Implantable Medical Device with a Primary and Rechargeable Battery

• US 20150100108A1
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Vansickle, Dennis Allen, Kothandaraman, Sridhar
• Granted Patent: US 9,694,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

An implantable medical device (IMD) having a rechargeable and primary battery is disclosed, as are algorithms for automatically selecting use of these batteries at particular times. In one IMD embodiment, the primary battery acts as the main battery, and an algorithm allows the IMD to draw power from the primary battery until its voltage reaches a threshold, after which the algorithm allows the IMD to draw power from the rechargeable battery when it is sufficiently charged. In another IMD embodiment, the rechargeable battery acts as the main battery, and an algorithm allows the IMD to draw power from the rechargeable battery if it is sufficiently charged; otherwise, the algorithm allows the IMD to draw power from the primary battery. Further disclosed are techniques for telemetering data relevant to both batteries to an external device, and for allowing a patient to choose use of a particular one of the batteries.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a primary battery;

a rechargeable battery;

a power supply node configured to provide power to first operative circuitry in the implantable medical device; and

control circuitry,

wherein the control circuitry is configured to

(a) couple the primary battery to the power supply node until a voltage of the primary battery is at or below a first threshold, after which the control circuitry is configured to,

(b) couple the rechargeable battery to the power supply node and decouple the primary battery from the power supply node if a voltage of the rechargeable battery is at or above a second threshold.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a charging coil configured to receive a charging field for recharging the rechargeable battery.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured in step (a) to only couple the primary battery to the power supply node until the voltage of the primary battery is at or below the first threshold.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first threshold corresponds to an Elective Replacement Indicator (ERI) for the primary battery designed to issue a predetermined time before the primary battery reaches its End Of Life (EOL).

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the primary battery can operate the first operative circuitry down to a minimum voltage of the primary battery, and wherein the first threshold is above the minimum voltage.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured in step (a) to perform one or more of (i) storing, (ii) indicating, or (iii) wirelessly transmitting, an indication that the voltage of the primary battery is at or below the first threshold.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the control circuitry is further configured in step (a) to perform one or more of (i) storing, or (ii) wirelessly transmitting, an EOL forecast indication for the primary battery when the voltage of the primary battery is at or below the first threshold.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery can be charged to a maximum voltage, and wherein the second threshold is below the maximum voltage.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured in step (b) to perform one or more of (i) storing, (ii) indicating, or (iii) wirelessly transmitting, an indication that the rechargeable battery requires charging if the voltage of the rechargeable battery is below the second threshold.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein after step (b) the control circuitry is further configured to

(c) couple the primary battery to the power supply node and decouple the rechargeable battery from the power supply node if the voltage of the rechargeable battery is at or below a third threshold.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the rechargeable battery can operate the first operative circuitry down to a minimum voltage of the rechargeable battery, and wherein the third threshold is above the minimum voltage.

12. The device of claim 10,

wherein the control circuitry is further configured in step (a) to perform one or more of (i) storing, or (ii) wirelessly transmitting, an EOL forecast indication for the primary battery when the voltage of the primary battery is at or below the first threshold, and

wherein the control circuitry is further configured in step (c) to update the EOL forecast indication, and to perform one or more of (i) storing, or (ii) wirelessly transmitting, the updated EOL forecast indication.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein after step (c) the control circuitry is further configured to

(d) couple the rechargeable battery to the power supply node and decouple the primary battery from the power supply node if the voltage of the rechargeable battery is at or above the second threshold.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein at step (c) the control circuitry is configured to couple the primary battery to the power supply node and decouple the rechargeable battery from the power supply node

if the voltage of the rechargeable battery is at or below the third threshold, and

if the voltage of the primary battery has is above a fourth threshold at or below which the primary battery cannot operate the first operative circuitry.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is further configured in step (c) to perform one or more of (i) storing, (ii) indicating, or (iii) wirelessly transmitting, an EOL indication for the primary battery if the voltage of the primary battery is at or below the fourth threshold.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein after step (c) the control circuitry is further configured to

(d) couple the rechargeable battery to the power supply node and decouple the primary battery from the power supply node

if the voltage of the primary battery is at or below the fourth threshold, and

if the voltage of the rechargeable battery is above the third threshold.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the first operative circuitry comprises digital circuitry including the control circuitry.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the first operative circuitry further comprises analog circuitry.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising an antenna and current generation circuitry configured to produce a stimulation current at at least one electrode, wherein the first operative circuitry comprises a resonant tank circuit including the antenna, and a converter configured to generate a power supply voltage for the current generation circuitry.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein only the primary battery or the rechargeable battery provides power to second operative circuitry in the implantable medical device.

21. The device of claim 20, further comprising an antenna and current generation circuitry configured to produce a stimulation current at at least one electrode, wherein the second operative circuitry comprises a resonant tank circuit including the antenna, and a converter configured to generate a power supply voltage for the current generation circuitry.

22. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a primary battery;

a rechargeable battery;

a power supply node configured to provide power to first operative circuitry in the implantable medical device; and

a control circuitry,

wherein the control circuitry is configured to

(a) couple the rechargeable battery to the power supply node and decouple the primary battery from the power supply node if a voltage of the rechargeable battery is at or above a second threshold lower than a maximum voltage to which the rechargeable battery can be charged, after which the control circuitry is configured to,

(b) couple the primary battery to the power supply node

if the voltage of the rechargeable battery is at or below a third threshold, and

if a voltage of the primary battery is above a fourth threshold.