INDICATION OF COUPLING BETWEEN MEDICAL DEVICES

• US 20090299438A1
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Houchins, Andrew H., Nolan, Joseph J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,821,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/08 Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators

Abstract

Techniques for providing an indication of coupling between medical devices are disclosed. For example, when a programming device and a telemetry module are coupled, the telemetry module provides a first indication, and the programming device provides a second indication substantially similar to the first indication. The indications may be, for example, colors, and different indications may signify communication with different implantable medical devices, programming different therapies, or use of different applications of the programming device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an external telemetry module that transcutaneously communicates with an implantable medical device; and

an external programming device that communicates with the telemetry module and with the implantable medical device through the telemetry module,

wherein, when the telemetry module and programming device are coupled, the telemetry module provides a first indication of coupling and the programming device provides a second indication of coupling that is at least substantially similar to the first indication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second indications comprise colors that are at least substantially similar.

3. The system of claim 2,

wherein the telemetry module comprises at least one light that provides the first indication with a first color, and

wherein the programming device comprises a display that provides the second indication with a second color that is at least substantially similar to the first color.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the display presents at least one of a background, an application window, or an icon in the second color.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second indications comprise at least one of audible or tactile indications that are at least substantially similar.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second indications comprise patterns that are at least substantially similar, wherein the patterns are at least one of spatial or temporal, and comprise at least one of light, color, sound, music, or animation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the telemetry module and the programming device provide the first and second indications substantially continuously throughout a session in which the telemetry module and the programming device communicate.

8. The system of claim 1,

wherein the telemetry module is configured to provide a first plurality of different indications and the programming device is configured to provide a second plurality of different indications, and

wherein the telemetry module and the programming device respectively select the first and second indications to provide the first and second indications when coupled to each other.

9. The system of claim 8,

wherein at least some of the first plurality of indications and the second plurality of indications are associated with respective ones of a plurality of implantable medical devices that includes the implantable medical device,

wherein the first indication and the second indication are associated with the implantable medical device, and

wherein the telemetry module and the programming device respectively select the first and second indications when communicatively coupled to the implantable medical device.

10. The system of claim 8,

wherein at least some of the first plurality of indications and the second plurality of indications are associated with respective ones of a plurality of therapies, and

wherein the telemetry module and the programming device respectively select the first and second indications based on a therapy delivered by the implantable medical device.

11. The system of claim 1,

wherein at least some of the first plurality of indications and the second plurality of indications are associated with respective ones of a plurality of applications executable by the programming device for communication with one or more implantable medical devices, and

wherein the telemetry module and the programming device respectively select the first and second indications based on which of the applications is currently selected.

12. The system of claim 1,

wherein the implantable medical device comprises one of a plurality of implantable medical devices implanted within a patient,

wherein the first indication comprises a visual indication, and

wherein the telemetry module is configured to provide the first indication at a plurality of locations on or within the telemetry module, each of the plurality of positions corresponding to a location of a respective one of the implantable medical devices within the patient, to indicate with which of the implantable medical devices the telemetry module is coupled.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the telemetry module and the programming device provide the first and second indications to indicate at least one of bonding or communication between the telemetry module and the programming device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the telemetry module is wirelessly coupled to the programming device.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising the implantable medical device,

wherein, when coupled to at least one of the telemetry module or the programming device, the implantable medical device provides a third indication of coupling.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the third indication is substantially similar to the first and second indications.

17. A method for indicating coupling between an external telemetry module that transcutaneously communicates with an implantable medical device and an external programming device that communicates with the telemetry module and with the implantable medical device through the telemetry module, the method comprising, when the telemetry module and programming device are coupled:

providing a first indication of coupling via the telemetry module; and

providing a second indication of coupling via the programming device,

wherein the first and second indications are at least substantially similar.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second indications comprise colors that are at least substantially similar.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising selecting the first indication from a first plurality of indications and selecting the second indication from a second plurality of indications based on selection of at least one of:

the implantable medical device from among a plurality of implantable medical devices,

a therapy from among a plurality of therapies, or

an application for programming the implantable medical device from among a plurality of applications.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the first and second indications comprises indicating at least one of bonding or communication between the telemetry module and the programming device.

21. A system comprising:

means for transcutaneously communicating with an implantable medical device; and

programming means for communicating with the implantable medical device through the means for transcutaneously communicating with an implantable medical device;

wherein the means for transcutaneously communicating comprises means for providing a first indication of coupling with the programming means,

wherein the programming means comprises means for providing a second indication of coupling with the means for transcutaneously communicating, and

wherein the first and second indications are at least substantially similar.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for selecting the first indication from a first plurality of indications and selecting the second indication from a second plurality of indications based on selection of at least one of:

the implantable medical device from among a plurality of implantable medical devices,

a therapy from among a plurality of therapies, or

an application for programming the implantable medical device from among a plurality of applications.

23. A telemetry module comprising:

a housing, wherein at least approximately ten percent of a non-display portion of the housing is translucent;

communication circuitry within the housing, the communication circuitry configured for communication with programming devices and transcutaneous communication with implantable medical devices to enable transcutaneous communication between the programming devices and the implantable medical devices; and

a plurality of lights within the housing that are visible through at least the translucent portion of the housing and that provide a plurality of different colors to indicate to which of the programming devices or implantable medical devices the telemetry module is coupled.

24. The telemetry module of claim 23, wherein the communication circuitry is configured for wireless communication with the programming devices.

25. The telemetry module of claim 23, wherein the plurality of lights comprises at least three lights and the plurality of colors comprises at least three colors.

26. The telemetry module of claim 23, wherein the plurality of lights comprise light emitting diodes.

27. The telemetry module of claim 23, wherein at least approximately twenty-five percent of a non-display portion of the housing is translucent.

28. The telemetry module of claim 23, wherein at least approximately fifty percent of a non-display portion of the housing is translucent.

29. The telemetry module of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of a periphery of the housing is translucent.

30. The telemetry module of claim 23, further comprising a display.

31. A displayless telemetry module comprising:

communication circuitry configured for wireless communication with a plurality of medical devices; and

at least one non-display indicator to provide a plurality of coupling indications to a user, each coupling indication indicating coupling to a respective one of the plurality of medical devices.

32. The telemetry module of claim 31, wherein the plurality of coupling indications respectively comprise different ones of a plurality of colors.

33. The telemetry module of claim 31, further comprising a plurality of lights to provide the plurality of coupling indications.

34. The telemetry module of claim 31, wherein the coupling indications comprise at least one of audible or tactile indications.

35. The telemetry module of claim 31, wherein the coupling comprise patterns that are at least one of spatial or temporal, and comprise at least one of light, color, sound, music, or animation.

36. The telemetry module of claim 31, wherein the plurality of medical devices comprise at least one of a plurality of implantable medical devices or a plurality of programming devices for programming the implantable medical devices.