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:
Mar. 29, 2005
Filed:
Apr. 24, 2003
Gregory T. Kavounas, Kirkland, WA (US);
Gregory T. Kavounas, Kirkland, WA (US);
Medtronic Physio-Control Manufacturing Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for portable medical devices such as defibrillators having different charging and operating voltages. The apparatus comprises a connection for receiving DC input voltage VIN, an energy storage device (e.g., a capacitor), a battery having at least two cells therein coupled to the connection and the capacitor, and switches to selectively reconfigure the battery cells so as to: (i) charge from VIN, and (ii) discharge to the capacitor at VOUT>VIN. The method comprises charging the battery from VIN while its cells are arranged substantially in parallel, then reconfiguring the switches to arrange some of the charged cells substantially in series to give VOUT>VIN, and then charging the capacitor therefrom. The cells are thereafter reconfigured back to the parallel arrangement ready to be recharged from VIN. Isolation switches are conveniently provided to isolate the battery from VIN while charging the capacitor.