Defibrillator Battery End-of-Life Detection by Cycle and Condition Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices, particularly portable external defibrillators, face challenges in monitoring battery health effectively, leading to potential failure when batteries reach the end of their life, especially in situations where alternative power sources are not readily available.
Innovation Solution
Implementing systems and methods to monitor battery conditions such as voltage, charging cycles, state of charge, temperature, and discharge cycles to detect the end of life, and adjust charging rates based on these parameters, providing visual and auditory alerts when a battery is nearing or at its end of life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If battery packs are used to power portable medical devices, then the devices can operate portably and deliver high-energy defibrillation pulses, but the battery health deteriorates over time and charge cycles, leading to potential device failure
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring battery parameters (voltage, temperature, charge cycles, state of charge) and predicting end-of-life conditions before actual battery failure occurs. This allows the device to alert users in advance and schedule maintenance, preventing unexpected device failure during critical moments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously measuring battery parameters, comparing them against predictive models, and adjusting monitoring strategies accordingly. The feedback loop enables the system to adapt to changing battery conditions and provide accurate predictions of battery health and remaining useful life.
2Reliability
If the battery is monitored continuously to detect end of life, then the device reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is designed to serve multiple functions: it tracks battery voltage, temperature, charge cycles, and state of charge simultaneously; provides predictive analytics for end-of-life detection; alerts users through multiple channels (visual, audible, tactile); and generates maintenance schedules. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically monitoring its own battery health, analyzing the data, and generating alerts without requiring external intervention. The predictive analytics engine autonomously processes battery parameters and determines when maintenance is needed, reducing the burden on users and healthcare providers.
3Productivity
If the battery is allowed to deplete completely, then the device can operate without constant monitoring, but the device becomes inoperable during critical emergencies
Solution Approach 1:
The system takes preliminary action by predicting battery end-of-life conditions well before actual depletion occurs. This advance prediction allows users to recharge or replace batteries proactively, ensuring the device remains operational and ready for emergency use without unexpected interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides beforehand cushioning by maintaining a buffer of predicted remaining useful life beyond simple charge level thresholds. This cushioning approach ensures that even if the battery experiences unexpected degradation or delayed recharging, the device remains operational during critical emergencies.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable medical device is disclosed. The portable medical device may comprise a display, a defibrillator port, a battery unit, and a processor. The processor may be configured to determine a cycle count of the battery unit, wherein the cycle count represents a number of times the battery unit has been charged and determine whether the cycle count satisfies a cycle count threshold. The processor may also be configured to, in response to determining that the cycle count satisfies the cycle count threshold, cause one or more graphical elements to be displayed on the display.