System and method for conserving power in a medical device

Abstract

A system and method for conservation of battery power in a portable medical device is provided. In one example, a processor arrangement that includes a plurality of processors is implemented. At least one of these processors is configured to execute the critical functions of the medical device, while one or more other processors assume a reduced service level, thereby drawing significantly less power. According to this arrangement, the medical device conserves energy by drawing the additional electrical power needed to activate the additional processing power only when needed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An external medical device comprising:
 a shared memory located within the medical device;   a general purpose processor located within the medical device, coupled to the shared memory, and configured to process at least one event; and   a critical purpose processor located within the medical device, coupled to the shared memory, and configured to:
 instruct the general purpose processor to enter a reduced service state; 
 detect at least one event that the general purpose processor is configured to process; and 
 instruct the general purpose processor to enter an active state, wherein the general purpose processor processes the at least one event. 
   
     
     
         2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one event includes at least one of a critical event, expiration of a predetermined period of time, and that the shared memory is full. 
     
     
         3 . The medical device of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one physiological sensor, wherein the critical event includes reception of abnormal physiological information via the at least one physiological sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The medical device of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one physiological sensor includes at least one of a body temperature sensor, a respiration monitor, and an electrode. 
     
     
         5 . The medical device of  claim 4 , wherein the critical event includes at least one of a physiological sensor falloff and a cardiac dysrhythmia. 
     
     
         6 . The medical device of  claim 5 , wherein the general purpose processor processes the at least one event by issuing a notification via a user interface. 
     
     
         7 . The medical device of  claim 2 , wherein a length of the predetermined period of time is configurable. 
     
     
         8 . The medical device of  claim 7 , wherein the length is based on previously detected critical event. 
     
     
         9 . A method for conserving electrical power in an external medical device, the method comprising:
 instructing a general purpose processor located within the medical device to enter a reduced service state;   detecting, on a critical purpose processor located within the medical device, at least one event that the general purpose processor is configured to process;   instructing the general purpose processor to enter an active state; and   processing, on the general purpose processor, the at least one event.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein detecting the at least one event includes detecting at least one of a critical event, expiration of a predetermined period of time, and that a shared memory coupled to the general purpose processor and the critical purpose processor is full. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein detecting the at least one event includes receiving abnormal physiological information via at least one physiological sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein receiving the abnormal physiological information via the at least one physiological sensor includes receiving information from at least one of a body temperature sensor, a respiration monitor, and an electrode. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein detecting the at least one of the critical event, the expiration of the predetermined period of time, and that the shared memory is full includes detecting at least one of a physiological sensor falloff and a cardiac dysrhythmia. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein processing the at least one event includes issuing a notification via a user interface. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising configuring a length of the predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein configuring the length includes configuring the length based on a previously detected critical event. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing sequences of executable instructions configured to instruct a plurality of processors to conserve power in an external medical device, the sequences of instructions including instructions to:
 instruct a general purpose processor located within the medical device to enter a reduced service state;   detect, on a critical purpose processor located within the medical device, at least one event that the general purpose processor is configured to process;   instruct the general purpose processor to enter an active state; and   process, on the general purpose processor, the at least one event.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions to detect the at least one event include instructions to detect at least one of a critical event, expiration of a predetermined period of time, and that a shared memory coupled to the general purpose processor and the critical purpose processor is full. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions to detect the at least one event include instruction to receive abnormal physiological information via at least one physiological sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions to receive the abnormal physiological information via the at least one physiological sensor include instructions to receiving information from at least one of a body temperature sensor, a respiration monitor, and an electrode.