External patient alerting system for implantable devices
First Claim
1. A patient alerting system including:
- an implanted medical device having short-range telemetry and being capable of detecting one or more different detected events related to the medical condition of a patient in whom the implanted medical device is implanted; and
a patient alerting device situated in close proximity to the implanted medical device and being capable of receiving the short-range telemetry from the implanted medical device, the patient alerting device also having the capability to alert the patient by means of an alarm signal after the detected event is detected by the implanted medical device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a patient alerting device (PAD) that can be positioned close enough for effective near-field communication with an implanted medical device such as a pacemaker or implantable cardiac defibrillator. The PAD is designed to warn the patient when a specific event is detected by the implanted device. The alarm mechanism could be a sound, a vibration and/or a visible display. A communications repeater can be used with the PAD to allow the implanted device to communicate via the PAD with remotely located external equipment through proprietary or standardized means. Means to initiate communication with the implanted device include a magnet within the PAD that triggers a magnetic switch inside the implanted device or by a button which can be depressed to inform the implanted device that the PAD is active and close enough to begin communication. The PAD could also include a button to shut off an alarm that is in the PAD. The PAD can also include means to provide battery status to the patient for both the battery in the implanted device and in the PAD. The significance of the basic alarm PAD is its ability to provide continuous patient alarm capabilities for already implanted devices as well as future implants which have only near-field communication.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A patient alerting system including:
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an implanted medical device having short-range telemetry and being capable of detecting one or more different detected events related to the medical condition of a patient in whom the implanted medical device is implanted; and
a patient alerting device situated in close proximity to the implanted medical device and being capable of receiving the short-range telemetry from the implanted medical device, the patient alerting device also having the capability to alert the patient by means of an alarm signal after the detected event is detected by the implanted medical device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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- 18. A repeater patient alerting device designed to extend the data communication range of an implanted medical device, the repeater patient alerting device having near-field communications capability to send and receive data from the implanted medical device and limited-range telemetry capability to allow the implanted medical device to communicate with external equipment within a distance of less than 100 meters.
- 23. A repeater patient alerting device designed to extend the data communication range of an implanted medical device, the repeater patient alerting device having near-field communications means to send and receive data from the implanted medical device and long-range data communication means to allow the implanted medical device to communicate with remotely located external equipment located at a distance of more than 100 meters from the implanted medical device.
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26. A method for a patient to determine if he or she is having a cardiac event, the method including the following steps:
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A) implant within the patient an implanted medical device having short-range telemetry and being capable of detecting one or more different detected events related to the medical condition of a patient in whom the implanted medical device is implanted; and
B) place a patient alerting device in close proximity to the implanted medical device, the patient alerting device being capable of receiving the short-range telemetry from the implanted medical device, the patient alerting device also having the capability to alert the patient by means of an alarm signal when the detected event is detected by the implanted medical device. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A system for detecting if a patient has an anomaly of his or her heart rhythm, the system including:
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an implanted medical device having short-range telemetry and being capable of detecting one or more different detected events related to the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm; and
a patient alerting device situated in close proximity to the implanted medical device and being capable of receiving the short-range telemetry from the implanted medical device, the patient alerting device also having the capability to store in memory the electrogram and/or electrocardiogram signal that is detected by the implanted medical device and transmitted to the patient alerting device by the short-range telemetry. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A system for detecting an event related to the medical condition of a human patient the system including:
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an implanted medical device having short-range telemetry and being capable of measuring one or more different aspects of a patients medical condition;
a patient alerting device having processing capability situated in close proximity to the implanted medical device and being capable of receiving the short-range telemetry from the implanted medical device, the patient alerting device also having the capability to detect an event related to the medical condition of the patient by processing the telemetry received from the implanted medical device. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification