Systems and processes for controlling inflatable members and gastric bands based on geographic location

• US 20100114132A1
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Koletry Processing LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Piccionelli, Gregory A., Rittmaster, Ted R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,372,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0059 with wireless means

Abstract

A system and process employs a gastric band device having an adjustable restriction amount that is adjustable based on at least one first control signal. The system and process also employs at least one of a wireless receiver and location detection electronics configured for providing at least one second signal. In addition, a controller is configured to provide at least one first control signal to the gastric band device based at least in part on at least one second control signal from at least one of the wireless receiver and the location detection electronics. The controller may be configured to provide at least one first control signal for one of increasing restriction or reducing restriction of the gastric band in response to receiving a signal from the location detection electronics representing a predefined geographic location.

Claims

1. A system for treating a patient, the system comprising:

a gastric band device having an adjustable restriction amount that is adjustable based on at least one first control signal;

at least one of a wireless receiver and location detection electronics, configured for providing at least one second signal; and

a controller configured to provide at least one first control signal to the gastric band device based at least in part on at least one second control signal from at least one of the wireless receiver and the location detection electronics.

2. A system of claim 1, in which the location detection electronics is configured to provide at least one second control signal that represents the geographic location of the gastric band device.

3. A system of claim 2, in which the controller is configured to provide at least one first control signal for one of increasing restriction or reducing restriction of the gastric band in response to receiving a signal from the location detection electronics representing a predefined geographic location.

4. A system of claim 1, in which the controller is configured to provide at least one first control signal for one of increasing restriction or reducing restriction of the gastric band in response to receiving a signal from the location detection electronics representing a predefined geographic location.

5. A system of claim 4, the at least one first control signal comprising a signal for increasing restriction of the gastric band by a first amount in response to the location detection electronics providing a signal representing a first predefined geographic location, and the at least one first control signal comprising a signal for increasing restriction of the gastric band by a second amount in response to the location detection electronics providing a signal representing a second predefined geographic location, where the second amount is different from the first amount.

6. A system of claim 5, where:

the first predefined geographic location is any location within a first predefined geographic region;

the second predefined geographic location is any location with a second predefined geographic region;

the second predefined geographic region being adjacent to and at least partially surrounded by the first geographic region.

7. A system of claim 6, wherein the second amount is greater than the first amount.

8. A system of claim 1, further comprising electronic memory configured to store data representing one or more predefined geographic locations, where the controller is configured to provide at least one first control signal for one of increasing restriction or reducing restriction of the gastric band in response to a signal from the location detection electronics representing a predefined geographic location.

9. A system of claim 8, the at least one first control signal comprising a signal for increasing restriction of the gastric band by a first amount in response to the location detection electronics providing a signal representing a first predefined geographic location and a second control signal for increasing restriction of the gastric band by a second amount in response to the location detection electronics providing a signal representing a second predefined geographic location.

10. A system of claim 1, the wireless receiver being configured to receive an external communication signal from an external communication device and provide at least one second control signal in response to receipt of the external communication signal.

11. A system of claim 10, the system further including transmitting electronics for wireless electronic transmission and the controller being configured to control the transmitting electronics to transmit an indicator signal to the external communication device in response to at least one second signal from the location detection device representing a predefined geographic location.

12. A method for controlling a medical device, the method comprising:

configuring a controller to provide at least one first control signal based at least in part on at least one second control signal from at least one of the wireless receiver and the location detection electronics;

coupling the controller to a gastric band device having an adjustable restriction amount that is adjustable based on the at least one first control signal; and

coupling at least one of a wireless receiver and location detection electronics to the controller, to provide the at least one second control signal.

13. A method of claim 12, further comprising configuring the location detection electronics to provide at least one second control signal that represents the geographic location of the gastric band device.

14. A method of claim 13, further comprising configuring the controller to provide at least one first control signal for one of increasing restriction or reducing restriction of the gastric band in response to receiving a signal from the location detection electronics representing a predefined geographic location.

15. A method of claim 12, further comprising configuring the controller to provide at least one first control signal for one of increasing restriction or reducing restriction of the gastric band in response to receiving a signal from the location detection electronics representing a predefined geographic location.

16. A method of claim 15, the at least one first control signal comprising a signal for increasing restriction of the gastric band by a first amount in response to the location detection electronics providing a signal representing a first predefined geographic location, and the at least one first control signal comprising a signal for increasing restriction of the gastric band by a second amount in response to the location detection electronics providing a signal representing a second predefined geographic location, where the second amount is different from the first amount.

17. A method of claim 16, where:

the first predefined geographic location is any location within a first predefined geographic region;

the second predefined geographic location is any location with a second predefined geographic region;

the second predefined geographic region being adjacent to and at least partially surrounded by the first geographic region.

18. A method of claim 17, wherein the second amount is greater than the first amount.

19. A method of claim 12, further comprising:

coupling electronic memory to the controller and storing data representing one or more predefined geographic locations in the electronic memory; and

configuring the controller to provide at least one first control signal for one of increasing restriction or reducing restriction of the gastric band in response to a signal from the location detection electronics representing a predefined geographic location.

20. A method of claim 19, the at least one first control signal comprising a signal for increasing restriction of the gastric band by a first amount in response to the location detection electronics providing a signal representing a first predefined geographic location and a second control signal for increasing restriction of the gastric band by a second amount in response to the location detection electronics providing a signal representing a second predefined geographic location.

21. A method of claim 12, further comprising configuring the wireless receiver to receive an external communication signal from an external communication device and provide at least one second control signal in response to receipt of the external communication signal.

22. A method of claim 21, further comprising configuring the controller to control transmitting electronics to transmit by wireless communication an indicator signal to the external communication device in response to at least one second signal from the location detection device representing a predefined geographic location.