System and method for conserving power in a medical device

Abstract

A system and method for conservation of battery power in a portable medical device is provided. In one example, a processor arrangement that includes a plurality of processors is implemented. At least one of these processors is configured to execute the critical functions of the medical device, while one or more other processors assume a reduced service level, thereby drawing significantly less power. According to this arrangement, the medical device conserves energy by drawing the additional electrical power needed to activate the additional processing power only when needed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §120 as a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 833,096, titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONSERVING POWER IN A MEDICAL DEVICE,” filed Jul. 9, 2010, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of Invention[0003]Aspects of the present invention relate to medical devices, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for conserving power in medical devices.[0004]2. Discussion of Related Art[0005]High performance portable medical devices typically require substantial computer processing power. One factor contributing to the demand for processing power is the large number of peripheral devices supported by many medical devices. These peripheral devices may include display devices such as LCD screens, memory devices such as synchronous dynamic random access memory, secure digital memory, universal sen...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text discusses the problem of portable medical devices using a lot of battery power, which causes the battery to need recharging more frequently. This reduces the useful life of the battery. Additionally, some medical devices require precise timing to execute treatment methods, but conventional real-time operating systems are not able to meet this requirement. To address these issues, the patent proposes a processor architecture that includes multiple processors, where one processor is designated as critical and can execute the necessary functions of the medical device while the other processors enter a reduced service state to conserve energy. This results in a more energy-efficient and effective medical device.

Problems solved by technology

Consequently, the useful lifespan of the batteries is shortened.

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