External defibrillator with power and battery sharing capabilities with a pod

Abstract

A modular external defibrillator system in embodiments of the teachings may include one or more of the following features: (a) a base containing a defibrillator module to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient, (b) a patient parameter monitoring pod connectable to a patient via patient lead cables to collect patient data, the patient data including at least one patient vital sign, (c) a power supply sharing link between the base and the pod, the pod receiving power from the base via the power sharing link, the pod being operable to collect patient data without receiving power from the base, and (d) an external battery charger, the battery charger interrogating the batteries to determine battery information used for battery charging, the battery information including at least one of charging voltage, charging current, and charge time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A defibrillator monitoring system, comprising:
 a patient parameter monitoring pod having a pod battery, the patient parameter monitoring pod configured to receive patient data that includes at least one patient vital sign;   a portable base having a base battery and a power module that is configured to determine a pod battery charge condition and a base battery charge condition; and   a power supply sharing link electrically coupled between the portable base and the patient parameter monitoring pod, the power supply sharing link configured to selectively share power between the pod battery and the base battery via the power supply sharing link based at least in part on the patient parameter monitoring pod battery charge condition and the base battery charge condition.   
     
     
         2 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable base is configured to share power with the pod battery in response to the power module determining the base battery is in a low power state. 
     
     
         3 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient parameter monitoring pod is configured to share power with the base battery in response to the power module determining the pod battery is in a low power state. 
     
     
         4 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , in which the portable base further includes a defibrillator module configured to provide at least one of pacing, defibrillation, and cardioversion and is powered, at least in part, by the base battery. 
     
     
         5 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient monitoring pod is structured to operate when detached from the portable base and when mounted on the portable base. 
     
     
         6 . The monitoring system of  claim 5 , wherein the patient monitoring pod communicates wirelessly with the portable base when detached from the portable base. 
     
     
         7 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the portable base and the patient parameter monitoring pod includes a display. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the patient data includes an end tidal CO2 (EtC02) level of a patient. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , in which the patient parameter monitoring pod includes an EtC02 module operable to collect an EtC02 level of a patient. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the patient data includes a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) of a patient. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , in which the patient parameter monitoring pod further comprises an NIBP module operable to collect an NIBP of the patient. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the patient data includes a peripheral oxygen saturation (Sp02) level of a patient. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , in which the patient parameter monitoring pod further comprises an Sp02 module operable to collect the Sp02 level of the patient. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pod battery charge condition further comprises a determination of a charge time period for the amount of time to charge the pod battery. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the pod battery charge condition further comprises a determination of the level of energy required to charge the pod battery. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the base battery charge condition further comprises a determination of a charge time period for the amount of time to charge the base battery. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the base battery charge condition further comprises a determination of the level of energy required to charge the base battery. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient parameter monitoring pod is configured to receive the patient data without receiving power from the portable base. 
     
     
         19 . A defibrillator monitoring system, comprising:
 a patient parameter monitoring pod including a pod battery, the patient parameter monitoring pod configured to receive patient data that includes at least one patient vital sign;   a portable base that includes a base battery and a power module that is configured to determine a pod battery charge condition and a base battery charge condition; and   a power supply sharing link electrically coupled between the portable base and the patient parameter monitoring pod, the power supply sharing link configured to selectively charge one or the other of the pod battery and the base battery based at least in part on the patient parameter monitoring pod battery charge condition and the base battery charge condition.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the patient parameter monitoring pod is configured to receive the patient data without receiving power from the portable base.