SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RESETTING AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20130096648A1
• Filed: 08/23/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Benson, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 9,446,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method, of operating an implantable medical device, comprises: (i) operating reset logic within the implantable medical device that is independently operable from a processor of the implantable medical device after the implantable medical device is implanted within a patient, wherein the processor is adapted for central control of the implantable medical device; (ii) operating a magnetic field sensor in the implantable medical device; (iii) generating digital data using, at least, the magnetic field sensor; (iv) detecting, by the reset logic, a digital key in the digital data; (v) in response to (iv), asserting a reset signal on a pin of the processor by the reset logic; and (vi) conducting reset operations in the processor in response to the reset signal.

Claims

1. A method of operating an implantable medical device, comprising:

(i) operating reset logic within the implantable medical device that is independently operable from a processor of the implantable medical device after the implantable medical device is implanted within a patient, wherein the processor is adapted for central control of the implantable medical device;

(ii) operating a magnetic field sensor in the implantable medical device;

(iii) generating digital data using, at least, the magnetic field sensor;

(iv) detecting, by the reset logic, a digital key in the digital data;

(v) in response to (iv), asserting a reset signal on a pin of the processor by the reset logic; and

(vi) conducting reset operations in the processor in response to the reset signal.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after resetting the processor, causing the processor to enter a safe mode of operations, wherein the safe mode of operations is defined by a first set of software instructions that are different from a second set of software instructions of an application mode of operations wherein the application mode of operations controls provision of a therapy by the implantable medical device to the patient.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing a software or firmware update after conducting the reset operations.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing an integrity check of software or firmware of the implantable medical device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the reset logic is connected to the processor by a polling line.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the reset logic is operable to cause the processor to execute software instructions defining a safe mode of operation by communicating a signal on the polling line after the reset operations of (vi).

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the reset logic is connected to the processor by a data line to invoke operations of the processor after the reset operations of (vi).

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field sensor is a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the GMR sensor is a digital sensor.

10. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a therapy module adapted to provide a therapy to a patient after implantation in the body of the patient;

a processor adapted for central control of the implantable medical device a magnetic sensor for sensing an external magnetic field; and

reset logic that is independently operable from a processor of the implantable medical device and that is adapted to (i) detect a digital key in digital data generated from a modulated magnetic field detected by the magnetic sensor;

(ii) in response to detecting the digital key in the digital data, asserting a reset signal on a pin of the processor by the reset logic;

wherein the processor is adapted to conduct reset operations in response to assertion of the reset signal on the reset pin of the processor.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 10 wherein the implantable medical device comprises memory storing a first set of software instructions of a safe mode of operations that are different from a second set of software instructions of an application mode of operations wherein the application mode of operations controls provision of a therapy by the implantable medical device to the patient.

12. The implantable medical device of claim 11 wherein the reset logic is operable to cause the processor to execute the first set of software instructions after the processor is reset.

13. The implantable medical device of claim 11 wherein the first set of software instructions comprises code for performing a software or firmware update.

14. The implantable medical device of claim 11 wherein the first set of software instructions comprises code for performing an integrity check of software or firmware of the implantable medical device.

15. The implantable medical device of claim 11 wherein the reset logic is connected to the processor by a polling line.

16. The implantable medical device of claim 15 wherein the reset logic is operable to cause the processor to execute the first set of software instructions by communicating a signal on the polling line after reset operations.

17. The implantable medical device of claim 11 wherein the magnetic field sensor is a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor.

18. The implantable medical device of claim 17 wherein the GMR sensor is a digital sensor.