Universal Blood Pump Controller for Bi-Ventricular Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
In bi-ventricular applications, existing blood pump systems require dedicated controllers for each pump, leading to increased equipment maintenance and costs due to the need for multiple cables and power management components.
Innovation Solution
A universal controller that communicates with various types of blood pump communication modules, determining the type of module and selecting appropriate control logic to control both right and left ventricular assist devices (VADs) simultaneously, reducing the need for multiple controllers and cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated controllers are used for each blood pump in bi-ventricular applications, then each pump can be controlled independently and reliably, but the equipment complexity and maintenance burden increase due to multiple controllers and cables
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple dedicated controllers into a single universal controller that can manage one or two blood pumps. This consolidation integrates multiple control functions into one device, reducing the number of separate controllers, cables, and power management components while maintaining independent control capability for each pump through software-based configuration rather than hardware duplication
Solution Approach 2:
The universal controller is designed to perform multiple functions: it can control a single VAD in either RVAD or LVAD configuration, or control two VADs in a bi-ventricular VAD configuration. The controller adapts its behavior based on the connected blood pump type, providing a single device that replaces multiple dedicated controllers through configurable software modes
2Reliability
If multiple dedicated controllers are used for bi-ventricular applications, then each pump receives dedicated control attention, but the quantity of equipment and cables increases, leading to higher maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple controllers and their associated cables into a single universal controller unit. This consolidation reduces the quantity of physical components (controllers, cables, power management devices) from multiple separate units to one integrated device, while the internal architecture maintains separate control channels for each blood pump
Solution Approach 2:
The universal controller is configured to handle different scenarios: single VAD control (RVAD or LVAD) or dual VAD control (BiVAD). This multi-functional design allows one controller to replace what would traditionally require one or two dedicated controllers, reducing the overall quantity of equipment needed in the system
3Device complexity
If a universal controller is used to control multiple types of blood pumps, then equipment burden and maintenance are reduced, but the controller must handle various communication module types requiring adaptive control logic
Solution Approach 1:
The universal controller incorporates the ability to work with various types of blood pump communication modules (axial flow, centrifugal flow, different manufacturers). It achieves this through adaptive control logic that can be selected based on the type of communication module detected, allowing one controller design to serve multiple pump types without requiring hardware variations
Solution Approach 2:
The controller employs dynamic control logic selection based on the connected communication module type. The system adapts its control strategy in real-time by selecting appropriate control logic from available options, enabling the universal controller to handle different blood pump configurations and communication protocols without requiring reconfiguration or additional hardware
Data Source
AI summary
A blood pump controller includes a microcontroller and a communication interface. The microcontroller is configured to communicate with various types of blood pump communication modules. The microcontroller is further configured to determine, based on communication with a particular type of blood pump communication module, the particular type of blood pump communication module communicated with. The microcontroller is further configured to select, based on the determination of the particular type of blood pump communication module, control logic used to control the particular type of blood pump communication module. The microcontroller is further configured to generate, based on the selected control logic, commands for controlling the blood pump communication module. The communication interface is configured to connect the microcontroller to the particular type of blood pump communication module.