The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 24, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 26, 1998
Scott O. Schweizer, Snohomish, WA (US);
Gus H. White, Redmond, WA (US);
Aaron Huynh, Bothell, WA (US);
Physio-Control Manufacturing Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing automatic power switching in a portable external defibrillator is disclosed. The power supply switching circuit includes a plurality of power supply ports for receiving power sources such as batteries and external power sources. The power supply switching circuit works with both batteries that include monitoring devices (smart batteries) and batteries that do not include monitoring devices (dumb batteries). The power supply switching circuit also includes microprocessor controllable switches for selectively coupling the power supply ports to the output of the power supply switching circuit, and a microprocessor for controlling the switches and for monitoring the power supply ports. Resident in the microprocessor is a control program for controlling the switching and monitoring operations. The control program uses data received from the power sources to select the best available power source to be used as the output for the power supply switching circuit. The control program has routines for monitoring both smart and dumb batteries, and the power supply switching circuit can thus use a combination of smart and dumb batteries. In one test, a load is placed on a battery and then the output voltage of the battery is measured. A user of the defibrillator is kept completely informed as to the status of the power sources through information that is provided from a display or auditory signals. For smart batteries, a fuel gauge is provided on the display. Warnings are provided when a battery needs changing, or when other user action is required.