Adaptive Charging Power Control for Implantable Medical Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implantable medical devices face challenges in efficiently recharging their power sources without causing excessive heat buildup, which can be uncomfortable and potentially harmful to patients, as existing methods often require conservative power levels to prevent tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
An external charging device calculates the cumulative thermal dose delivered to the patient during charging and adjusts the power level accordingly, allowing for higher power charging until the thermal dose threshold is reached, then reducing power to prevent tissue overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If higher power levels are used for charging, then charging speed is improved, but tissue temperature increases causing potential harm
Solution Approach 1:
The charging device dynamically adjusts power levels during the charging process based on real-time temperature monitoring. The system transitions from static power delivery to adaptive power management, where the charging rate varies throughout the charging cycle to maintain tissue temperature within safe limits while maximizing overall charging speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the power delivery parameter (power level) as a function of accumulated thermal dose. By monitoring the cumulative thermal dose delivered to tissue and adjusting the power level accordingly, the system optimizes charging speed while preventing tissue overheating and potential damage.
2Reliability
If conservative power levels are used to prevent tissue damage, then patient safety is improved, but charging time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charging device incorporates a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors the cumulative thermal dose delivered to patient tissue during charging. This feedback information is used to adjust the power level in real-time, allowing the system to operate at higher power levels when safe and reduce power when thermal limits are approached, thereby minimizing charging time while ensuring patient safety.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables faster recharge times while ensuring patient safety by minimizing tissue exposure to elevated temperatures, potentially allowing for full charge without prolonged recharge sessions.
Implementation Method 1
transcutaneous charging may be performed via inductive coupling between a primary coil in the charging device and a secondary coil in the implantable medical device. When a current is applied to the primary coil and the primary coil is aligned to the secondary coil, electrical current is induced in the secondary coil within the patient.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and techniques for controlling charging power based on a cumulative thermal dose to a patient are disclosed. Implantable medical devices may include a rechargeable power source that can be transcutaneously charged. An external charging device may calculate an estimated cumulative thermal dose delivered to the patient during charging over a predetermined period of time. Based on the estimated cumulative thermal dose, the external charging device may select a power level for subsequent charging of the rechargeable power source. In one example, the charging device may select a high power level when the cumulative thermal dose has not exceeded a thermal dose threshold and select a low power level when the cumulative thermal dose has exceeded the thermal dose threshold.