Medical device with memory upload trigger

• US 20060020290A1
• Filed: 09/21/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Degroot, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US10/945,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37258 Alerting the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medical device includes an alert to signal that the amount of stored data is approaching the capacity of the memory in the medical device, and the data must be uploaded to avoid losing the data. A patient perceptible alert may trigger the patient to influence immediate/timely action for data transmission. A silent alert may trigger automatic data transmission, or trigger a medical support network to autonomously conduct transmission of the data.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

a sensor for gathering data;

memory for storing the data;

a processor for detecting an amount of data stored in the memory and triggering an alert when the amount of stored data approaches a capacity of the memory; and

a transceiver for transmitting the data stored in the memory following the alert.

2. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the alert includes patient perceptible signals.

3. The medical device of claim 2 wherein the patient perceptible signals include at least one of:

an auditory alert, a vibratory alert, a visual alert, an olfactory alert, an electrical alert, a magnetic alert, and an electromagnetic alert.

4. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the processor triggers an external device to generate patient perceptible signals.

5. The medical device of claim 4 wherein the external device that generates patient perceptible signals includes one of:

a pager, an alarm, a cell phone, and a medical device monitor.

6. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the transceiver sends the alert to a network when the amount of stored data approaches the capacity of the memory.

7. The medical device of claim 6 wherein the transceiver transmits the data upon receiving from the network, a signal to initiate transmission of the data.

8. The medical device of claim 6 wherein the processor, in response to a signal from the network, triggers a patient perceptible signal to indicate readiness for data transmission.

9. The medical device of claim 6 wherein the processor causes a patient perceptible signal to be generated if the processor has not received confirmation that the network received the alert.

10. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the processor triggers the alert at regular intervals until the data is transmitted.

11. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the transceiver transmits data to a medical support network.

12. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the transceiver transmits data to an external device.

13. An implantable medical device comprising:

means for delivering therapy;

memory for storing data related to the therapy;

means for activating an alert when an amount of stored data approaches a capacity of the memory; and

means for transmitting the data stored in the memory following the alert.

15. The implantable medical device of claim 13 wherein the alert is in a patient perceptible form.

16. The implantable medical device of claim 13 wherein the alert is detected by the means for transmitting.

17. The implantable medical device of claim 13 wherein the alert is transmitted to an external device.

18. The implantable medical device of claim 13 wherein the alert is transmitted to a medical support network.

19. The implantable medical device of claim 13 wherein the means for transmitting is a communication system with a range of up to about 30 feet.

20. The implantable medical device of claim 13 wherein the means for activating an alert is a processor.

21. The implantable medical device of claim 13 wherein the therapy includes one of:

electric stimulation therapy and drug therapy.

14. The implantable medical device of claim 14 and further comprising:

means for sensing physiological parameters, which are stored as data in the memory.

22. A system for acquiring data comprising:

an implantable medical device comprising;

memory for storing the data;

a processor for controlling components of the implantable medical device;

alert circuitry that is activated by the processor when an amount of stored data approaches a capacity of the memory; and

a transceiver for transmitting signals and the data and receiving signals;

an external device in at least intermittent communication with the implantable medical device, the external device receiving the data and signals transmitted by the transceiver; and

a medical support network in communication with the external device.

23. The system of claim 22 and further comprising:

a phone link for communication between the external device and the medical support network.

24. The system of claim 22 and further comprising:

a communications satellite link for communication between the external device and the medical support network.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the alert circuitry signals the external device to initiate data transmission.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein the alert circuitry signals the transceiver to transmit the data to the external device.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein the alert circuitry applies a patient perceptible signal to alert a patient to initiate data transmission to the external device.

28. The system of claim 22 wherein the alert circuitry signals the medical support network via the external device, and the medical support network initiates data transmission via the external device.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein the transceiver is a telemetry transceiver.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein the external device is portable.

31. The system of claim 22 wherein the external device is a monitor.

32. The system of claim 22 wherein the alert circuitry signals a patient as back-up to initiate data transmission.

33. A method of preserving stored data in a medical device, the method comprising:

storing data related to the implantable medical device and physiological parameters of the patient in a memory of the implantable medical device;

detecting that an amount of stored data approaches a capacity of the memory; and

providing an alert indicating that the amount of stored data approaches the capacity of the memory so that the data is uploaded from the memory before the data is overwritten.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein detecting that the amount of stored data approaches the capacity of the memory further comprises:

detecting when data is saved at a specific address, the specific address correlating to the amount of stored data that approaches the capacity of the memory.

35. The method of claim 33 and further comprising:

repeating the alert if the data is not uploaded after a specific time period.

36. The method of claim 33 and further comprising:

providing an alternate alert if the data is not uploaded after a specific time period.

37. The method of claim 33 and further comprising:

uploading the data from the memory; and

receiving verification after the data is uploaded from the memory.