Dynamic battery management in an implantable device

• US 8,718,771 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Gandhi, Rajesh K., Linder, William J., Lyden, Michael J., Stessman, Nicholas J., Kelly, Jonathan H., Kalgren, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Niketa
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEVICKY, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US13/287,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20120116471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 607/29, 607/27, 320/132
• US Class Current: 607/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3975 Power supply A61N1/378 takes precedence

Abstract

One aspect of this disclosure relates to a system for dynamic battery management in implantable medical devices. An embodiment of the system includes two or more devices for measuring battery capacity for an implantable medical device battery. The embodiment also includes a controller connected to the measuring devices. The controller is adapted to combine the measurements from the measuring devices using a weighted average to determine battery capacity consumed. According to various embodiments, at least one of the measuring devices includes a coulometer. At least one of the measuring devices includes a capacity-by-voltage device, according to an embodiment. The system further includes a display in communication with the controller in various embodiments. The display is adapted to provide a depiction of battery longevity in units of time remaining in the life of the implantable medical device battery, according to various embodiments. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a battery;

a first capacity measuring device configured to calculate battery capacity consumed during a first time period of capacity consumption for the battery;

a second capacity measuring device configured to calculate battery capacity consumed during a third time period of capacity consumption for the battery; and

a controller connected to the measuring devices, the controller configured to compute an average of the calculated battery capacity from the first capacity measuring device and the calculated battery capacity from the second capacity measuring device weighted according to capacity consumed to determine battery capacity consumed during a second time period of capacity consumption for the battery, wherein the first time period ends at the beginning of the second time period, and the third time period begins at the end of the second time period,

wherein, during the second time period, the controller calculates capacity consumed using the equation;

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to use a programmable schedule for the beginning and the end of the second time period.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first capacity measuring device includes a coulometer.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the coulometer includes a software coulometer.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first capacity measuring device includes a charge-time measuring device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the second capacity measuring device includes a capacity-by-voltage device.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the capacity-by-voltage device is configured to detect a voltage level and output a battery capacity using a look-up table.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to compare capacity consumed to capacity trip points to determine battery life phase.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to prevent measurement of battery voltage during a high-power event.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to evaluate change in voltage to ascertain when the battery is recovered from the event.

11. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a battery;

coulometer configured to calculate battery capacity consumed during a first time period of capacity consumption for the battery;

a capacity-by-voltage device configured to calculate battery capacity consumed during a third time period of capacity consumption for the battery; and

a controller connected to the coulometer and the capacity-by-voltage device, the controller configured to compute an average of the calculated battery capacity from the coulometer and the calculated battery capacity from the capacity-by-voltage device weighted according to capacity consumed to determine battery capacity consumed during a second time period of capacity consumption for the battery, wherein the first time period begins at the beginning of life of the battery and ends at the beginning of the second time period, and the third time period begins at the end of the second time period,

wherein, during the second time period, the controller calculates capacity consumed using the equation;

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the second time period begins when the battery has 50% capacity consumed and ends when the battery has 75% capacity consumed.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the battery includes a SVO (Silver Vanadium Pentoxide) battery.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the battery includes a MnO₂ (Lithium Manganese Dioxide) battery.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the battery includes a CFx (Lithium Carbon Monofluoride) battery.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the battery includes a hybrid SVO battery.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the battery includes a hybrid CFx battery.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the capacity-by-voltage device is configured to detect a voltage level and output a battery capacity using a look-up table.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the coulometer includes a software coulometer.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the coulometer includes a hardware-based coulometer.