| US 7,578,782 B2 | ||
| Methods and systems for determining a viscosity of a fluid | ||
| Scott D. Miles, Sandy, Utah (US); Gill B. Beamson, Salt Lake City, Utah (US); and Gordon B. Jacobs, Salt Lake City, Utah (US) | ||
| Assigned to World Heart, Inc., Oakland, Calif. (US) | ||
| Filed on May 26, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/138,041. | ||
| Application 11/138041 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/225906, filed on Aug. 21, 2002, granted, now 6,949,066. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0214131 A1, Sep. 29, 2005 | ||
| Int. Cl. A61N 1/362 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 600—16 [623/3.1; 417/420; 415/900] | 36 Claims |
| 1. A method for determining a viscosity of a fluid interacting with a rotor of a pump, the method comprising:
providing a fluid pump including a rotor exhibiting a first axial setpoint;
causing the rotor to respond to a second axial setpoint from the first axial setpoint by supplying energy to an axial magnetic
bearing;
determining an amount of energy supplied to the axial magnetic bearing associated with causing the rotor to respond to the
second axial setpoint from the first axial setpoint;
correlating the amount of energy with a viscosity of a fluid interacting with the rotor to determine the viscosity of the
fluid interacting with the rotor.
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