Implantable pump system

• US 6,183,412 B1
• Filed: 10/02/1998
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ReliantHeart Inc.
• Original Assignee: MicroMed Technology, Inc (MicroMed Cardiovascular, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morello, Gino F., Winstrom, William L., Benkowski, Robert J., Lynch, Bryan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAMM, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US09/165,840
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 128/DIG.12, 128/DIG.13, 600/16, 604/65
• US Class Current: 600/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• 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 60/232 Centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/237 the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/422 the force acting on the blood contacting member being electromagnetic, e.g. using canned motor pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/523 using blood flow data, e.g. from blood flow transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/546 of blood flow, e.g. by adapting rotor speed
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/562 for making blood flow pulsatile in blood pumps that do not intrinsically create pulsatile flow

Abstract

A controller module for an implantable pump system which has a pump motor includes a processor, a motor controller electrically coupled to the processor and adapted to power the pump motor such that the pump motor operates at a desired speed. The motor controller outputs digital representations of the pump motor operating parameters to the processor. A first memory device is coupled to the processor for storing the digital signals representing the pump motor operating parameters. The controller module further includes a user interface. The controller module may be coupled to a data acquisition system, which provides power and exchanges data with the controller module. The controller module may alternately be coupled to a home support system which provides power for the controller module and storage for system components.

Claims

1. A controller module for an implantable pump system including a pump having an electric motor, the controller module comprising:

a processor;

a motor controller electrically coupled to the processor, the motor controller connectable to an implantable pump system motor and operable to power a pump motor connected thereto such that the pump motor operates at a desired speed, the motor controller adapted to receive operating parameter information from a pump motor connected thereto and output digital representations of the pump motor operating parameters to the processor;

a first memory device comprising a plurality of memory banks coupled to the processor for storing the digital data representing system operating parameters, at least one of the memory banks including a circular buffer for continuously storing real-time pump motor parameters in predefined time increments; and

a user interface coupled to the processor for displaying the pump motor operating parameters.

2. The controller module of claim 1 further comprising a power source connected to the processor.

3. The controller module of claim 1 further comprising at least one connector for coupling the controller module to an external power source.

4. The controller module of claim 1 further comprising a hardware clock and calendar device coupled to the processor to provide real-time clock and calendar information to the processor.

5. The controller module of claim 1 wherein the first memory device comprises an SRAM.

6. The controller module of claim 1 wherein the plurality of memory banks comprises at least first and second memory banks, the first memory bank including the circular buffer, and wherein the processor is programmed to transfer the data from the first memory bank to the second memory bank upon a first predetermined event sensed by the processor.

7. The controller module of claim 6 wherein the plurality of memory banks further comprises a third memory bank, wherein the processor is programmed to transfer the data from the first memory bank to the third memory bank upon any predetermined events subsequent to the first predetermined event.

8. The controller module of claim 7 wherein the predetermined event comprises a pump restart.

9. The controller module of claim 1 further comprising a failure detection device adapted to detect a processor failure, the failure detection device operable to decouple the processor from the motor controller in response to the detected processor failure.

10. The controller module of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a text display, and wherein the processor is programmed to selectively display data stored in the first memory device.

11. The controller module of claim 10 further comprising a second memory device coupled to the processor including digital representations of user prompts and messages stored therein, and wherein the processor is programmed to selectively display the prompts and messages on the text display.

12. The controller module of claim 1, wherein:

the motor controller includes a reference voltage output terminal and a speed control voltage input terminal; and

the controller further comprises a pump speed control device adapted to calculate and provide a voltage level to the speed control voltage input terminal as a proportion of the reference voltage to achieve a desired pump speed.