# US 9,882,420 B2 · Sensing temperature within medical devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,420 B2 - Document ID: US9882420B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/464,066 - Filed: 2017-03-20 - Published: 2017-07-06 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-20 - Assignees: Medtronic, Inc. - Applicants: Medtronic, Inc. - Inventors: Peng Cong; Venkat R. Gaddam; David P. Olson; Erik R. Scott; Todd V. Smith; Leroy L. Perz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882420B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/3787: {from an external energy source} - G01J 5/07: Arrangements for adjusting the solid angle of collected radiation, e.g. adjusting or orienting field of view, tracking position or encoding angular position (optical collimating elements G01J5/0806) - G01J 5/0887: {Integrating cavities mimicking black bodies, wherein the heat propagation between the black body and the measuring element does not occur within a solid; Use of bodies placed inside the fluid stream for measurement of the temperature of gases; Use of the reemission from a surface, e.g. reflective surface; Emissivity enhancement by multiple reflections} - G01K 11/20: using thermoluminescent materials (G01K11/32 takes precedence) - H02J 7/975: {in response to temperature} - H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling - G01K 11/006: {using measurement of the effect of a material on microwaves or longer electromagnetic waves, e.g. measuring temperature via microwaves emitted by the object (G01K17/003, G01J5/00 take precedence; measuring the effect of a material on X-, gamma- or particle radiation G01K11/30)} - 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) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract Devices, systems, and techniques for monitoring the temperature of a device used to charge a rechargeable power source are disclosed. Implantable medical devices may include a rechargeable power source that can be transcutaneously charged. The temperature of an external charging device and/or an implantable medical device may be monitored to control the temperature exposure to patient tissue. In one example, a temperature sensor may sense a temperature of a portion of a device, wherein the portion is non-thermally coupled to the temperature sensor. A processor may then control charging of the rechargeable power source based on the sensed temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: sensing a temperature of a portion of a housing of a medical device by a temperature sensor disposed within the housing of the medical device, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to sense the temperature of the portion of the housing without being thermally coupled to the portion of the housing; determining, based on the sensed temperature, that a fault occurred with a component of the medical device; and responsive to determining that the fault occurred, controlling an operation associated with the medical device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the operation associated with the medical device comprises controlling an external charging device to limit a power level of current generated by the external charging device that charges a rechargeable power source of the medical device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the external charging device to limit the power level comprises controlling the external charging device to withhold power transmission to the rechargeable power source. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the operation associated with the medical device comprises limiting a functionality of one or more components of the medical device to prevent the temperature of the medical device from further rising due to the fault condition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the operation associated with the medical device comprises reducing an electrical current delivered to a component identified as causing the fault. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the fault occurred comprises determining that the sensed temperature exceeds a fault condition threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the fault occurred comprises determining that a rate of change of the sensed temperature exceeds a fault condition threshold rate of temperature change. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the fault occurred comprises determining that a magnitude of change of the sensed temperature over a predetermined period of time exceeds a fault condition threshold magnitude of temperature change over the predetermined period of time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the temperature of the portion of the housing comprises sensing a first temperature of a first portion of the housing with a first temperature sensor, and wherein the method further comprises: sensing a second temperature of a second portion of the housing with a second temperature sensor; determining that at least one of the sensed first temperature or the sensed second temperature exceeds a fault threshold; identifying, based on the at least one of the sensed first temperature or the sensed second temperature exceeds the fault threshold, a component of the medical device responsible for creating the fault, wherein controlling the operation associated with the medical device comprises controlling operation of the component to address the fault. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the temperature comprises sensing the temperature with the temperature sensor being mounted to a printed circuit board within the housing of the medical device. ### Claim 11 A system comprising: a medical device comprising a housing; a temperature sensor disposed within the housing of the medical device and configured to sense a temperature of a portion of the housing of the medical device, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to sense the temperature without being thermally coupled to the portion of the housing; and processing circuitry configured to: determine, based on the sensed temperature, that a fault occurred with a component of the medical device; and responsive to the determination that the fault occurred, control an operation associated with the medical device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the operation associated with the medical device by controlling an external charging device to limit a power level of current generated by the external charging device that charges a rechargeable power source of the medical device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the operation associated with the medical device by controlling the external charging device to withhold power transmission to the rechargeable power source. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the operation associated with the medical device by limiting a functionality of one or more components of the medical device to prevent the temperature of the medical device from rising due to the fault condition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the operation associated with the medical device by reducing an electrical current delivered to a component identified as causing the fault. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the fault occurred by determining that the sensed temperature exceeds a fault condition threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the fault occurred by determining that a rate of change of the sensed temperature exceeds a fault condition threshold rate of temperature change. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the fault occurred by determining that a magnitude of change of the sensed temperature over a predetermined period of time exceeds a fault condition threshold magnitude of temperature change over the predetermined period of time. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the temperature is a first temperature, the portion of the housing is a first portion of the housing, and the temperature sensor is a first temperature sensor, the system further comprises a second temperature sensor configured to sense second temperature of a second portion of the housing, and the processing circuitry is configured to: determine that at least one of the sensed first temperature or the sensed second temperature exceeds a fault threshold; identify, based on the at least one of the sensed first temperature or the sensed second temperature exceeds the fault threshold, a component of the medical device responsible for creating the fault; and control the operation associated with the medical device by controlling operation of the component to address the fault. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising a printed circuit board within the housing of the device, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted to the printed circuit board. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the medical device comprises an implantable medical device that houses a stimulation generator and a rechargeable power source. ### Claim 22 A system comprising: means for sensing a temperature of a portion of a housing of a medical device without being thermally coupled to the portion of the housing, the means for sensing the temperature being disposed within the housing of the medical device; means for determining, based on the sensed temperature, that a fault occurred with a component of the medical device; and means for, responsive to determining that the fault occurred, controlling an operation associated with the medical device.