LOCATION-BASED SERVICES

• US 20140058383A1
• Filed: 05/13/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoyme, Kenneth P., Kalgren, James, LaLonde, John
• Granted Patent: US 11,027,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

An apparatus comprises an external device for communication with an implantable device. The external device includes a communication circuit configured to receive a communication signal from at least one other device different from the implantable device, a locating circuit configured to determine a location of the external device using the received communication signal, and a control circuit electrically coupled to the communication circuit and the locating circuit. The control circuit is configured to determine whether the determined location imposes a limit on functionality of an implantable device, and provide user access to an implantable device feature according to the determined location.

Claims

1. An external device for communication with an implantable device, the external device comprising:

a communication circuit configured to receive a communication signal from at least one other device different from the implantable device;

a locating circuit configured to determine a location of the external device using the received communication signal; and

a control circuit electrically coupled to the communication circuit and the locating circuit and configured to;

determine whether the determined location imposes a limit on functionality of an implantable device; and

provide user access to an implantable device feature according to the determined location.

2. The external device of claim 1, wherein control circuit is configured to determine that the location of the external device is at least one of an operating room (OR), an emergency room (ER), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) clinic, a catheterization laboratory, a cardiology clinic, an electrophysiology clinic, a hospital, and a general practice clinic.

3. The external device of claim 1, wherein the locating circuit is configured to determine the location of the external device using at least one of global positioning, wireless fidelity (WiFi) network mapping, cellular telephone tower identification, and local area network (LAN) identification.

4. The external device of claim 3, including:

an activity sensor electrically coupled to the locating circuit,

wherein the locating circuit is configured to estimate the location of the external device according to the location determined using the received communication signal and subsequent motion sensed using the activity sensor.

5. The external device of claim 1, including a user interface electrically coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

present, using the user interface, the implantable device feature as available to a user according to the determined location; and

exclude presentation by the user interface of an implantable device feature limited by the determined location.

6. The external device of claim 5, wherein in response to the locating circuit determining that the location of the external device is an ER, the control circuit is configured to allow, via the user interface, a user to at least one of:

enable or disable delivery of defibrillation therapy by the implantable device; and

change a tachyarrhythmia detection rate of the implantable device.

7. The external device of claim 5,

wherein in response to the locating circuit determining that the location of the external device is an OR, the control circuit is configured to allow, via the user interface, a user to initiate an electrocautery mode in the implantable device, wherein defibrillation therapy is disabled in the electrocautery mode, and

wherein, when the electrocautery mode is initiated by a user, the control circuit is configured to:

present a first alert to a user that delivery of defibrillation therapy is disabled,

initiate a timer in the external device; and

generate a second alert, upon timeout of the timer, regarding the disabled defibrillation therapy.

8. The external device of claim 5, wherein in response to the locating circuit determining that the location of the external device is an MRI clinic, the control circuit is configured to allow, via the user interface, a user to at least one of:

enable an MRI mode in which cardiac pacing pulses are delivered asynchronously and at a rate higher than a determined intrinsic rate; and

initiate a device-automated pacing threshold test.

9. The external device of claim 5, wherein in response to the locating circuit determining that the location of the external device is a general practice clinic, the control circuit is configured to allow, via the user interface, user read-access to at least a portion of information stored in the implantable device.

10. The external device of claim 5, wherein the control circuit is configured to display the user interface in a language specified for the determined location.

11. The external device of claim 1, including:

a memory circuit integral to or electrically coupled to the control circuit,

wherein the locating circuit is configured to identify a communication network associated with the determined location, and

wherein the control circuit is configured to store an identifier for the communication network in the memory circuit in association with the determined location.

12. The external device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

selectively load information stored in the implantable device according to the determined location;

identify a remote server according to the determined location; and

communicate the information to the remote server absent participation by a user.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a wireless communication signal using an external device, wherein the external device is configured to communicate with an implantable device and receive the wireless communication signal from at least one other device;

determining, by the external device according to the received communication signal, a location of the external device and that the determined location is associated with limiting functionality of the implantable device; and

configuring, by the external device, user access to an implantable device feature according to the determined location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining a location of the external device includes the external device determining that the location is at least one of an operating room (OR), an emergency room (ER), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) clinic, a catheterization laboratory, a cardiology clinic, an electrophysiology clinic, a hospital, and a general practice clinic.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining a location of the external device includes the external device determining the location using at least one of a global positioning system (GPS), wireless fidelity (WiFi) network mapping, cellular telephone tower identification, and local area network (LAN) identification.

16. The method of claim 13,

wherein the determining a location of the external device includes the external device determining that the location is a location where defibrillation therapy should be turned off in the implantable device, and

wherein the configuring user access to an implantable device feature includes the external device enabling user access for at least one of:

disabling delivery of defibrillation therapy by the implantable device; and

presenting a reminder to enable defibrillation therapy when the defibrillation therapy is disabled.

17. The method of claim 13,

wherein the determining a location of the external device includes the external device determining that the location is an OR, and

wherein the configuring user access to an implantable device feature includes the external device enabling user access for initiating an electrocautery mode in the implantable device.

18. The method of claim 13,

wherein the determining a location of the external device includes the external device determining that the location is an MRI clinic, and

wherein the configuring user access to an implantable device feature includes the external device enabling at least one of:

user access to enable an MRI mode in which pacing therapy is delivered asynchronously at a rate higher than a determined intrinsic rate; and

user access to enable a device-automated pacing threshold test.

19. The method of claim 13,

wherein the determining a location of the external device includes the external device determining that the location is a general practice clinic, and

wherein the configuring user access to an implantable device feature includes the external device enabling user read-access to at least a portion of data stored in the implantable device.

20. The method of claim 13, including:

selectively loading, by the external device, information stored in the implantable device according to the determined location;

identifying a remote server according to the determined location; and

communicating the information to the remote server absent participation by a user.