Implantable medical device capable of preserving battery energy to extend its operating life

• US 9,216,296 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neurocardiac Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Neurocardiac Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Kameli, Nader
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US13/011,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 607/29, 607/34, 607/60
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 controlled by body position or posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3956 Implantable devices for applying electric shocks to the heart, e.g. for cardioversion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3962 in combination with another heart therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39622 Pacing therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39624 Pain reduction therapy

Abstract

Embodiments relate to an implantable cardiac system, including a housing, electronic circuitry for controlling one or more of power management, processing unit, information memory and management circuit, sensing and simulation output. The system also includes diagnosis and treatment software for diagnosing health issues, diagnosing mechanical issues, determining therapy output and manage patient health indicators over time, a power supply system including at least one rechargeable battery, a recharging system, an alarm (or alert) system to inform patient of energy level and integrity of system, communication circuitry, one or more electrodes for delivering therapeutic signal to a heart and one or more electrodes for from delivering electrocardiogram signal from the heart to the electronic circuitry. The power supplies can include rechargeable batteries. The housing can include a plurality of physically distinct structures that can be implanted in different locations in patient'"'"'s body.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device comprising:

a first implantable housing and a second implantable housing;

one or more conductive leads configured to electrically couple circuitry within the first implantable housing with circuitry within the second implantable housing and transfer electrical energy between the first and second implantable housings;

a plurality of batteries comprising at least one or more rechargeable batteries and one or more non-rechargeable batteries disposed within the first implantable housing;

receive circuitry configured to receive electrical energy from outside of a patient'"'"'s body and to charge the one or more rechargeable batteries;

at least one high voltage capacitor disposed within the second implantable housing and configured to hold charge delivered from the plurality of batteries and to apply a therapy signal to the patient; and

management circuitry disposed within one of the first or second implantable housings and configured to control (i) charge transfer from the plurality of batteries to the at least one high voltage capacitor and (ii) charge transfer from the at least one high voltage capacitor to the one or more rechargeable batteries when the at least one high voltage capacitor is charged and charge energy can be disposed of.

2. The implantable medical device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more body orientation sensors configured to detect at least whether the patient is one of (i) active or in motion or (ii) inactive or motionless; and

wherein the management circuitry is further configured to generate a first alert based on a level of charge in the one or more rechargeable batteries, and wherein the management circuitry is further configured to (i) generate the first alert when (i-a) the level of charge in the one or more rechargeable batteries is less than a threshold and (i-b) the patient is active or in motion, and (ii) refrain from generating the first alert when the patient is motionless or inactive.

3. The implantable medical device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more body orientation sensors configured to detect whether at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body is in one of (i) a substantially vertical physical orientation, or (ii) a substantially horizontal physical orientation; and

wherein the management circuitry is further configured to generate a first alert based on a level of charge in the one or more rechargeable batteries, and wherein the management circuitry is further configured to (i) generate the first alert when (i-a) the level of charge in the one or more rechargeable batteries is less than a threshold and (i-b) the at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body is in a substantially vertical physical orientation and (ii) refrain from generating the first alert when the at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body is in a substantially horizontal physical orientation.

4. The implantable medical device of claim 3, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to generate one or more subsequent alerts after the first alert, wherein individual subsequent alerts increase in severity as a function of time elapsed from generating the first alert.

5. The implantable medical device of claim 3, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to initiate the first alert via a wireless communication with monitoring equipment external to the patient'"'"'s body.

6. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device is a cardiac defibrillator.

7. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the at least one or more rechargeable batteries are disposed within a single battery component package within the first implantable housing, and wherein the implantable medical device further comprises a battery temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature inside of the single battery component package.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 7, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to manage energy stored in and delivered to/from the plurality of batteries based on measurements of the temperature inside of the single battery component package.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 8, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to prevent thermal runaway when charging the one or more rechargeable batteries based on the measurements of the temperature inside of the single battery component package.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 7, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to regulate speed of charge transfer based on a temperature signal from the battery temperature sensor.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 7, wherein the management circuitry includes overcharge protection electronics configured for charging the one or more rechargeable batteries.

12. The implantable medical device of claim 7, wherein the one or more non-rechargeable batteries and the one or more rechargeable batteries are both disposed within the single battery component package.

13. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to control (i) a capacitor reformation process with electrical energy from at least the one or more rechargeable batteries and (ii) recapture of the electrical energy used in the capacitor reformation process to recharge the one or more rechargeable batteries.

14. An implantable medical device, comprising:

an implantable housing;

a plurality of batteries comprising one or more rechargeable batteries and one or more non-rechargeable batteries;

receive circuitry, in the implantable housing, configured to receive energy from outside the implantable housing to charge the one or more rechargeable batteries;

at least one physiological sensor disposed within a patient'"'"'s body and configured to measure physiological parameters outside of the implant housing;

at least one body orientation sensor disposed within the patient'"'"'s body and configured to detect a physical orientation of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body; and

management circuitry configured to generate a first alert based on a level of charge in the one or more rechargeable batteries, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to (i) generate the first alert when the patient is active or in motion and (ii) refrain from generating the first alert when the patient is motionless and inactive; and

therapy circuitry controlled to (i) apply a therapy signal to the patient'"'"'s body in response to determining that (i-a) a physiological parameter measured by the at least one physiological sensor indicates a need for application of the therapy signal and (i-b) a physical orientation of the at least the portion of the patient'"'"'s body indicates a need for application of the therapy signal; and

(ii) refrain from applying the therapy signal to the patient'"'"'s body in response to determining that either (ii-a) the therapy signal should not be applied to the patient'"'"'s body based on the physiological parameters measured by the at least one sensor or (ii-b) a physical orientation of the at least the portion of the patient'"'"'s body contraindicates a need for application of the therapy signal.

15. The implantable medical device of claim 14, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to (i) generate the first alert when (i-a) the level of charge in the one or more rechargeable batteries is less than a threshold and (i-b) the at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body is in a substantially vertical physical orientation and (ii) refrain from generating the first alert when the at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body is in a substantially horizontal physical orientation.

16. The implantable medical device of claim 14, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to generate one or more subsequent alerts after the first alert, wherein individual subsequent alerts increase in severity as a function of time elapsed from generating the first alert.

17. The implantable medical device of claim 14, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to initiate the first alert via a wireless communication with monitoring equipment external to the patient'"'"'s body.

18. The implantable medical device of claim 14, wherein the implantable medical device is a cardiac defibrillator.

19. The implantable medical device of claim 18, further comprising:

at least one high voltage capacitor disposed within the patient'"'"'s body and configured to hold charge delivered from the plurality of batteries and to apply a therapy signal to the patient; and

wherein the management circuitry is disposed within the implantable housing and further configured to control (i) charge transfer from the plurality of batteries to the at least one high voltage capacitor and (ii) charge transfer from the at least one high voltage capacitor to the one or more rechargeable batteries when the at least one high voltage capacitor is charged and charge energy can be disposed of.

20. The implantable medical device of claim 19, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to control (i) a capacitor reformation process with electrical energy from at least the one or more rechargeable batteries and (ii) recapture of the electrical energy used in the capacitor reformation process to recharge the one or more rechargeable batteries.

21. The implantable medical device of claim 18, wherein the body orientation sensor is further configured to detect whether a patient'"'"'s torso is oriented substantially horizontally or substantially vertically, and wherein the therapy circuitry is controlled to refrain from applying the therapy signal via the therapy circuitry when the patient'"'"'s torso is positioned substantially vertically.

22. The implantable medical device of claim 14, wherein the at least one or more rechargeable batteries are disposed within a single battery component package within the implantable housing, and wherein the implantable medical device further comprises a battery temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature inside of the single battery component package.

23. The implantable medical device of claim 22, wherein the management circuitry is disposed within in the implantable housing and further configured to manage energy stored in and delivered to/from the plurality of batteries based on measurements of the temperature inside of the single battery component package.

24. The implantable medical device of claim 23, wherein the battery temperature sensor is disposed within the single battery component package.

25. The implantable medical device of claim 23, wherein the battery temperature sensor is thermally coupled to an exterior surface of the single battery component package.

26. The implantable medical device of claim 23, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to prevent thermal runaway when charging the one or more rechargeable batteries based on the measurements of the temperature inside of the single battery component package.

27. The implantable medical device of claim 23, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to regulate speed of charge transfer based on a temperature signal from the battery temperature sensor.

28. The implantable medical device of claim 23, wherein the management circuitry includes overcharge protection electronics configured for charging the one or more rechargeable batteries.

29. The implantable medical device of claim 23, wherein the one or more non-rechargeable batteries and the one or more rechargeable batteries are both disposed within the single battery component package.

30. An implantable medical device comprising:

a plurality of batteries comprising one or more rechargeable batteries and one or more non-rechargeable batteries;

receive circuitry configured to receive energy from outside the implantable medical device to charge the one or more rechargeable batteries;

one or more body orientation sensors configured to detect at least whether a patient is one of (i) active or in motion, (ii) inactive or motionless, (iii) in a substantially vertical physical orientation, or (iv) a substantially horizontal physical orientation; and

management circuitry configured to generate a first alert based on a level of charge in the one or more rechargeable batteries, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to (i) generate the first alert when (i-a) the level of charge in the one or more rechargeable batteries is less than a threshold and (i-b) the patient is active or in motion, and (ii) refrain from generating the first alert when the patient is motionless or inactive.

31. The implantable medical device of claim 30, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to (i) generate the first alert when (i-a) the level of charge in the one or more rechargeable batteries is less than the threshold and (i-b) at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body is in a substantially vertical physical orientation and (ii) refrain from generating the first alert when the at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body is in a substantially horizontal physical orientation.

32. The implantable medical device of claim 30, further comprising:

at least one physiological sensor configured to measure one or more physiological parameters of the patient.

33. The implantable medical device of claim 32, further comprising:

therapy circuitry configured to (i) apply a therapy signal to the patient'"'"'s body in response to determining that (i-a) a physiological parameter measured by the at least one physiological sensor indicates a need for application of the therapy signal and (i-b) a physical orientation of the at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body indicates a need for application of the therapy signal; and

(ii) refrain from applying the therapy signal to the patient'"'"'s body in response to determining that either (ii-a) the therapy signal should not be applied to the patient'"'"'s body based on the physiological parameters measured by the at least one sensor or (ii-b) a physical orientation of the at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body contraindicates a need for application of the therapy signal.

34. The implantable medical device of claim 33, wherein the one or more body orientation sensors are further configured to detect whether a patient'"'"'s torso is oriented substantially horizontal or substantially vertical, and wherein the therapy circuitry is further configured to refrain from applying the therapy signal to the patient'"'"'s body when the patient'"'"'s torso is positioned substantially vertical.

35. The implantable medical device of claim 30, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to generate one or more subsequent alerts after the first alert, wherein individual subsequent alerts increase in severity as a function of time elapsed from generating the first alert.

36. The implantable medical device of claim 30, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to initiate the first alert via a wireless communication with monitoring equipment external to the patient'"'"'s body.

37. The implantable medical device of claim 30, wherein the implantable medical device is a cardiac defibrillator.

38. The implantable medical device of claim 37, further comprising:

at least one high voltage capacitor disposed within the patient'"'"'s body and configured to hold charge delivered from the plurality of batteries and to apply a therapy signal to the patient; and

wherein the management circuitry is further configured to control (i) charge transfer from the plurality of batteries to the at least one high voltage capacitor and (ii) charge transfer from the at least one high voltage capacitor to the one or more rechargeable batteries when the at least one high voltage capacitor is charged and charge energy can be disposed of.

39. The implantable medical device of claim 38, wherein the management circuitry is further configured to control (i) a capacitor reformation process with electrical energy from at least the one or more rechargeable batteries and (ii) recapture of the electrical energy used in the capacitor reformation process to recharge the one or more rechargeable batteries.