Crosspoint switch with improved discharge control for use in an implantable defibrillator
AssigneeInControl, Inc.
InventorsJoseph M. Bocek, Paul E. de Coriolis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pulse generator for use in a defibrillator provides cardioverting electrical energy to a heart through at least one lead having a pair of electrodes associated with the heart. Electrical energy is applied to the heart with a biphasic waveform having a first cardioverting phase and a second cardioverting phase. A crosspoint switch selectively couples a storage capacitor to the lead means. A master switch decouples the crosspoint switch from the storage capacitor while the crosspoint switch connections are changed between the first cardioverting phase and the second cardioverting phase. A control circuit provides independent control of the duration of both the first and second cardioverting phases.
Claims46
A pulse generator for use in a defibrillator for providing cardioverting electrical energy to the heart through lead means, said pulse generator including a storage capacitor having a positive terminal and a negative terminal for providing said cardioverting electrical energy, and charging means for charging said storage capacitor, the improvement comprising:
- coupling means for selectively coupling said storage capacitor to said lead means with a first polarity for applying a first portion of said cardioverting electrical energy through said lead means to the heart during a first cardioverting phase, and with a second polarity reversed from said first polarity for applying a second portion of said cardioverting electrical energy through said lead means to the heart during a second cardioverting phase;
- and
- master switch means for selectively decoupling said storage capacitor from said lead means between said first and second cardioverting phases.
A method for providing electrical energy stored in a storage capacitor having a positive terminal and a negative terminal through lead means having a first electrode and a second electrode for conveying said electrical energy to a heart, the method comprising the steps of:
- applying a first portion of said electrical energy with a first polarity through said lead means to the heart during a first cardioverting phase;
- applying a second portion of said electrical energy with a second polarity through said lead means to the heart during a second cardioverting phase, said second polarity being opposite said first polarity;
- decoupling said lead means from said storage capacitor between said first and second cardioverting phases.
A crosspoint switch control circuit for controlling a crosspoint switch and a master switch for use in a defibrillator for providing cardioverting electrical energy to a heart through lead means having first and second electrodes for providing said cardioverting electrical energy to the heart from a storage capacitor having a positive and a negative terminal, said crosspoint switch being responsive to a first control signal for coupling said positive terminal to said first electrode and said negative terminal to said second electrode and responsive to a second control signal for coupling said positive terminal to said second electrode and said negative terminal to said first electrode, said master switch being responsive to a shock control signal for decoupling said storage capacitor from said lead means, said control circuit comprising:
- phase control means coupled to said crosspoint switch for generating said first and second control signals;
- and
- duration control means for controlling said phase control means and generating said shock control signal to cause said master switch to decouple said storage capacitor from said lead means between said first and second cardioverting phases.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.