Sensing temperature within medical devices

• US 10,862,328 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2018
• Issued: 12/08/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Cong, Peng, Gaddam, Venkat R., Olson, David P., Scott, Erik R., Smith, Todd V., Perz, Leroy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pelton, Nathaniel R
• Application Number:
  US15/882,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20180159361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 320150
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/07 Arrangements for adjusting the solid angle of collected radiation, e.g. adjusting or orienting field of view, tracking position or encoding angular position optical collimating elements G01J5/0806
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0887 Integrating cavities mimicking black bodies, wherein the heat propagation between the black body and the measuring element does not occur within a solid; Use of bodies placed inside the fluid stream for measurement of the temperature of gases; Use of the reemission from a surface, e.g. reflective surface; Emissivity enhancement by multiple reflections
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/006 using measurement of the effect of a material on microwaves or longer electromagnetic waves, e.g. measuring temperature via microwaves emitted by the object G01K17/003, G01J5/00 take precedence; measuring the effect of a material on X-, gamma- or particle radiation G01K11/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/20 using thermoluminescent materials G01K11/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature

Abstract

Devices, systems, and techniques for monitoring the temperature of a device used to charge a rechargeable power source are disclosed. Implantable medical devices may include a rechargeable power source that can be transcutaneously charged. The temperature of an external charging device and/or an implantable medical device may be monitored to control the temperature exposure to patient tissue. In one example, a temperature sensor may sense a temperature of a portion of a device, wherein the portion is non-thermally coupled to the temperature sensor. A processor may then control charging of the rechargeable power source based on the sensed temperature.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sensing a first temperature of a first portion of a housing of a medical device by a first temperature sensor disposed within the housing of the medical device, wherein the first temperature sensor is configured to sense the first temperature of the first portion of the housing without being thermally coupled to the first portion of the housing;

sensing a second temperature of a second portion of the housing of the medical device by a second temperature sensor disposed within the housing of the medical device, wherein the second temperature sensor is configured to sense the second temperature of the second portion of the housing without being thermally coupled to the second portion of the housing; and

controlling, based on at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature, charging of a rechargeable power source associated with the medical device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling charging of the rechargeable power source comprises controlling, based on the first temperature of the first portion of the housing and the second temperature of the second portion of the housing, charging of the rechargeable power source.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an average temperature of the housing from the first temperature and the second temperature, wherein controlling charging of the rechargeable power source comprises controlling, based on the average temperature of the housing, charging of the rechargeable power source.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a weighted average temperature of the housing from the first temperature and the second temperature, wherein controlling charging of the rechargeable power source comprises controlling, based on the weighted average temperature of the housing, charging of the rechargeable power source.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating, from the first temperature and the second temperature, a temperature gradient that models a plurality of temperatures at respective different locations of the housing, wherein controlling charging of the rechargeable power source comprises controlling, based on the modeled plurality of temperatures at respective different locations of the housing, charging of the rechargeable power source.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying, based on the first temperature and the second temperature, one or more hot spots of the housing, wherein controlling charging of the rechargeable power source comprises controlling, based on the one or more hot spots of the housing, charging of the rechargeable power source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of sensing the first temperature or sensing the second temperature comprises:

sensing a level of infrared radiation emitted from the respective portion of the housing of the medical device; and

determining at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature based on the level of infrared radiation emitted from the respective portion of the housing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion of the housing comprises a first housing surface of the medical device;

the second portion of the housing comprises a second housing surface of the medical device; and

the first housing surface opposes the second housing surface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

sensing the first temperature comprises sensing the first temperature with the first temperature sensor being mounted to one of at least one printed circuit board within the housing of the medical device; and

sensing the second temperature comprises sensing the second temperature with the second temperature sensor being mounted to one of the at least one printed circuit board within the housing of the medical device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature to a threshold temperature; and

determining that the at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature exceeds the threshold temperature, wherein controlling charging of the rechargeable power source comprises adjusting, based on the determination, a power level used to charge the rechargeable power source.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that at least one of the sensed first temperature or the sensed second temperature exceeds a fault threshold;

identifying, based on the at least one of the sensed first temperature or the sensed second temperature exceeding a fault threshold, a fault occurring with a component of the medical device; and

responsive to identifying that the fault occurred, controlling an operation associated with the medical device.

12. A system comprising:

a medical device comprising a housing;

a first temperature sensor disposed within the housing of the medical device and configured to sense a first temperature of a first portion of the housing of the medical device, the first temperature sensor being configured to sense the first temperature without being thermally coupled to the first portion of the housing;

a second temperature sensor disposed within the housing of the medical device and configured to sense a second temperature of a second portion of the housing of the medical device, the second temperature sensor being configured to sense the second temperature without being thermally coupled to the second portion of the housing; and

processing circuitry configured to control, based on at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature, charging of a rechargeable power source associated with the medical device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control, based on the first temperature of the first portion of the housing and the second temperature of the second portion of the housing, charging of the rechargeable power source.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

determine an average temperature of the housing from the first temperature and the second temperature; and

control, based on the average temperature of the housing, charging of the rechargeable power source.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

generate, from the first temperature and the second temperature, a temperature gradient that models a plurality of temperatures at respective different locations of the housing; and

control, based on the modeled plurality of temperatures at respective different locations of the housing, charging of the rechargeable power source.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

identify, based on the first temperature and the second temperature, one or more hot spots of the housing; and

control, based on the one or more hot spots of the housing, charging of the rechargeable power source.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first temperature sensor or the second temperature sensor is configured to sense the respective temperature by:

sensing a level of infrared radiation emitted from the respective portion of the housing of the medical device; and

determining the respective temperature based on the level of infrared radiation emitted from the respective portion of the housing.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the first portion of the housing comprises a first housing surface of the medical device;

the second portion of the housing comprises a second housing surface of the medical device; and

the first housing surface opposes the second housing surface.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising at least one printed circuit board within the housing of the medical device, wherein:

the first temperature sensor is mounted to one of the at least one printed circuit board within the housing of the medical device; and

the second temperature sensor is mounted to one of the at least one printed circuit board within the housing of the medical device.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

compare at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature to a threshold temperature;

determine that the at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature exceeds the threshold temperature; and

control, based on the determination, charging of the rechargeable power source by adjusting a power level used to charge the rechargeable power source.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

determine that at least one of the sensed first temperature or the sensed second temperature exceeds a fault threshold;

identify, based on the at least one of the sensed first temperature or the sensed second temperature exceeding a fault threshold, a fault occurring with a component of the medical device; and

responsive to identifying that the fault occurred, control an operation associated with the medical device.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the medical device comprises an implantable medical device that houses a stimulation generator and the rechargeable power source within the housing.

23. A system comprising:

means for sensing a first temperature of a first portion of a housing of a medical device without the means for sensing the first temperature being thermally coupled to the first portion of the housing;

means for sensing a second temperature of a second portion of the housing of the medical device without the means for sensing the second temperature being thermally coupled to the second portion of the housing; and

means for controlling, based on at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature, charging of a rechargeable power source associated with the medical device.