System and method for providing communications between a physically secure programmer and an external device using a cellular network

• US 20050288736A1
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FUJIFILM Healthcare Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Vallapureddy, Vineel, Persen, Kenneth H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network

Abstract

A system and method for providing communications between a physically secure programmer and an external device using a cellular network is described. A set of uniquely identifying credentials is securely maintained on a programmer configured to interface with an implantable medical device. A transient connection is automatically established between the programmer and a security server over a cellular network. The credentials are registered with the security server and an operational status is assigned to the programmer following examination of the credentials against a security roster maintained on the security server. The operational status of the programmer is confirmed and a data exchange session is conducted over the cellular network between the programmer and at least one external system subsequent to the confirmation.

Claims

1. A system for providing communications between a physically secure programmer and an external device using a cellular network, comprising:

a set of uniquely identifying credentials securely maintained on a programmer configured to interface with an implantable medical device;

a cellular transceiver to automatically establish a transient connection between the programmer and a security server over a cellular network;

control circuitry to register the credentials with the security server, to assign an operational status to the programmer following examination of the credentials against a security roster maintained on the security server, and to confirm the operational status of the programmer; and

telemetry circuitry to conduct a data exchange session over the cellular network between the programmer and at least one external system subsequent to the confirmation.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transient wireless connection to interface the programmer to the implantable medical device over, wherein a telemetric data exchange session is conducted with the implantable medical device.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the telemetric data exchange session comprises at least one of parametric values retrieval from the implantable medical device, patient history data retrieval from the implantable medical device and parametric values storage onto the implantable medical device.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the programmer and the implantable medical device interface using at least one of induction and radio frequency telemetry.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the credentials comprises at least one of a serial number, a security certificate and an asymmetric crypto key.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a repeater antenna operatively interposed between the programmer and the cellular network.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a set of programmer identifiers maintained by the security server that each uniquely identify each programmer in association with one credentials; and

a comparison module to compare the credentials of the programmer to the program identifiers set to register a programmer identifier matching the credentials.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the programmer identifiers set signifies legitimate programmers, further comprising:

a flag to signal the programmer to confirm the operational status.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein the programmer identifiers set signifies untrusted programmers, further comprising:

a flag to signal the programmer to deny the operational status, wherein the programmer is automatically disabled from further operations.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the telemetry circuitry is further configured to interface the programmer to the at least one external system, further comprising:

an external device interface to initiate the data exchange session with the at least one interfaced external system and to collaboratively exchange data between the programmer and the at least one interfaced external system.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the data exchange session comprises at least one of:

at least one of parametric values, patient history data, control data, and general data downloaded from the at least one interfaced external system; and

at least one of parametric values, patient history data, control data, and general data stored onto the at least one interfaced external system.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one interfaced external system further comprises a further programmer and the external device interface is further configured to cooperatively exchange and analyze data relative to at least one implantable medical device having been interfaced to the programmer.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one interfaced external system further comprises a server, further comprising:

data provided to the server; and

an analysis module to analyze the data on the server comprising diagnosing a patient health status and prognosticating a clinical trajectory relative to the therapy to be delivered through an implantable medical device.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein the programmer comprises at least one of a programmer recorder monitor, repeater, interrogator, recorder, monitor, and transceiver.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein implantable medical device comprises at least one of an implantable cardiac device, neural stimulation device, and drug therapy dispensing device.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one external system comprises at least one of a server, client, programmer, printer, and repeater.

17. A method for providing communications between a physically secure programmer and an external device using a cellular network, comprising:

securely maintaining a set of uniquely identifying credentials on a programmer configured to interface with an implantable medical device;

automatically establishing a transient connection between the programmer and a security server over a cellular network;

registering the credentials with the security server and assigning an operational status to the programmer following examination of the credentials against a security roster maintained on the security server; and

confirming the operational status of the programmer and conducting a data exchange session over the cellular network between the programmer and at least one external system subsequent to the confirmation.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

interfacing the programmer to the implantable medical device over a transient wireless connection; and

conducting a telemetric data exchange session with the implantable medical device.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the telemetric data exchange session comprises at least one of:

retrieving parametric values from the implantable medical device;

retrieving patient history data from the implantable medical device; and

storing parametric values onto the implantable medical device.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the programmer and the implantable medical device interface using at least one of induction and radio frequency telemetry.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein the credentials comprises at least one of a serial number, a security certificate and an asymmetric crypto key.

22. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

interfacing the programmer to a repeater antenna operatively interposed between the programmer and the cellular network.

23. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

maintaining a set of programmer identifiers that each uniquely identify each programmer in association with one credentials; and

comparing the credentials of the programmer to the program identifiers set to register a programmer identifier matching the credentials.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the programmer identifiers set signifies legitimate programmers, further comprising:

signaling the programmer to confirm the operational status.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein the programmer identifiers set signifies untrusted programmers, further comprising:

signaling the programmer to deny the operational status; and

automatically disabling the programmer from further operations.

26. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

interfacing the programmer to the at least one external system;

initiating the data exchange session with the at least one interfaced external system; and

collaboratively exchanging data between the programmer and the at least one interfaced external system.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the data exchange session comprises at least one of:

downloading at least one of parametric values, patient history data, control data, and general data from the at least one interfaced external system; and

storing at least one of parametric values, patient history data, control data, and general data onto the at least one interfaced external system.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein the at least one interfaced external system further comprises a further programmer, further comprising:

cooperatively exchanging and analyzing data relative to at least one implantable medical device having been interfaced to the programmer.

29. A method according to claim 26, wherein the at least one interfaced external system further comprises a server, further comprising:

providing data to the server; and

analyzing the data on the server comprising diagnosing a patient health status and prognosticating a clinical trajectory relative to the therapy to be delivered through an implantable medical device.

30. A method according to claim 17, wherein the programmer comprises at least one of a programmer recorder monitor, repeater, interrogator, recorder, monitor, and transceiver.

31. A method according to claim 17, wherein implantable medical device comprises at least one of an implantable cardiac device, neural stimulation device, and drug therapy dispensing device.

32. A method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one external system comprises at least one of a server, client, programmer, printer, and repeater.

33. An apparatus for providing communications between a physically secure programmer and an external device using a cellular network, comprising:

means for securely maintaining a set of uniquely identifying credentials on a programmer configured to interface with an implantable medical device;

means for automatically establishing a transient connection between the programmer and a security server over a cellular network;

means for registering the credentials with the security server and means for assigning an operational status to the programmer following examination of the credentials against a security roster maintained on the security server; and

means for confirming the operational status of the programmer and means for conducting a data exchange session over the cellular network between the programmer and at least one external system subsequent to the confirmation.