Apparatus and method for exercising a battery for an implantable medical device
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorsJohn D. Norton, Craig L. Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus exercise a battery of an implantable medical device by determining whether a film is disposed on a portion of an electrode of a battery, discharging the battery a sufficient amount to reduce the film, and optimizing energy used during exercising the battery. The apparatus includes a battery having an electrode that develops a resistive film and a low deformation rate capacitor capable of storing a charge from the battery, the capacitor requiring few or no periodic discharges of the battery for reformation. The energy from the battery is periodically discharged into the low deformation-rate capacitor to reduce film buildup on the electrode.
Claims34
An implantable medical device for implantation into a patient, comprising:
- a battery having an electrode that develops a resistive film;
- a low deformation-rate capacitor capable of storing a charge from the battery, the capacitor requiring few or no periodic discharges of the battery for reformation;
- means for periodically discharging energy from the battery into the low deformation-rate capacitor to reduce film buildup on the electrode;
- and
- means for optimizing the battery discharge.
An implantable cardioverter defibrillator comprising:
- a lead for applying electrical energy to the patient;
- a battery having an electrode for powering the implantable cardioverter defibrillator, the battery having an electrode that develops a film on it over time due to a lack of battery discharge;
- an ICD status system for monitoring heart activity of the patient through the lead;
- a therapy delivery system for delivering electrical energy through the lead to a heart of the patient;
- a capacitor capable of storing a charge from the battery, the capacitor requiring no periodic discharges of the battery for reformation;
- means for periodically discharging the battery to reduce film buildup on the electrode;
- and
- means for otimizing the battery discharge.
A method of exercising a battery of an implantable medical device, comprising:
- determining whether a film is disposed on a portion of an electrode of a battery;
- discharging the battery a sufficient amount to reduce the film disposed on a portion of the electrode of the battery;
- and
- optimizing energy used during exercising the battery.
A method of exercising a battery of an implantable cardiac defibrillator, comprising:
- determining a period of time elapsed since a cardiac therapy was administered to a patient or since a battery exercising session was performed;
- resuming normal implantable cardiac defibrillator operation if the last therapy or exercising session was less than a predetermined amount of time;
- and
- charging a capacitor with a predetermined amount of energy if the last therapy or exercising session was performed a greater time than the predetermined time;
- wherein the energy used during exercising the battery is optimized by minimizing the amount of energy removed from the battery.
A computer readable medium for storing instructions for performing a method of exercising a battery of an implantable cardiac defibrillator, comprising:
- instructions for determining a period of time elapsed since a cardiac therapy was administered to a patient or since a battery exercising session was performed;
- instructions for resuming normal implantable cardiac defibrillator operation if the last therapy or exercising session was less than a predetermined amount of time;
- instructions for charging a capacitor with a predetermined amount of energy if the last therapy or exercising session was performed a greater time than the predetermined time;
- and
- instructions for optimizing the energy used during exercising the battery by minimizing the amount of energy removed from the battery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.