Electricity: measuring and testing – Electrolyte properties – Using a battery testing device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-11
2001-12-11
Toatley, Jr., Gregory J. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Electrolyte properties
Using a battery testing device
Reexamination Certificate
active
06329822
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to determining the rate of performing periodic automatic self-tests in such a device.
2. Related Art
Electrotherapy devices are used to provide electrical shocks to treat patients for a variety of heart arrhythmias. For example, external defibrillators typically provide relatively high-energy shocks to a patient as compared to implantable defibrillators, usually through electrodes attached to the patient's torso. External defibrillators are used to convert ventricular fibrillation or shockable tachycardia to a normal sinus rhythm. Similarly, external cardioverters can be used to provide shocks to convert atrial fibrillation to a more normal heart rhythm.
Conventional external defibrillators have been used primarily in hospitals and other medical care facilities. In such environments, the frequency with which a particular defibrillator is operated, referred to as the use model, is significant, perhaps on the order of several times per week. Periodic tests for such defibrillators typically include a battery level test and a functional test in which the defibrillator is connected to a test load and discharged. These self-tests are usually performed daily or once per shift in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. Other tests, such as recalibration of internal circuit components by a biomedical technician, are performed less often, on the order of twice per year, which is also typically specified by the manufacturer. Each of these maintenance tests for conventional defibrillators have traditionally been initiated and performed by human operators, although more recently automatic invocation and execution of self-tests are becoming more commonplace.
While these external defibrillators have been known for years, they have generally been large and expensive making them unsuitable for use outside of a medical care facility. More recently, portable external defibrillators for use by first responders have been developed. Portable defibrillators allow medical care to be provided to a patient at the patient's location considerably earlier than preceding defibrillators, increasing the likelihood of survival.
Portable defibrillators typically use a portable energy source to operate in the anticipated mobile environment. Several defibrillator and after-market manufacturers have produced battery packs for such defibrillators. These battery packs, while often having a standard mechanical and electrical interface, are available with different chemistries, such as lead acid, nickel cadmium, lithium ion and the like. These battery packs have traditionally been rechargeable due to the anticipated high frequency use model.
With recent advances in technology, portable defibrillators have become more automated, allowing even a minimally trained operator to use such devices to aid a heart attack victim in the critical first few minutes subsequent to the onset of sudden cardiac arrest. Such portable defibrillators, referred to as automatic or semi-automatic external defibrillators (generally, AED's), may be stored in an accessible location at a business, home, aircraft or the like. Due to the increased diligence required to properly maintain rechargeable battery packs, some recently developed portable defibrillators have been configured to receive a non-rechargeable battery pack. This is more common in recent history due to advances in battery technology that have allowed for the development of long life, high capacity non-rechargeable battery packs.
One particular problem that arises using currently available portable defibrillators is that occasionally it may be necessary or desired to operate the device in accordance with a use model different than that for which the defibrillator was originally designed. One characteristic of traditional defibrillators that prevents such a change in operation is the implementation of a self-test protocol that verifies the reliability of the defibrillator, including the installed battery pack. The self-test protocol is traditionally established when the defibrillator is manufactured in anticipation that the defibrillator will be used with a particular battery pack. Unfortunately, the defibrillator is required to thereafter restrict the battery packs that it is receives to only the particular type of battery pack that can support and be verified by the implemented self-test protocol. This in turn prevents the defibrillator from being operated in accordance with a use model other than that which the defibrillator was originally designed due to limitations associated with the acceptable type of battery pack.
What is needed, therefore, is a method and apparatus for insuring the reliability and availability of a device such as a portable defibrillator without restricting or otherwise limiting the use model of the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to the performance of one or more periodic automatic self-tests of a powered device, the periodicity of which is a function of one or more characteristics of an installed power module, such as a battery pack or AC power pack. Advantageously, a desired device reliability can be achieved by adjusting the periodicity of the self-tests to optimally verify a particular installed power module. As a result, the device is not required to restrict the type of power module that it receives to only the type that can support and be verified by an implemented self-test protocol. Rather, the self-test protocol may be modified to accommodate the characteristics of an installed power module, allowing the device to be equipped to operate with any power module appropriate for use with that device and the intended use model. This allows the device to be operated with different types of power modules and, therefore, in accordance with different use models.
A number of aspects of the invention are summarized below, along with different embodiments that may be implemented for each of the summarized aspects. It should be understood that the summarized embodiments are not necessarily inclusive or exclusive of each other and may be combined in any manner in connection with the same or different aspects that is non-conflicting and otherwise possible. These disclosed aspects of the invention, which are directed primarily to systems, methods, data and techniques related to the performance of self-tests in powered devices, are exemplary aspects only and are also to be considered non-limiting.
In one aspect of the invention, a method for performing automatically a self-test in a powered device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: (a) determining a periodicity at which the self-test is to be performed based on one or more characteristics of an installed power module; and (b) performing the self-test at the determined periodicity. The method may also include a step (c) prior to step (a), storing one or more variables in a data storage device in the power module, wherein the variables are indicative of the characteristics of the power module considered in step (a). In one embodiment, the determining step comprises the steps of (a)(i) monitoring the characteristics from the installed power module; and (a)(ii) determining the periodicity for the self-test based on monitored characteristics. In one embodiment wherein the power module is a battery pack, the monitored characteristics may include battery characteristics such as battery chemistry, rechargeability, current battery capacity, self-test periodicity and projected frequency of use.
In another aspect of the invention, a test interval determinator is disclosed. The test interval determinator determines a periodicity at which a periodic automatic self-test of a powered device is to be performed. The determinator is configured to receive at least one characteristic of a power module installed in the device, and to generate a period at which the self-test is to be performed, wherein the self-test period is a function of the at least one characteristic of
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