Invalidity dossier
US 9993588
Wearable VAD controller with reserve battery
Current assignee: Medtronic Inc
Added 9/23/2026, 1:45:12 PM
Active provider: DeepSeek · deepseek-flash
Patent summary
Title, assignee, inventors, filing/issue dates, abstract, and a plain-language overview of the claims.
Patent Overview — US 9,993,588 B2
Title: Wearable VAD controller with reserve battery
Patent number / application: US 9,993,588 B2; application US 12/602,914; pre-grant publication US 2010/0241223 A1.
Inventors: Jim Lee, James Malmstrom, James Long.
Assignee of record in the supplied text: Originally World Heart Corp USA (later recorded as WorldHeart, Inc.); current assignee listed as Medtronic Inc. (assignment recorded 2024-04-03).
Key dates (as stated): Priority 2007-06-06; filing 2008-06-06; publication 2018-06-12; status active with adjusted expiration 2032-06-13.
Purpose: The patent addresses power redundancy for blood pumps. Prior VAD systems reportedly required two external power sources — two external batteries, or a battery plus an AC mains connection — meaning a patient managed three "external packages." The disclosed approach places a reserve battery inside the external controller housing, so the patient manages only two packages: the controller plus one external battery, or the controller plus an AC mains connection.
Plain-language scope (from the excerpted claims/definitions):
- An apparatus with a primary power source for powering a VAD disposed subcutaneously within a patient, plus a controller housing containing a reserve battery that powers the VAD when the primary source provides inadequate power. The controller housing is configured for external use and connects to the VAD by a percutaneous cable.
- A method: power the VAD from a primary source, monitor the power supplied, and switch to the reserve source in the controller housing when monitored power is inadequate.
- Parallel apparatus and method claims are stated for a "mechanical circulatory support device" generally.
- Structure described: printed circuit boards within the housing control the pump and monitor power via ports to external battery, AC mains, and the pump; an alarm (audio and/or visual) is included.
Not established by this excerpt: Full claim language, dependent claims, the complete specification, drawing contents beyond FIG. 1 (exploded controller view) and FIG. 2 (controller in use by a patient), any dollar or quantitative power thresholds, battery chemistry or capacity, and the complete alarm description, which is cut off. No litigation, validity, enforceability, or prior-art analysis is offered here.
Generated 10/1/2026, 9:52:53 PM
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Litigation summary
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PTAB challenges
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Assignment history
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Prior art
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Obviousness
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Extensions
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Derivative works
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