POSTURE STATE REDEFINITION BASED ON POSTURE DATA

• US 20100010391A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Davis, Jon P., Skelton, Dennis M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,968,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36135 using physiological parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 controlled by body position or posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36542 controlled by body motion, e.g. acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

The disclosure is directed towards posture-responsive therapy. To avoid interruptions in effective therapy, an implantable medical device may include a posture state module that detects the posture state of the patient and automatically adjusts therapy parameter values according to the detected posture state. A system may include a memory that stores posture state definitions, a posture state module that records a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time, and a processor that identifies a set of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state, and redefines a boundary of the posture state based on where the postures fall within the posture state.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

recording a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time;

identifying a set of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state; and

redefining a boundary of the posture state based on where the postures fall within the posture state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a portion of the posture state where a specified amount of the postures fall, wherein redefining the boundary of the posture state comprises automatically redefining the boundary of the posture state based on the identified portion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the specified amount comprises at least a specified percentage of postures of the set of the plurality of postures.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein redefining the boundary of the posture state based on the identified portion comprises redefining the boundary of the posture state to correspond to the identified portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein redefining a boundary of the posture state comprises at least one of modifying a posture reference vector or a tolerance for the posture state.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein recording a plurality of postures of the patient over the period of time comprises periodically sampling the posture of the patient.

7. A system comprising:

a memory that stores posture state definitions;

a posture state module that records a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time; and

a processor that identifies a set of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state, and redefines a boundary of the posture state based on where the postures fall within the posture state.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor identifies a portion of the posture state where a specified amount of the postures fall and automatically redefines the boundary of the posture state based on the identified portion.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the specified amount comprises at least a specified percentage of postures of the set of the plurality of postures.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor redefines the boundary of the posture state to correspond to the identified portion.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor modifies a posture reference vector or a tolerance for the posture state.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the posture state module periodically samples the posture of the patient.

13. The system of claim 7, further comprising a medical device, wherein the medical device comprises at least one of the memory, posture state module, and processor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the medical device comprises an implantable medical device.

15. The system of claim 7, further comprising an external programmer, wherein the external programmer comprises at least one of the memory, posture state module, and processor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the external programmer comprises at least one of a patient programmer or a clinician programmer.

17. A system comprising:

means for recording a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time;

means for identifying a set of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state; and

means for redefining a boundary of the posture state based on where the postures fall within the posture state.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for identifying a portion of the posture state where a specified amount of the postures fall, wherein the means for redefining the boundary of the posture state comprises means for automatically redefining the boundary of the posture state based on the identified portion.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the specified amount comprises at least a specified percentage of postures of the set of the plurality of postures.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for redefining includes means for redefining the boundary of the posture state to correspond to the identified portion.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for redefining a boundary of the posture state comprises means for modifying at least one of a posture reference vector or a tolerance for the posture state.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for recording a plurality of postures of the patient over the period of time comprises means for periodically sampling the posture of the patient.