IP Library Granted Patent US 12,412,657
Granted Patent B2
US 12,412,657 · App. 17/466,681 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Artificial heart control systems and methods

Inventors: Jon Kevin Muse (Thompsons Station, TN); Gregory J. Boss (Saginaw, MI); Komal Khatri (Cedar Park, TX); Marilyn L. Gordon (Cherry Hill, NJ)
Assignee: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
G16H40/63A61M60/196A61M60/531A61M60/892G06F9/54G16H20/40G16H40/60A61M2205/3523A61M2205/52
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,412,657
App. No.
17/466,681
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A controller for an artificial heart enables activity-specific adjustments to the operation of an artificial heart by obtaining sensor data from a plurality of sensors monitoring characteristics of a patient's body, and using the sensor data as input to one or more control parameter models for identifying control parameters to be provided to the artificial heart to adjust the operational parameters of the artificial heart. The controller is in wireless communication with the artificial heart via an application program interface (API)-based communication channel that facilitates communication between the controller and the artificial heart. Moreover, a cloud-based management computing entity may be utilized to train and/or execute one or more models to enable real-time updates to the operational characteristics of the artificial heart to enable the artificial heart to appropriately accommodate activities of the patient.

Claims (20)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, user input associated with a patient;

receiving, by the one or more processors, sensor data generated by one or more body sensors monitoring a body of the patient;

identifying, by the one or more processors and based at least in part on the sensor data and the user input, target operational parameters for an artificial heart;

determining, by the one or more processors and based at least in part on a control parameter model, control parameters for the artificial heart to achieve the target operational parameters, wherein the control parameter model correlates the control parameters and the target operational parameters based at least in part on the sensor data;

determining, by the one or more processors and based at least in part on the control parameters and current operational parameters of the artificial heart, a ramp rate for implementing the control parameters by the artificial heart; and

causing, by the one or more processors, the artificial heart to implement the control parameters to achieve the target operational parameters according to the ramp rate in real-time.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the one or more processors, operational parameter data, and wherein determining the control parameters for the artificial heart comprises determining control parameters to achieve operational parameters of the operational parameter data.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring, by the one or more processors, a communication channel with the artificial heart for one or more trigger conditions, and upon detecting a trigger condition, causing the artificial heart to operate in a safety mode at a constant blood flow rate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving one or more of: blood pressure data, blood oxygenation data, body temperature data, or blood glucose level data.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving sensor data generated by one or more sensors of the artificial heart and transmitted on a communication channel.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving sensor data generated by one or more sensors attached to the body of the patient.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, user input requesting a heart rate boost; and

causing, by the one or more processors, data indicative of the heart rate boost to be transmitted to the artificial heart on a communication channel to cause the artificial heart to adjust the target operational parameters to achieve the heart rate boost.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

receiving, by the one or more processors, the user input associated with the patient comprises receiving the user input from a software application operating on a mobile user computing entity.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the mobile user computing entity comprises a mobile phone of the patient; and

the user input is based at least in part on a selection to a graphical user interface (GUI) rendered on a display of the mobile phone.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 3, 2021
From: MUSE, JON KEVIN; BOSS, GREGORY J.; KHATRI, KOMAL; GORDON, MARILYN L.
To: UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 057385/0025 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230076293A1 · Mar 9, 2023
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