Implantable cardiac stimulation device having a programmable reconfigurable sequencer
First Claim
1. An implantable cardiac stimulation device for delivering therapy to heart tissue comprising:
- a sensing circuit for sensing a cardiac signal from the heart tissue;
an electrical therapy delivery circuit for delivering therapy to the heart tissue; and
a controller having a programmable sequencer for analyzing the cardiac signal to determine whether therapy is needed and for controlling the electrical therapy delivery circuit to deliver therapy, and a general purpose programmable microprocessor for performing non-therapy-delivering operations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator is provided with a microcontroller having a general purpose microprocessor for performing high-level device functions and a sequencer for performing routine pacing functions. The general purpose microprocessor is programmed using an instruction set capable of general programming applications. The sequencer is programmed using a very simple instruction set having instructions selected only for performing routine pacing functions. The sequencer may be, for example, a programmable state machine. By providing a programmable sequencer for controlling routine pacing operations, the microprocessor is thereby free to devote its resources to performing high-level functions. Hence, the microprocessor may be operated at a lower clock frequency than would otherwise be needed if the microprocessor were also required to perform routine pacing functions and power savings are thereby achieved. By controlling all routine pacing operations using the programmable sequencer, the routine operations are thereby more expediently and reliably performed. Also, because software for the sequencer is developed using only the simple instruction set associated therewith, pacing software is quickly and reliably developed. Additional benefits are gained by isolating the pacing software from the high-level functional software to permit, for example, the microprocessor software to be replaced without affecting the sequencer software, and vice versa. Also, a method is described for generating an integrated circuit having a configuration optimized based upon predetermined software requirements. The method may be used to design the sequencer.
150 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An implantable cardiac stimulation device for delivering therapy to heart tissue comprising:
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a sensing circuit for sensing a cardiac signal from the heart tissue;
an electrical therapy delivery circuit for delivering therapy to the heart tissue; and
a controller having a programmable sequencer for analyzing the cardiac signal to determine whether therapy is needed and for controlling the electrical therapy delivery circuit to deliver therapy, and a general purpose programmable microprocessor for performing non-therapy-delivering operations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An implantable cardiac stimulation device for delivering therapy under the control of a controller which controls both therapy-delivery operations and non-therapy-delivery operations of the device, the controller comprising:
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means for controlling the therapy-delivery operations of the device based upon a first instruction set having a limited set of instructions; and
means for controlling the non-therapy-delivery operations of the device based upon a second instruction set having a full set of instructions adapted to controlling any function of the implantable cardiac stimulation device.
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31. In an implantable cardiac stimulation device having a sensing circuit for sensing a cardiac signal, an electrical therapy delivery circuit for delivering therapy to heart tissue, a programmable sequencer, and a general purpose programmable microprocessor, a method comprising the steps of:
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sensing a cardiac signal using the sensing circuit;
analyzing the cardiac signal using the programmable sequencer to determine whether therapy is needed and controlling the electrical therapy delivery circuit to deliver therapy using the programmable sequencer; and
performing non-therapy-delivery operations using the general purpose programmable microprocessor.
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Specification