Apparatus and method for optimizing capacitor charge in a medical device

Abstract

A medical device for electrical termination of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart in embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features: (a) at least one battery; (b) means for detection of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart; (c) at least one high voltage capacitor; (d) converter means for providing charging current from said battery to said capacitor; (e) means for maintenance of a charge on said capacitor between arrhythmia therapies; (f) controller means responsive to detection of an arrhythmic condition of said patient's heart and for providing a discharge control signal; and (g) discharge circuit means for delivering voltage stored on said capacitor to said patient's heart in response to said discharge control signal.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A medical device comprising: 
 at least one battery;    means for detection of an arrhythmic condition;    at least one high voltage capacitor;    converter means for providing charging current from said at least one battery to said at least one capacitor;    means for maintenance of a charge on said capacitor between arrhythmia therapies;    controller means responsive to detection of an arrhythmic condition of said patient's heart and for providing a discharge control signal; and    discharge circuit means for delivering voltage stored on said at least one capacitor to said patient's heart in response to said discharge control signal.    
     
     
         2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one high voltage capacitor is a low leakage high voltage capacitor.  
     
     
         3 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one battery provides for a capacitor charging time greater than about 10 seconds.  
     
     
         4 . The medical device of  claim 3 , wherein the charging time provides for a reduction in battery size.  
     
     
         5 . The medical device of  claim 4 , wherein the reduction in battery size provides for a reduction in medical device size.  
     
     
         6 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the voltage stored on said capacitor is delivered to said patient's heart at the quickest appropriate moment upon the detection of an arrhythmia condition of a patient's heart.  
     
     
         7 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the means for maintenance is comprised of an isolation means for disconnecting the converting means from said at least one capacitor after a predetermined charge level is reached on said at least one capacitor.  
     
     
         8 . The medical device of  claim 7 , wherein the converting means is isolated from the at least one capacitor for a predetermined amount of time before the converting means is reconnected to the at least one capacitor to restore any charge lost due to leakage.  
     
     
         9 . A medical device for electrical termination of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart of the type comprising: 
 at least one battery;    means for detection of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart;    at least one high voltage capacitor having low current leakage, said capacitor maintaining a charge between arrhythmia therapies;    converter means for providing charging current from said battery to said capacitor;    controller means responsive to detection of an arrhythmic condition of said patient's heart and for providing a discharge control signal; and    discharge circuit means for delivering voltage stored on said capacitor to said patient's heart in response to said discharge control signal.    
     
     
         10 . The medical device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one battery provides for a capacitor charging time greater than about 20 seconds.  
     
     
         11 . The medical device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one battery provides for a capacitor charging time greater than about 10 seconds.  
     
     
         12 . The medical device of  claim 11 , wherein the charging time provides for a reduction in battery size.  
     
     
         13 . The medical device of  claim 12 , wherein the reduction in battery size provides for a reduction in medical device size.  
     
     
         14 . The medical device of  claim 9 , wherein the voltage stored on said at least one capacitor is delivered to said patient's heart at the quickest appropriate moment upon the detection of an arrhythmia condition of a patient's heart.  
     
     
         15 . The medical device of  claim 14 , further comprising an isolation means for disconnecting the converting means from said capacitor after a predetermined charge level is reached on said capacitor.  
     
     
         16 . The medical device of  claim 15 , wherein the converting means is isolated from the capacitor for a predetermined amount of time before the converting means is reconnected to the capacitor to restore any charge lost due to leakage.  
     
     
         17 . The medical device of  claim 9 , wherein the capacitor is maintained at a full charge between arrhythmia therapies.  
     
     
         18 . The medical device of  claim 9 , wherein the capacitor is maintained at a partial charge between arrhythmia therapies.  
     
     
         19 . A medical device for electrical termination of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart of the type comprising: 
 at least one battery;    means for detection of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart;    at least one high voltage charge capacitor having low current leakage, said at least one high voltage charge capacitor maintains a charge between arrhythmia therapies;    at least one high voltage delivery capacitor;    converter means for providing charging current from said battery to said charge capacitor;    controller means responsive to detection of an arrhythmic condition of said patient's heart and for providing a discharge control signal; and    discharge circuit means for delivering voltage stored on said charge capacitor quickly to delivery capacitor and then delivering voltage stored on said delivery capacitor to said patient's heart in response to said discharge control signal.    
     
     
         20 . The medical device of  claim 19 , wherein the battery provides for a capacitor charging time greater than about 20 seconds.  
     
     
         21 . The medical device of  claim 20 , wherein the battery provides for a capacitor charging time greater than about 10 seconds.  
     
     
         22 . The medical device of  claim 21 , wherein the charging time provides for a reduction in battery size.  
     
     
         23 . The medical device of  claim 19 , wherein the reduction in battery size provides for a reduction in medical device size.  
     
     
         24 . The medical device of  claim 19 , wherein the voltage stored on said delivery capacitor is delivered at a proper time to said patient's heart immediately upon the detection of an arrhythmia condition of a patient's heart.  
     
     
         25 . The medical device of  claim 24 , further comprising an isolation means for disconnecting the converting means from said charging capacitor after a predetermined charge level is reached on said charging capacitor.  
     
     
         26 . The medical device of  claim 25 , wherein the converting means is isolated from the charging capacitor for a predetermined amount of time before the converting means is reconnected to the charging capacitor to restore any charge lost due to leakage.  
     
     
         27 . The medical device of  claim 19 , wherein the charging capacitor is maintained at a full charge between arrhythmia therapies.  
     
     
         28 . The medical device of  claim 19 , wherein the charging capacitor is maintained at a partial charge between arrhythmia therapies.  
     
     
         29 . A method for electrical termination of an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart of the type comprising the steps of: 
 charging at least one high voltage capacitor with current from at least one battery;    detecting an arrhythmic condition of a patient's heart;    maintaining the charge on said at least one capacitor between arrhythmia therapies;    providing a controller means responsive to detection of an arrhythmic condition of said patient's heart;    generating a discharge control signal upon detection of an arrhythmic condition of said patient's heart; and    delivering a voltage stored on said at least one capacitor to said patient's heart in response to said discharge control signal.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one high voltage capacitor is a low leakage high voltage capacitor.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one battery provides for a capacitor charging time greater than about 10 seconds.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one battery provides for a capacitor charging time greater than about 10 seconds.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the charging time provides for a reduction in battery size.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the reduction in battery size provides for a reduction in medical device size.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the voltage stored on said at least one capacitor is delivered to said patient's heart at the quickest appropriate moment upon the detection of an arrhythmia condition of a patient's heart.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising the step of disconnecting the at least one battery from said capacitor after a predetermined charge level is reached on said at least one capacitor.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising the step of isolating the at least one capacitor for a predetermined amount of time before reconnecting the at least one capacitor to the at least one battery to restore any charge lost due to leakage.