Modular defibrillator architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11097121-B2
Application number	US-201816146096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2018
Priority date	Oct 2, 2017
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

Several defibrillators, defibrillator architectures, defibrillator components and methods of operating defibrillators are described. In one aspect, a modular defibrillator architecture is described. A base unit provides a fully functional defibrillator. The functionality of the base unit can be supplemented by attaching an interface unit to the base unit or by connecting a smartphone the base unit. Such devices provide connectivity as well as a screen for displaying supplementary graphics and/or videos which are useful to support both emergency and maintenance & monitoring activities. In some embodiments a battery pack may also or alternatively be coupled to the base unit to prolong the unit's shelf life before recharging or replacement of its batteries is required. If necessary the base unit can be powered from a connected external device such as a mobile communication device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A defibrillator comprising:
a defibrillator controller;
a discharge capacitor unit configured to store and discharge sufficient energy to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient;
charging circuitry configured to charge the discharge capacitor unit to a voltage suitable for delivery of the defibrillation shock;
discharge circuitry suitable for discharging the discharge capacitor unit to deliver the defibrillation shock;
a battery configured to power the defibrillator and to provide power for charging the discharge capacitor unit;
a USB connector port;
a battery charging controller electrically connected to the USB connector port and configured to facilitate charging the battery using power drawn from a portable external device through the USB connector port when the portable external device is electrically connected to the defibrillator via the USB connector port; and
a bypass circuit electrically coupled to the USB connector port and configured to provide power received from the portable external device through the USB connector port directly to the charging circuitry without passing through the battery charging controller to facilitate charging the discharge capacitor unit using power drawn through the USB connector port when the portable external device is electrically connected to the defibrillator via the USB connector port during charging of the discharge capacitor unit.

2. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 wherein the bypass circuit includes a draw regulator configured to regulate the power drawn from the portable external device to prevent the power drawn from the portable external device from exceeding a designated current delivery threshold associated with the portable external device.

3. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 wherein the bypass circuit alone is used to charge the discharge capacitor unit when the external device is connected to the defibrillator during charging of the discharge capacitor unit and the battery is fully discharged.

4. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 wherein the portable external device that delivers power to the bypass circuit is a battery powered device.

5. A defibrillator as recited in claim 4 further comprising a defibrillator housing that contains the defibrillator controller, the discharge capacitor unit, the charging circuitry, the bypass circuit and the discharge circuitry, and wherein the USB connector port is exposed externally on the defibrillator housing.

6. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 further comprising a pair of defibrillator electrode pads suitable for attachment to the patient to deliver the defibrillation shock, and wherein the bypass circuit is configured to facilitate charging the discharge capacitor unit while the defibrillator is in emergency use with the defibrillator electrode pads coupled to the patient at a location at which power from a power grid is not readily available.

7. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 wherein the portable external device that provides power to the bypass circuit is a cellular phone or other mobile communication device.

8. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 wherein the portable external device that provides power to the bypass circuit is a supplemental battery pack mounted on and detachably coupled to the defibrillator.

9. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 further comprising a second connector for electrically coupling a second external device to the defibrillator, the second connector being different than the USB connector port and configured to receive power from the second external device that can be used selectively to: (i) help charge the discharge capacitor unit; or (ii) recharge the defibrillator's battery.

10. A defibrillator as recited in claim 9 wherein the second external device is a dedicated interface unit that has no substantial function other than to operate in conjunction with the defibrillator but is not required for the defibrillator to operate properly.

11. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 wherein the defibrillator is fully functional without the presence of the portable external device and does not utilize any control instructions from the portable external device during emergency use of the defibrillator.

12. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 wherein the bypass circuit is further configured to provide power received through the USB connector port from the portable external device to the charging circuitry in parallel with power received from the battery to facilitate charging the discharge capacitor unit when the portable external device is connected to the defibrillator during charging of the discharge capacitor unit.

13. A defibrillator as recited in claim 1 wherein the bypass circuit is suitable for delivering power to the charging circuit while the defibrillator is being used in the field and the portable external device is not connected to a power grid.

14. A defibrillator system comprising:
a defibrillator as recited in claim 1 , wherein the defibrillator is a base defibrillator unit that constitutes a fully functional defibrillator that is independently capable of determining when a defibrillation shock is advisable and delivering the defibrillation shock; and
a supplemental battery pack mounted on and detachably attached to the base defibrillator unit such that the base defibrillator unit and the attached supplemental battery pack form a unitary unit that may be carried together as a portable system; and
wherein the defibrillator's battery charging controller is configured to utilize power from the supplemental battery pack to recharge the defibrillator's battery.

15. A defibrillator system as recited in claim 14 wherein the battery charging controller is configured to draw power from the supplemental battery pack to charge the defibrillator's battery when it is determined that a charge level of the defibrillator's battery has fallen below a designated charge threshold.

16. A defibrillator system as recited in claim 14 wherein the supplementary battery pack is the portable external device.

17. A method of using a defibrillator as recited in claim 1 comprising:
electrically connecting the portable external device to the defibrillator via the USB connector port; and
charging the discharge capacitor using energy drawn from the portable external device during emergency use of the defibrillator.

18. A defibrillator comprising:
a defibrillator controller;
a discharge capacitor unit configured to store and discharge sufficient energy to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient;
charging circuitry configured to charge the discharge capacitor unit to a voltage suitable for delivery of the defibrillation shock;
discharge circuitry suitable for discharging the discharge capacitor unit to deliver the defibrillation shock;
a battery configured to power the defibrillator and to provide power for charging the discharge capacitor unit;
a power receiver configured suitably to receive electrical power from a battery powered portable external device during emergency use of the defibrillator;
a battery charging controller electrically connected to the power receiver and configured to facilitate selective charging of the battery during the emergency use of the defibrillator using power received from the battery powered portable external device through the power receiver; and
a bypass circuit electrically coupled to the power receiver and configured to selectively provide power received from the battery powered portable external device to the charging circuitry wit

Assignees

• Revive Solutions Inc
• Avive Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Beyer Rory M
• Andrews Gordon Moseley P

Classifications

• H02J7/927

  with introduction of pulses during the charging process · CPC title

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/94

  in response to battery current · CPC title