US 12,138,441 B2
TETS coil alignment conditions algorithm
Eric A. Schilling, Ham Lake, MN (US); John Rudser, Miami, FL (US); David J. Peichel, Minneapolis, MN (US); and Brian D. Kuhnley, Delano, MN (US)
Assigned to Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/163,740.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/988,434, filed on Mar. 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0283392 A1, Sep. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. A61M 60/875 (2021.01); A61M 60/178 (2021.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.01); H02J 50/90 (2016.01)
CPC A61M 60/875 (2021.01) [A61M 60/178 (2021.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.02); H02J 50/90 (2016.02); A61M 2205/04 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3368 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3576 (2013.01); A61M 2205/50 (2013.01); A61M 2205/581 (2013.01); A61M 2205/582 (2013.01); A61M 2205/583 (2013.01); A61M 2205/8206 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transcutaneous energy transfer system, comprising:
an external controller having a power source and a processing circuitry;
a transmission coil in communication with the external controller;
a receiving coil configured for transcutaneous inductive communication with the transmission coil; and
an implantable controller in communication with the receiving coil and an implantable blood pump, the implantable controller having a battery configured to receive power from the receiving coil,
the processing circuitry being configured to:
determine, based on a temperature of the transmission coil and a power transfer efficiency between the transmission coil and the receiving coil, an operating condition of the processing circuitry from a plurality of operating conditions, wherein each operating condition of the plurality of operating conditions is associated with a corresponding urgency of user intervention, and wherein the plurality of operating conditions comprises:
a first operating condition associated with no urgency of user intervention, wherein the first operating condition occurs when the temperature of the transmission coil is below a first predetermined transmission coil temperature and when the power transfer efficiency between the transmission coil and the receiving coil is above a first predetermined threshold of at least 80%;
a second operating condition associated with a mild urgency of user intervention, wherein the second operating condition occurs when either the power transfer efficiency between the transmission coil and the receiving coil drops below a second predetermined threshold between 65% and 80% or the temperature of the transmission coil rises above a second predetermined transmission coil temperature; and
generate a notification associated with the operating condition of the processing circuitry.