# US 5,350,412 A · Device for reducing power consumption in medical equipment which is implantable in the human body

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- Number: US 5,350,412 A
- Document ID: US5350412A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/052,459
- Filed: 1993-04-26
- Granted: 1994-09-27
- Earliest claimed: 1992-05-21
- Assignees: Siemens Elema AB
- Inventors: Kurt Hoegnelid; Goran-Sven Budgifvars
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5350412A

## CPC

- A61N 1/36514: {controlled by a physiological quantity other than heart potential, e.g. blood pressure (controlled by two or more physical parameters A61N1/36585)}
- A61N 1/3708: {for power depletion}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)

## Abstract

A device for reducing power consumption in medical electrical equipment, implantable in the human body, having a sensor, which includes a sensor element and sensor electronic circuitry for sensing a parameter relevant to control of the equipment's in vivo operation, also has a comparator which compares the sensor element's output signal to a predesignated threshold value and switches the sensor electronic circuitry from a passive mode with low power consumption to an active mode with heavier power consumption or vice-versa, depending on the magnitude of the sensor element's signal in relation to the threshold value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for reducing power consumption in medical electrical equipment implantable in the human body, said device comprising:
sensor means, including a sensor element connected to sensor electronic circuitry, for sensing a parameter for use in the in vivo control of the operation of said medical electrical equipment, said sensor electronic circuitry being operable in a passive mode with low power consumption and an active mode with a higher power consumption;
said sensor electronic circuitry including a power supply unit; and
comparator means, having an output connected to said power supply unit, for comparing an output signal from said sensor element to a predetermined threshold and for controlling said power supply unit to switch said sensor electronic circuitry between said passive mode and said active mode dependent on the magnitude of said output signal of said sensor element in relation to said threshold.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensor electronic circuitry includes means for sampling said output signal of said sensor element at a predetermined sampling frequency.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A device as claimed in claim 2 further comprising low-pass filter means connected between said sensor element and said comparator means for removing rapid fluctuations in said output signal of said sensor element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising input amplifier means connected between said sensor element and said comparator for amplifying said output signal of said sensor element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising delay means for delaying switching of said sensor electronic circuitry from said active mode to said passive mode by a selected period of time after said output signal of said sensor element falls below said threshold.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said signal from said comparator means enable said sensor electronic circuitry when said output signal of said sensor element exceeds said threshold and disenables said sensor electronic circuitry when said output signal of said sensor element falls below said threshold.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensor means comprises a cardiac signal detector for detecting ECG signals, and wherein said sensor element comprises an element for sensing intracardial electrical signals.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensor element comprises a pressure-sensing activity sensor element.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said sensor element is a piezoelectric element.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensor element comprises a movement-sensing activity sensor element.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A device as claimed in claim 10 wherein said sensor element is a piezoelectric element.