Electrode assembly having various communicative solutions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10974040-B2
Application number	US-201715680199-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2017
Priority date	Jul 25, 2013
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

Technologies and implementations for a defibrillator electrode having communicative capabilities are generally disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A therapy electrode, comprising:
a pad having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
a circuit disposed on the first surface of the pad;
gel disposed on the second surface of the pad; and
a gel integrity sensor coupled to the circuit and disposed on the second surface of the pad, the gel integrity sensor configured to:
sense a characteristic associated with an integrity of the gel, and
send, to the circuit, information indicative of the sensed characteristic associated with the integrity of the gel, and

the circuit configured to determine, based at least in part on the information, an integrity level of the gel.

2. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the circuit comprises a processor configured to execute instructions that cause the processor to determine the integrity level of the gel based at least in part on the information.

3. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the circuit comprises a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag.

4. The therapy electrode of claim 3 , wherein the RFID tag comprises a passive tag.

5. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the circuit comprises a communication module configured to receive data.

6. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the gel comprises a conductive gel.

7. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the gel integrity sensor comprises a conductivity sensor configured to sense a conductivity level of the gel and wherein the information is indicative of the sensed conductivity level of the gel.

8. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the gel integrity sensor comprises a humidity and temperature sensor configured to sense a moisture content and temperature of the gel and wherein the information is indicative of the sensed moisture content and temperature of the gel.

9. The therapy electrode of claim 5 , wherein the communication module is further configured to receive an instruction to cause the circuit to evaluate the information indicative of the sensed characteristic associated with the integrity of the gel.

10. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the circuit is further configured to evaluate the information and determine if a value associated with the integrity level of the gel is within a predetermined range.

11. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the therapy electrode is further configured to be coupled to a medical device, and wherein the circuit is further configured to cause, based at least in part on the integrity level of the gel, an interruption of first electrical signals to prevent an electrical shock from being delivered via the therapy electrode while allowing second electrical signals to be transmitted from the therapy electrode to the medical device.

12. The therapy electrode of claim 11 , wherein the circuit is further configured to output a user instruction based at least in part on the interruption of the first electrical signals.

13. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , further comprising a memory coupled to the circuit, the memory configured to store the information indicative of the sensed characteristic associated with the integrity of the gel.

14. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the sensed characteristic associated with the integrity of the gel is one of a conductance of the gel, an impedance of the gel, a capacitance of the gel, a moisture content of the gel, a temperature cycle of the gel, and an expiration date of the gel.

15. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the gel integrity sensor comprises:
a conductivity sensor configured to sense a conductivity of the gel and to send the information indicative of the sensed conductivity.

16. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the gel integrity sensor comprises a humidity and temperature sensor configured to:
sense a moisture content and temperature of the gel, and
send the information indicative of the sensed moisture content and temperature to which the therapy electrode has been subjected prior to a coupling of the therapy electrode to a medical device.

17. The therapy electrode of claim 3 , wherein the RFID tag comprises an active tag.

18. The therapy electrode of claim 3 , wherein the RFID tag comprises a battery-assisted passive tag.

19. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the circuit comprises a communication module configured to transmit data.

20. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the gel comprises an adhesive gel.

21. The therapy electrode of claim 5 , wherein the communication module is further configured to receive an instruction to cause the circuit to determine if a value associated with the integrity level of the gel is within a predetermined range.

22. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , further comprising a memory coupled to the gel integrity sensor, the memory configured to store the information indicative of the sensed characteristic associated with the integrity of the gel.

23. The therapy electrode of claim 1 , wherein the gel integrity sensor comprises a humidity and temperature sensor configured to sense a moisture content and a temperature of the gel and to send the information indicative of the sensed moisture content and temperature.

24. A therapy electrode, comprising:
a pad having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
a circuit disposed on the first surface of the pad, the circuit having a processor;
gel disposed on the second surface of the pad; and
a gel integrity sensor coupled to the circuit and disposed on the second surface of the pad, the gel integrity sensor configured to:
sense a characteristic associated with an integrity of the gel, and
send, to the circuit, information indicative of the sensed characteristic associated with the integrity of the gel, and

the processor configured to process the information to determine a value associated with an integrity level of the gel.

25. The therapy electrode of claim 24 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause, based at least in part on the value, an interruption of first electrical signals to prevent an electrical shock from being delivered via the therapy electrode while allowing second electrical signals to be transmitted from the therapy electrode to a medical device that is coupled to the therapy electrode.

26. The therapy electrode of claim 25 , wherein causing the interruption based at least in part on the value comprises:
determining, by the processor, that the value is not within a predetermined range; and
causing the interruption based at least in part on determining that the value is not within the predetermined range.

27. An electrode configured to deliver an electrical shock, the electrode comprising:
a pad having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
a circuit disposed on the first surface of the pad;
gel disposed on the second surface of the pad; and
a gel integrity sensor coupled to the circuit and disposed on the second surface of the pad, the gel integrity sensor configured to:
sense a characteristic associated with an integrity of the gel, and
send, to the circuit, information indicative of the sensed characteristic associated with the integrity of the gel, and

the circuit configured to determine, based at least in part on the information, an integrity level of the gel.

28. The electrode of claim 27 , wherein the circu

Assignees

• Physio Control Inc

Inventors

• Jensen Jennifer Goeman
• Hoss Jennifer Elaine
• Smith Mitchell A
• Peterson Kenneth J
• Nelson Maren Louise
• Belalcazar Andres
• Piraino Daniel W
• Knapinski John Robert
• Bielstein Matthew L
• Albright Ethan P
• Edwards Jeffery S
• Tamura Paul S

Classifications

• A61N1/046 Primary

  Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation · CPC title

• A61N1/0492

  Patch electrodes (A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence) · CPC title