Implantable medical device stream processor

• US 20050085859A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Jensen, Steven L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,330,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain

Abstract

A stream processor for an implantable medical device provides rapid computation using simple architecture and low power in which each input data sample is processed in parallel by a separate and independent central processing unit executing similar or identical kernel code consisting of the following elements. A housing contains a power source. A controller with memory coupled to the power source. A first physiological sensing apparatus and at least a second physiological sensing apparatus is coupled to the controller. A first stream processing element is coupled to the first physiological sensor and coupled to the controller. At least a second stream processing element is coupled to the second physiological sensor and coupled to the controller.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device having a stream processor, comprising:

a hermetically sealed housing;

a power source;

a controller in the housing, the controller coupled to the power source;

a first physiological sensor;

a first stream processing element coupled to the first physiological sensor, the first stream processing element also coupled to the controller.

2. The implantable medical device as in claim 1 further comprising:

at least a second physiological sensor; and

at least a second stream processing element coupled to the second physiological sensor, the second stream processing element also coupled to the controller.

3. The implantable medical device as in claim 1 further comprising therapy electronics coupled to the power source and the controller and a therapy delivery element coupled to the therapy electronics.

4. The implantable medical device as in claim 3 wherein the therapy electronics are selected from the group consisting of cardiac rhythm management electronics, cardiac monitoring electronics, neurological stimulation electronics, neurological monitoring electronics, and therapeutic substance delivery electronics.

5. The implantable medical device as in claim 3 wherein the therapy delivery element is selected from the group consisting of a cardiac lead and a neurological lead.

6. The implantable medical device as in claim 2 wherein the first stream processing element suspends operation once a first single digitized data input sample has been processed to conserve power and the second stream processing element suspends operation once a second single digitized data input sample has been processed to conserve power.

7. An implantable medical device having a stream processor, comprising:

a hermetically sealed housing;

a power source;

a controller contained in the housing, the controller coupled to the power source;

a first physiological sensor;

means for first stream processing coupled to the first physiological sensor, the means for first stream processing also coupled to the controller.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 7 further comprising:

a second physiological sensor; and

means for second stream processing coupled to the second physiological sensor, the means for second stream processing also coupled tothe controller.

9. A stream processor for an implantable medical device, comprising:

a first stream processing element, comprising;

a first data input coupled to an input buffer, the first data input coupleable to a first implantable physiological sensor;

a first processing unit coupled to the first input buffer; and

a first output coupled to an output buffer and coupled to the first processing unit.

10. The stream processor of claim 9 further comprising at least a second stream processing element, the second stream processing element comprising:

a second data input coupled to a second input buffer, the second data input coupleable to a second implantable physiological sensor;

a second processing unit coupled to the second input buffer; and

a second output coupled to a second output buffer and coupled to the second processing unit.

11. The stream processor as in claim 10 wherein the first processing unit suspends first stream processor element operation once a first single digitized data input sample has been processed to conserve power and the second processing unit suspends second stream processor element operation once a second single digitized data input sample has been processed to conserve power.

12. The stream processor as in claim 9 further comprising a first local memory containing an executable program coupled to the processing unit.

13. The stream processor as in claim 12 wherein the first processing unit has a single addressing mode for accessing the first local memory.

14. The stream processor as in claim 10 wherein the first processing unit and the second processing unit contain a reduced instruction set for an implantable medical device.

15. The stream processor as in claim 12 wherein the executable program includes a median filtering algorithm.

16. The stream processor as in claim 9 wherein the processing unit is configured for coupling to a supervising controller to control the first data input and the first output.

17. A medical device comprising:

a power source;

a controller coupled to the power source;

a first physiological sensor;

a second physiological sensor;

a third physiological sensor;

a first stream processing element coupled to the first physiological sensor, the first stream processing element also coupled to the controller;

a second stream processing element coupled to the second physiological sensor, the second stream processing element also coupled to the controller; and

a third stream processing element coupled to the third physiological sensor, the third physiological stream processing element also coupled to the controller.