USE CASE-BASED SERVICES

• US 20140058468A1
• 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 9,031,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/88 Medical equipments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083

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 a third device separate from the external device and the implantable device, a locating circuit configured to determine a location of the external device using the received communication signal, a port configured to receive user identity information into the external device, and a control circuit electrically coupled to the communication circuit, the locating circuit, and the port. The control circuit is configured to allow user access to an implantable device feature according to the determined location and received user identity information.

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 a third device separate from the external device and the implantable device;

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

a port configured to receive user identity information into the external device; and

a control circuit electrically coupled to the communication circuit, the locating circuit, and the port, wherein the control circuit is configured to allow user access to an implantable device feature according to the determined location and received user identity information.

2. The external device of claim 1,

wherein the communication circuit is configured to:

transmit access information receivable by a fourth device that is associated with the user identity information; and

receive the access information into the external device, and wherein the control circuit is configured to;

verify that the received access information corresponds to the transmitted access information; and

allow user access to the implantable device feature according to the verification.

3. The external device of claim 2, including a scanning circuit,

wherein the communication circuit is configured to transmit a barcode receivable by a telephone associated with the user identity information,

wherein the scanning circuit is configured to scan a barcode displayed on the telephone, and

wherein the control circuit is configured to verify that the scanned barcode is the same as the transmitted barcode.

4. The external device of claim 1, wherein the port is configured to receive biometric information of a user.

5. The external device of claim 1, including a camera, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

initiate obtaining an image of a user given access to the external device; and

include the image in a record of access to the external device.

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

detect a change in location of the external device; and

change user access to one or more implantable device features according to the changed location and identity information.

7. The external device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to disable the external device when determining that the location of the external device is outside of an approved area for the user identity information.

8. 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 a global positioning system (GPS), wireless fidelity (WiFi) network mapping, cellular telephone tower identification, and local area network (LAN) identification.

9. 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 a third device;

determining, by the external device, a location of the external device according to the received communication signal;

receiving user identity information into the external device; and

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

10. The method of claim 9, including:

transmitting, by the external device, access information receivable by a fourth device, wherein the access information is associated with the user identity information;

receiving the access information into the external device; and

verifying, with the external device, that the received access information corresponds to the transmitted access information.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving user identity information into the external device includes receiving biometric information of a user into the external device.

12. The method of claim 9, including:

determining, by the external device, that the location of the external device has changed; and

reconfiguring the user access according to the changed location and user identity information.

13. An external device comprising:

a communication circuit configured to communicate with an implantable device;

a user interface;

a control circuit electrically coupled to the user interface and communication circuit and configured to present a user option to disable delivery of defibrillation therapy by the implantable device;

a port configured to receive an indication into the external device to disable delivery of the defibrillation therapy, and

wherein the control circuit is further configured to;

communicate a disable of the defibrillation therapy to the implantable device in response to receiving the indication;

detect a triggering event; and

present an alert to a user when the triggering event occurs and defibrillation therapy by the implantable device remains disabled.

14. The external device of claim 13, including:

a timer circuit electrically coupled to or integral to the control circuit;

wherein the control circuit is configured to;

initiate timing of a specified time duration by the timer circuit in response to communication of the disable to the implantable device;

generate the alert when the specified time duration expires and the defibrillation therapy by the implantable device remains disabled; and

maintain circuit power to the timer circuit until at least one of the defibrillation therapy by the implantable device is enabled or the alert is generated.

15. The external device of claim 13, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

communicate an indication that delivery of defibrillation therapy is disabled to a server remote from the external device;

communicate an indication that delivery of defibrillation therapy is re-enabled to the remote server; and

receive the alert from the remote server when the remote server fails to receive the indication that the delivery of defibrillation therapy is re-enabled a specified time duration after receiving the indication that delivery of defibrillation therapy is disabled.

16. The external device of claim 13, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive the alert from the implantable device when the control circuit fails to re-enable the delivery of defibrillation therapy after a specified time duration.

17. The external device of claim 13, including:

a locating circuit configured to determine a location of the external device,

wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the alert when determining that the location of the external device has changed while defibrillation therapy by the implantable device remains disabled.

18. A method comprising:

presenting, by an external device, a user option to disable delivery of defibrillation therapy by an implantable device, wherein the external device is configured to communicate with the implantable device;

receiving an indication into the external device to disable delivery of the defibrillation therapy and disabling the defibrillation therapy in response thereto; and

generating an alert when a triggering event occurs and defibrillation therapy by the implantable device remains disabled.

19. The method of claim 18, including:

communicating the indication to disable delivery of defibrillation therapy to a server remote from the external device;

initiating a timer circuit of the remote server in response to the received indication, wherein the triggering event includes a timeout of the timer circuit of the remote server while defibrillation therapy by the implantable device remains disabled; and

communicating the alert from the remote server to the external device and presenting the alert to a user via the external device.

20. The method of claim 18, including:

determining, by the external device, a location of the external device, and

wherein the triggering event includes the external device determining that the location has changed while defibrillation therapy by the implantable device remains disabled.