Method for providing software to an implantable medical device system

• US 20030046677A1
• Filed: 05/22/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical AB (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical AB (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Abrahamson, Hans, Lindberg, Magnus, Arturson, Mats
• Granted Patent: US 7,069,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades

Abstract

In a method for providing software to an implantable medical device system, including an implanted medical device and a presentation unit in communication with each other, a most current version of software for operating one or more of these system units is stored at a server which is remote from the implanted medical device system. Upon each start-up of the presentation unit, a communication link is established between the server and the presentation unit, and information is provided from the presentation unit to the server identifying the software which is respectively currently stored in one or more of the system units. The server determines whether the currently stored software in the system units requires an update and, if so, the server downloads the software version stored at the server to any of the system units which is/are in need of updated software.

Claims

1. A method for providing software to an implantable medical device system, comprising the steps of:

providing an implantable medical device system having system units including at least an implanted medical device and a presentation unit which are in communication with each other;

storing a most current software version for operating said system units at a server remote from said implanted medical device system;

establishing a communication link between said server and said presentation unit upon start-up of said presentation unit;

providing information to said server from said presentation unit via said communication link identifying software currently stored in at least one of said system units; and

at said server determining whether said software stored in said at least one of system units requires an update and, if so, downloading said software version stored at said server for receipt by said at least one of said system units.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of downloading said software version comprises downloading said software directly from the server to said at least one of said system units.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of downloading said software version comprises downloading said software version to said presentation unit and, if the system unit requiring an update is not said presentation unit, transmitting the software version from the presentation unit to the system unit requiring an update.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising permanently storing said software version, downloaded from said server, in said system unit requiring an update.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising temporarily storing said software version, downloaded from said server, in said system unit requiring an update, for a time period necessary to perform a task requiring said software version.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising establishing a further communication link directly between said server and said system unit requiring an update, if said system unit requiring an update is not said presentation unit, and directly downloading said software version from said server to said system unit requiring an update.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, upon said start-up of said presentation unit, determining whether an entry has been made into said presentation unit indicating an emergency and, if so, disenabling establishment of said communication link between said server and said presentation unit and immediately establishing communication between said presentation unit and said implanted medical device to respond to said emergency.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, when establishing said communication link between said server and said presentation unit upon start-up of said presentation unit, communication information from said presentation unit to said server identifying at least said implanted medical device.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 comprising, when establishing said communication link between said server and said presentation unit upon start-up of said presentation unit, additionally supplying information from said presentation unit to said server identifying a user of said presentation unit.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising storing a plurality of most current versions of software for operating said system unit at said server, said current versions being respectively adapted to different users, and downloading one of said plurality of current versions of said software from said server dependent on said identification of said user.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said software currently stored in said at least one of said system units comprises respectively different software portions respectively employed by said one of said system units for performing different tasks, and wherein the step of establishing a communication link includes informing said server of a task to be performed by said at least one of said system units, and wherein the step of downloading said software version at said server comprises downloading only a portion of said software stored at said server necessary for performing said task to be performed by said one of said system units.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said software currently stored in said at least one of said system units comprises respectively different software portions respectively employed by said one of said system units for performing different routines, and wherein the step of establishing a communication link includes informing said server of a routine to be performed by said at least one of said system units, and wherein the step of downloading said software version at said server comprises downloading only a portion of said software stored at said server necessary for performing said routine to be performed by said one of said system units.