Patent ID: 6490484
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
A method for determining the operating status of a battery in an implantable cardioverter/defibrillator, comprising:intermittently measuring an open circuit battery voltage, and determining a present open circuit voltage status as being one of a plurality of open circuit voltage status states ranging from best to worst based upon the voltage measurement; intermittently reforming an electrolytic capacitor by charging the capacitor to full voltage and measuring the time required for such charging, and determining a present capacitor charge time status as being one of a plurality of capacitor charge time states ranging from best to worst based upon the charge time measurement; determining a present operating status of the battery to be one of a plurality of operating status states ranging from best to worst based upon a combination of the present open circuit voltage status and capacitor charge time status; and, adjusting a time interval for periodically reforming the electrolytic capacitor in a manner dependent upon the present operating status of the battery.