IP Library Granted Patent US 12,646,953
Granted Patent B2
US 12,646,953 · App. 18/641,960 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Energy management of blood pump controllers

Inventors: Brian Kimball (Medford, MA); Joseph C. Stark, III (San Leandro, CA); Peter Thatcher (Benicia, CA); John Freddy Hansen (Pleasanton, CA); Peter Andriola (Dublin, CA); Carine Hoarau (Lafayette, CA); Jaime Arturo Romero (San Leandro, CA); Jesse Gage (Los Altos Hills, CA)
Assignee: TC1 LLC
H02J7/0013A61M60/117A61M60/148A61M60/178A61M60/232A61M60/50A61M60/538A61M60/871A61M60/876H02J7/00H02J7/0047H02J7/34A61M2205/3368A61M2205/3523A61M2205/3592A61M2205/8206A61M2205/8237A61M2205/8262G01R31/382
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,646,953
App. No.
18/641,960
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and related methods for supplying power to a medical device. A medical system includes a medical service and a base module. The medical device is configured to be worn by a user or implanted in the user. The base module is configured to control operation of the medical device and supply electrical power to the medical device. The base module includes a base module input connector that includes two power connectors, two ground connectors, and a data connector arranged in a symmetrical arrangement that accommodates two opposite connection orientations of a mating input connector with the base module input connector.

Claims (51)

1 . A medical system comprising:

a medical device configured to be worn by a user or implanted in the user;

a base module configured to control operation of the medical device and supply electrical power to the medical device, wherein the base module comprises a base module input connector comprising two power connectors, two ground connectors, and a data connector arranged in a symmetrical arrangement that accommodates two opposite connection orientations of a mating output connector with the base module input connector.

2 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein:

the base module comprises one or more base module battery cells; and

the base module is configured to control distribution of electrical power received via the base module input connector to charge the one or more base module battery cells and/or to be output from the base module to supply electrical power to the medical device.

3 . The medical system of claim 2 , further comprising an external power source configured to transfer a connection signal to the base module, wherein the connection signal is indicative of connection of the external power source to the base module.

4 . The medical system of claim 3 , wherein:

the base module is configured to monitor a base module charge level of the one or more base module battery cells; and

the base module is configured to communicate the base module charge level to the user or a person other than the user.

5 . The medical system of claim 4 , wherein:

the external power source comprises an external battery module, wherein the external battery module comprises one or more battery cells, and an external battery module controller;

the external battery module controller is configured to monitor a charge level of the external battery module and communicate the charge level of the external battery module to the base module; and

the base module is configured to communicate the charge level of the external battery module to the user or a person other than the user.

6 . The medical system of claim 5 , wherein the base module is configured to control distribution of electrical power received by the external battery module to charge the external battery module and output electrical power to the base module.

7 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the base module further comprises a base module output connector comprising two power connectors, two ground connectors, and a data connector arranged in a symmetrical arrangement that accommodates two opposite connection orientations of a mating output connector with the base module output connector.

8 . The medical system of claim 1 , further comprising: a percutaneous connection line that operatively couples the medical device to the base module.

9 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein electrical power for powering operation of the medical device is transferred via transcutaneous power transmission.

10 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the data connector comprises a fiber optic connector.

11 . A method of supplying electrical power to a medical device worn by a user or implanted in the user, the method comprising:

transmitting electrical power from an external power source to a base module through a base module input connector of the base module, wherein the base module input connector comprises two power connectors, two ground connectors, and a data connector arranged in a symmetrical arrangement that accommodates two opposite connection orientations of a mating output connector with the base module input connector;

supplying electrical power to the medical device via the base module; and

controlling, by the base module, operation of the medical device.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the base module comprises one or more base module battery cells; and

the method further comprises controlling, via the base module, distribution of electrical power received by the base module to simultaneously charge the one or more base module battery cells and output electrical power to the medical device.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising transferring a connection signal over a connection cable from an external power source to the base module indicating connection of the external power source to the base module.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:

the external power source comprises an external battery module;

the external battery module comprises an external battery module controller and one or more external battery module battery cells;

the method further comprises:

monitoring a charge level of the external battery module;

communicating the charge level of the external battery module to the base module; and

communicating the charge level of the external battery module to the user or a person other than the user.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising implementing a charging sequence in which the base module is charged first via electrical power received by the external battery module and the external battery module is charged via the electrical power received by the external battery module after the base module is charged.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

generating a base module temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the base module; and

controlling, via the base module, charging of the base module based on the base module temperature signal to prevent a charging induced exceedance of a predetermined base module temperature.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

monitoring a charge level of the base module; and

communicating the charge level of the base module to the user or a person other than the user.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein communicating the charge level of the base module to the user or a person other than the user comprises wirelessly transmitting the charge level of the base module to an electronic device for communication to the user or a person other than the user.

19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

monitoring, via the external battery module controller, a charge level of the external battery module;

communicating the charge level of the external battery module over the connection cable to the base module; and

wirelessly transmitting, via the base module, the charge level of the external battery module to an electronic device for communication to the user or a person other than the user.

20 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

generating an external battery module temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the external battery module; and

controlling, via the external battery module controller, charging of the external battery module based on the external battery module temperature signal to prevent a charging induced exceedance of a predetermined external battery module temperature.

21 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting, by the base module, electrical power to the medical device through a percutaneous connection line or via transcutaneous power transmission.

22 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the data connector comprises a fiber optic connector.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2024
From: KIMBALL, BRIAN; STARK, JOSEPH C., III; THATCHER, PETER; HANSEN, JOHN FREDDY; ANDRIOLA, PETER; HOARAU, CARINE; ROMERO, JAIME ARTURO; GAGE, JESSE
To: THORATEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067536/0616 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 28, 2024
From: THORATEC CORPORATION
To: THORATEC LLC
Reel/Frame 067549/0783 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2024
From: THORATEC LLC
To: TC1 LLC
Reel/Frame 067823/0378 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17884495 · Aug 9, 2022
Continuation 16909035 · Jun 23, 2020
Continuation 15972909 · May 7, 2018
Continuation PCTUS2016062740 · Nov 18, 2016
Provisional Application 62257894 · Nov 20, 2015
Related Publication 20240275182A1 · Aug 15, 2024
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