METHOD FOR CLOCK MANAGEMENT FOR AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20100010581A1
• Filed: 07/13/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Goetz, Steven M., Akpan, Emem D., Shen, Jiaying
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14208 with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/025 Digital circuitry features of electrotherapy devices, e.g. memory, clocks, processors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37258 Alerting the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An implantable medical device is capable of delivering the therapeutic output to the patient. A controller, programmable by a medical professional, is operatively coupled to the implantable medical device to, in part, program the therapeutic output to be delivered to the patient. The controller has an interface allowing the medical professional to select an amount of the therapeutic output to be delivered to the patient in at least one of the series of discrete timer intervals. However, the therapeutic output deliver to the patient is dependant upon the clock time to which the infusion device. In certain situations the infusion device clock time may have inaccuracies that grow over time. The clock time can be reset by the infusion programmer but a method must be in place to determine and account for resetting the infusion device clock time that controls when the therapy will be delivered.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the clock time of an implantable device, comprising:

establishing communication between an external device and the implantable device;

comparing a clock time of the external device to a clock time of the implantable device and determining whether a discrepancy exists;

determining whether the discrepancy is less than a pre-determined threshold; and

updating the clock time of the implantable device if the discrepancy is less than the pre-determined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the external device is a programmer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein updating the clock time further comprises automatically adjusting the clock time of the implantable medical device if less than the predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein updating the clock time further comprises instantly adjusting the clock time of the implantable device forwards or backwards to match the external device clock time.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein updating the clock time further comprises:

automatically locating a time period during which adjusting the clock time of the implantable device will not adversely affect a delivery of therapy by the implantable device; and

implementing a command to adjust the clock time of the implantable device during the located time period to minimize impact on therapy delivery.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

informing a user of the discrepancy when the discrepancy is more than the pre-determined threshold; and

allowing the user to determine whether to update the clock time.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein informing the user of the discrepancy further comprises graphically illustrating to the user the discrepancy between the external device clock time and the impantable device clock time by showing an effect on a delivery of therapy.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing the user selectable options for implementing an update to the clock time of the implantable device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein providing the user selectable options further comprises allowing the user to decline to update the clock time of the implantable device.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein providing the user selectable options further comprises allowing the user to immediately adjust the clock time forward or backwards to match the external device clock time

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising suggesting a new simple continuous rate of therapy delivery, and a time period for the same, to reduce the impact of adjusting the clock time of the implantable device on the delivery of therapy.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein providing the user selectable options further comprises allowing the user to select a time in the future for the clock time of the implantable device to be adjusted.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein providing the user selectable options further comprises allowing the user to set a program to incrementally adjust the time whereby the clock time of the implantable device is set to gain or lose a predetermined amount of time per selected time period until the clock time for the implantable device is adjusted to the external device clock time.

14. A method for updating the clock time of an implantable device, comprising:

establishing connection between an external device and the implantable device;

comparing a clock time of the external device to the clock time of the implantable device and determining whether a difference exists;

informing a user if a difference exists;

determining the impact on a delivery of therapy if the clock time of the implantable device is adjusted to the clock time of the external device;

informing the user of the impact;

requesting input from the user based upon the impact; and

updating the clock time of the implantable device based upon the user'"'"'s input.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising providing selectable options for implementing an update to the clock time of the implantable device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein providing selectable options further comprises allowing the user to

17. The method of claim 15 wherein providing selectable options further comprises allowing the user to immediately adjust the clock time forward or backwards to match the external device clock time

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising suggesting a new simple continuous rate of therapy delivery for a period of time to reduce the impact of adjusting the clock time of the implantable device on the delivery of therapy.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein providing selectable options for how to update the clock time of the implantable device further comprises allowing the user to select a time in the future for the clock time of the implantable device to be adjusted.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein providing selectable options further comprises allowing the user to set a program to incrementally adjust the time by adjusting the time by gaining or losing a set amount of time per selected time period until the clock time for the implantable device is adjusted to the external device clock time.

21. A system for delivery therapy comprising:

an implantable device including device electronics disposed in a housing and means for delivering therapy to a patient;

a programmer including programmer electronics disposed in a housing;

a communication system including a first portion disposed in the implantable device and a second portion disposed in the programmer, the communication system allowing communication between the implantable device and the programmer, the first portion and the second portion operably connected to the device electronics and the programmer electronics, respectively; and

first and second clock electronics disposed in the implantable device and the programmer and operably coupled to the device electronics and the programmer electronics, respectively, the clock electronics each including a computer readable medium containing instructions that when implemented cause the device electronics to check a device clock against the programmer clock and to either automatically adjust the device clock to match the programmer clock or present a clock error signal to a user.

22. A method for adjusting the clock time of an implantable device, comprising:

establishing communication between an external device and the implantable device;

comparing a clock time of the external device to a clock time of the implantable device and determining whether a discrepancy exists;

determining whether the discrepancy is less than a pre-determined threshold;

updating the clock time of the implantable device if the discrepancy is less than the pre-determined threshold; and

calculating and implementing a new simple continuous rate.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein implementing the new simple continuous rate further comprises implementing the rate for a predetermined time period.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the predetermined time period is the remainder of the therapy day.