Artificial heart data communication system

• US 6,451,055 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Penn State Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: Penn State Research Foundation
• Inventors: Weiss, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRETT, THOMAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/557,809
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 623/3.1, 623/3.27, 607/61
• US Class Current: 623/3.27
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3515 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• 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 60/196 replacing the entire heart, e.g. total artificial hearts [TAH]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/408 the force acting on the blood contacting member being mechanical, e.g. transmitted by a shaft or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/508 Electronic control means, e.g. for feedback regulation

Abstract

An artificial heart assembly is provided with a blood inlet conduit, a blood outlet conduit, a pump that pumps blood from the blood inlet conduit to the blood outlet conduit, and an internal electromagnetic coupler adapted to be implanted beneath the skin of a subject. A voltage regulator is operatively coupled to the internal electromagnetic coupler to generate an output voltage that is supplied to the pump. The voltage regulator causes the magnitude of the output voltage to be modulated in accordance with a transmit data signal. An external electromagnetic coupler is operatively coupled to generate an electric signal at least in part from the output voltage, and a decoding circuit is coupled to sense a parameter of the electric signal generated by the external electromagnetic coupler. The decoding circuit generates a receive data signal from the sensed electric signal, the receive data signal corresponding to the transmit data signal.

Claims

1. An artificial heart assembly, comprising:

a blood inlet conduit;

a blood outlet conduit;

a pump that pumps blood from said blood inlet conduit to said blood outlet conduit, said pump including a motor;

an internal coil adapted to be implanted beneath the skin of a subject;

an AC-to-DC converter coupled between said internal coil and said pump, said AC-to-DC converter generating an output voltage having a magnitude which is provided to said pump, said output voltage being generated from electric current passing through said internal coil;

a voltage modulating circuit operatively coupled to said AC-to-DC converter, said voltage modulating circuit causing said magnitude of said output voltage generated by said AC-to-DC converter to be modulated in accordance with a transmit data signal;

an external coil operatively coupled so that said output voltage induces an electric signal in said external coil;

a DC-to-AC converter coupled to said external coil, said DC-to-AC converter generating an alternating electric current from a DC voltage, said alternating electric current being provided through said external coil; and

a decoding circuit coupled to sense a parameter of said electric signal induced in said external coil, said decoding circuit generating a receive data signal from said sensed electric signal, said receive data signal corresponding to said transmit data signal.

2. An artificial heart assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said internal coil is implanted beneath the skin of a subject and wherein said external coil is disposed adjacent said internal coil and separated from said internal coil by the skin of the subject.

3. An artificial heart assembly as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising a membrane defining a blood chamber fluidly coupled to said blood inlet conduit and said blood outlet conduit, wherein said pump comprises a pusher member which makes contact with said membrane to force blood from said blood inlet conduit to said blood outlet conduit.

4. An artificial heart assembly as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising:

a first membrane defining a blood chamber fluidly coupled to said blood inlet conduit and said blood outlet conduit, wherein said pump comprises a pusher member which makes contact with said first membrane to force blood from said blood inlet conduit to said blood outlet conduit;

a second membrane defining a second blood chamber fluidly coupled to a second blood inlet conduit and a second blood outlet conduit; and

a second pusher member which makes contact with said second membrane to force blood from said second blood inlet conduit to said second blood outlet conduit.

5. An artificial heart assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said output voltage has a peak-to-peak magnitude and wherein said voltage modulating circuit does not change said peak-to-peak magnitude of said output voltage by more than about 20%.

6. An artificial heart assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said magnitude of said output voltage changes at a first frequency and wherein said output voltage has an envelope that changes at a second frequency.

7. An artificial heart assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said magnitude of said output voltage changes at a variable frequency and wherein said output voltage has an envelope that changes at a fixed frequency.

8. An artificial heart assembly, comprising:

a blood inlet conduit;

a blood outlet conduit;

a pump that pumps blood from said blood inlet conduit to said blood outlet conduit;

an internal electromagnetic coupler adapted to be implanted beneath the skin of a subject;

a voltage regulator operatively coupled to said internal electromagnetic coupler, said voltage regulator generating an output voltage having a magnitude, said output voltage being supplied to said pump, said voltage regulator causing said magnitude of said output voltage to be modulated in accordance with a transmit data signal;

an external electromagnetic coupler operatively coupled to generate an electric signal at least in part from said output voltage; and

a decoding circuit coupled to sense a parameter of said electric signal generated by said external electromagnetic coupler, said decoding circuit generating a receive data signal from said sensed electric signal, said receive data signal corresponding to said transmit data signal.

9. An artificial heart assembly as defined in claim 8 additionally comprising a membrane defining a blood chamber fluidly coupled to said blood inlet conduit and said blood outlet conduit, wherein said pump comprises a pusher member which makes contact with said membrane to force blood from said blood inlet conduit to said blood outlet conduit.

10. An artificial heart assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said output voltage has a peak-to-peak magnitude and wherein said voltage regulator does not change said peak-to-peak magnitude of said output voltage by more than about 20%.

11. An artificial heart assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said voltage regulator comprises an AC-to-DC converter.

12. An apparatus adapted to be used in connection with an artificial heart assembly having a blood inlet conduit, a blood outlet conduit, and a pump that is adapted to pump blood from said blood inlet conduit to said blood outlet conduit, said apparatus comprising:

an internal power coupler adapted to be implanted beneath the skin of a subject;

a power supply circuit operatively coupled to said internal power coupler, said power supply circuit generating an output voltage having a magnitude, said output voltage being provided to a blood pump, said power supply circuit causing said magnitude of said output voltage to be modulated in accordance with a transmit data signal;

an external power coupler being operatively coupled to generate an electric signal at least in part from said output voltage;

a decoding circuit coupled to sense a parameter of said electric signal generated by said external power coupler, said decoding circuit generating a receive data signal from said sensed electric signal, said receive data signal corresponding to said transmit data signal.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said output voltage has a peak-to-peak magnitude and wherein said power supply circuit does not change said peak-to-peak magnitude of said output voltage by more than about 20%.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said power supply circuit comprises an AC-to-DC converter.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said power supply circuit causes said magnitude of said output voltage to modulate in accordance with a transmit data signal in which logic “

1”

is represented by a relatively large magnitude of said transmit data signal and wherein logic “

0”

is represented by a relatively small magnitude of said transmit data signal.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said power supply circuit causes said magnitude of said output voltage to modulate in accordance with a transmit data signal in which logic “

1”

is represented by a first magnitude of said transmit data signal and wherein logic “

0”

is represented by a second magnitude of said transmit data signal different than said first magnitude.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said power supply circuit causes said magnitude of said output voltage to modulate in accordance with a first data signal having a first frequency to represent a first data message and to modulate in accordance with a second data signal having a second frequency to represent a second data message, said first frequency being different than said second frequency.

18. A method of data communication utilized in connection with an artificial heart assembly having a blood inlet conduit, a blood outlet conduit, and a pump that is adapted to pump blood from the blood inlet conduit to the blood outlet conduit, said method comprising:

transmitting electric power from an external coupler to an internal coupler;

generating an output voltage from said electric power transmitted, said output voltage being modulated in accordance with a transmit data signal;

generating in said external coupler an electric signal, said electric signal being generated at least in part from said output voltage; and

decoding said electric signal received to generate a receive data signal that corresponds to said transmit data signal.

19. A method as defined in claim 18 comprising:

generating alternating electric current from a source of DC power; and

passing said alternating electric current through said external coupler to induce alternating electric current in said internal coupler.

20. A method as defined in claim 18 comprising:

generating a DC voltage having a magnitude from alternating electric current which passes through said internal coil;

selectively shunting said alternating electric current which passes through said internal coil to control said magnitude of said DC voltage generated; and

modulating said DC voltage generated in accordance with said transmit data signal to produce said output voltage.

21. A method as defined in claim 18 comprising providing said output voltage across said internal coupler to induce alternating electric current through said external coupler.