Method of selecting replacement indicating voltage for an implantable electrochemical cell

1. A method for providing an elective replacement indicator voltage for a first electrochemical cell intended as a power source for an implantable medical device, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a second electrochemical cell that is substantially identical to the first cell, the second cell comprised of:

i) an anode;

ii) a cathode of a first cathode active material different than a second cathode active material, the first cathode active material being of a first energy density and a first rate capability and the second cathode active material being of a second energy density and a second rate capability, wherein the first cathode active material is contacted to one side of a current collector and facing the anode with the second cathode active material positioned on the opposite side of the current collector, and wherein the first energy density of the first cathode active material is less than the second energy density of the second cathode active material while the first rate capability of the first cathode active material is greater than the second rate capability of the second cathode active material; and

iii) an electrolyte activating the anode and the cathode;

b) repeatedly connecting and disconnecting the second cell to a sequence of at least three loads, thereby discharging the second cell from a state of about zero percent depth-of-discharge to at least about ninety percent depth-of-discharge while measuring cell voltage;

c) generating cell voltage vs. depth-of-discharge data plots for the at least three loads to which the second cell is repeatedly connected;

d) identifying a range of depth-of-discharge for the at least three loads, wherein a statistical indicator of the variability of the second cell voltage with load at the same depth-of-discharge is less than a predetermined value among all of the at least three loads; and

e) defining the elective replacement indicator voltage for the first electrochemical cell as that cell voltage that occurs at a predetermined load at a specified point within the identified range for the second electrochemical cell.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined load is in the range of the upper and lower limits, inclusive, of the at least three loads.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the statistical indicator is the difference between the maximum cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage at the same depth-of-discharge.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the statistical indicator is the standard deviation of the cell voltages at the same depth-of-discharge.