Method and apparatus for accurately tracking available charge in a transcutaneous energy transfer system

• US 9,220,826 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abiomed, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Abiomed, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: D'Ambrosio, Ralph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAREY, MICHAEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US13/328,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 600/16, 607/8, 607/27, 607/29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/17 with redundant control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• 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 60/178 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 60/20 Type thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/216 including a rotating member acting on the blood, e.g. impeller
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/538 Regulation using real-time blood pump operational parameter data, e.g. motor current
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/585 User interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/873 specially adapted for wireless or transcutaneous energy transfer [TET], e.g. inductive charging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/876 Implantable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]

Abstract

Improved devices and methods for tracking power consumption and available charge in a transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system are provided. The method includes measuring the available charge in a battery and the current rate of power consumption in an implanted medical device, determining the remaining time before the charge level of the battery reaches a predetermined threshold level, and communicating the remaining time to a user.

Claims

1. A method of accurately tracking available charge stored in a transcutaneous energy transfer system, comprising:

utilizing fuel gauge circuitry to record a plurality of metrics of a transcutaneous energy transfer system associated with an implantable device, said plurality of metrics including battery temperature;

utilizing a controller to determine the current charge remaining in a rechargeable battery pack based on said plurality of metrics;

utilizing the fuel gauge circuitry to measure the current rate of power consumption for the implantable device;

utilizing the controller to determine the remaining time before the energy level of the battery pack is below a predetermined threshold level at the measured rate of power consumption; and

utilizing the controller to communicate the remaining time before exhaustion of the battery pack to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are repeated in an iterative manner to update the remaining time before exhaustion of the battery pack.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remaining time is communicated to the user via an external display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the remaining time is communicated to the user via an internal vibratory signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the remaining time is communicated to the user via an external auditory signal.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising recharging the rechargeable battery pack at a battery charging rate and controlling the battery charging rate based in part on the battery temperature.

6. An implantable device, comprising:

an implantable assist device;

a rechargeable battery pack; and

a controller connected to the implantable assist device and rechargeable battery pack;

wherein the controller is configured to measure the charge level of the battery pack, based on a plurality of metrics, said metrics including battery temperature, measure a power consumption rate of the implantable assist device, compute the remaining time before the battery pack energy level reaches a predetermined threshold level, and communicate the remaining time to a user.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller repeatedly measures the available charge level and power consumption rate and continually communicates the updated remaining time to the user.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller communicates the remaining time to the user via an external display.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller communicates the remaining time to the user via a vibratory signal.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller communicates the remaining time to the user via an auditory signal.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the implantable assist device is a ventricular assist device.

12. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to control a charging rate of the rechargeable battery pack based in part on the battery temperature.