Touch screen interface and infrared communication system integrated into a battery

• US 9,195,289 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2014
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Thoratec LLC
• Inventors: Lee, Eric, Petersen, Ethan, Stark, Joseph, McCutcheon, Ian, Reichenbach, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Wieland, Robert N
• Application Number:
  US14/455,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• 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 60/216 including a rotating member acting on the blood, e.g. impeller
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/585 User interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/808 Electrical power feeding of an optical transmission system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods relating to interfacing and controlling external batteries are described. In one embodiment, an external battery is integrated with a touch screen display. In one embodiment, the external battery provides an infrared communication link with a detachable device or system controller. In one embodiment, the external battery touch screen interface provides data received from a detachable device or system controller.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a battery comprising an integrated touchscreen;

a first data connection port;

a processing system coupled to the touchscreen and to the battery and to the first data connection port;

a detachable device detachably coupled to the battery, the detachable device having a second data connection port adapted to be coupled to the first data connection port to send data from the detachable device to the processing system, the detachable device having a power port configured to receive power from the battery; and

wherein the touchscreen is configured to provide a user interface to display on the touchscreen information based on the data received from the detachable device.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a proximity sensor coupled to the processing system, the proximity sensor configured to determine when the detachable device is coupled to the battery.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the proximity sensor is a magnetic switch.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the proximity sensor causes the processing to attempt to exchange data between the first data connection port and the second data connection port in response to determining that the detachable device is coupled to the battery.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the first data connection port and the second data connection port are coupled through an infrared communication link.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the infrared communication link is initiated in response to the proximity sensor determining that the detachable device is coupled to the battery.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the processing system is configured to cause power to be provided from the battery to the power port on the detachable device in response to successfully initiating the infrared communication link.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the processing system is configured to send data to the detachable device through the infrared communication link.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the processing system is configured to receive data from the detachable device through the infrared communication link.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the detachable device further comprises an internal battery and the detachable device is configured to automatically switch to use the internal battery when the battery with the integrated touchscreen is detached from the detachable device.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the detachable device is a system controller for a heart pump.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the data received from the detachable device represents a status of the heart pump.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the data received includes a status of the detachable device and the status includes one or more of alarm status, event history, pump parameters, log data, and power source status.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the data received from the detachable device represents a status of a heart pump which is coupled to the detachable device.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the detachable device is a system controller for a medical device.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the data received includes one or more of:

the status of the detachable device, an alarm status, event history, or power source status.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a proximity sensor coupled to the processing system, the proximity sensor configured to determine when the detachable device is coupled to the battery; and

wherein the data received from the detachable device represents a status of a heart pump which is coupled to the detachable device.

18. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a proximity sensor coupled to the processing system, the proximity sensor configured to determine when the detachable device is coupled to the battery; and

wherein the detachable device is a system controller for a medical device.

19. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a proximity sensor coupled to the processing system, the proximity sensor configured to determine when the detachable device is coupled to the battery; and

wherein the data received includes one or more of;

the status of the detachable device, an alarm status, event history, or power source status.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the detachable device further comprises an internal battery and the detachable device is configured to automatically switch to use the internal battery when the battery is detached from the detachable device.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the detachable device further comprises an internal battery and the detachable device is configured to automatically switch to use the internal battery when the battery is detached from the detachable device and wherein the detachable device is a system controller for a medical device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the data received from the detachable device represents a status of the medical device, and wherein the medical device is coupled to the detachable device.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing, wherein the touchscreen is integrated onto a surface of the housing, and the housing contains the battery.