a current delivered by the power source; and

cause the switch circuit to transition from the closed state to the open state when the voltage across the sense resistor is greater than an offset.