Medical Device Application for Configuring a Mobile Device into an External Controller for an Implantable Medical Device

• US 20150073498A1
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Kothandaraman, Sridhar
• Granted Patent: US 9,186,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A Medical Device Application (MDA) operates on the mobile device to temporarily configure it into a known secure configuration for use as an external controller, and to prevent operation of the mobile device inconsistent with this function. In particular, the MDA operates to (1) disable or reconfigure hardware modules, and/or (2) terminate or suspend software tasks, that might corrupt operation of the mobile device as an external controller. The MDA can comprise an application (“app”) that the patient can download onto his mobile device and run to initialize the mobile device into the known secure configuration. The MDA also preferably provides a graphical user interface to allow a user to communicate with the implantable medical device using the now-secure mobile device. After using the mobile device to communicate with the implantable medical device, the MDA can be exited and the mobile device returned to its original configuration.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an implantable medical device; and

a storage device comprising a medical device application stored in a non-transitory machine-readable medium configured for execution by a mobile device, wherein the medical device application is configured to

initialize the mobile device from a first configuration into a second configuration for use as a medical device by performing one or both of steps (a) and (b);

(a) disabling or reconfiguring one or more hardware modules in the mobile device determined by the medical device application to interfere with operation as a medical device;

(b) suspending or terminating one or more software tasks active in the mobile device determined by the medical device application to interfere with operation as a medical device; and

provide a graphical user interface to the initialized mobile device to enable the mobile device to communicate with an implantable medical device during a communication session.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises:

identifying hardware modules in the mobile device;

comparing the identified hardware modules to a list of hardware modules provided by the medical device application to determine which of the one or more hardware modules to disable or reconfigure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises disabling one or more first hardware modules in the mobile device and reconfiguring one or more second hardware modules in the mobile device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises storing state information for the one or more hardware modules before they are disabled or reconfigured.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the graphical user interface allows for exiting of the medical device application, whereby the medical device application will retrieve the state information and use it to enable the one or more hardware modules that were disabled in step (a) or to restore the one or more hardware modules that were reconfigured in step (a) before the medical device application stops.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises:

identifying active software tasks in the mobile device;

comparing the identified software tasks to one or more lists of software tasks to determine which of the one or more software tasks to suspend or terminate.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises suspending one or more first software tasks active in the mobile device and terminating one or more second software tasks active in the mobile device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises storing state information for the one or more software tasks before they are suspended.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the graphical user interface allows for exiting of the medical device application, whereby the medical device application will retrieve the state information and use it to resume the one or more software tasks that were suspended in step (b) before the medical device application stops.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein both of steps (a) and (b) are performed.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface allows a user to set or adjust therapy settings of the implantable medical device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface allows a user to receive data from the implantable medical device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface allows a user to review contraindication information concerning the implantable medical device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein one or both of steps (a) and (b) are also periodically performed during the communication session.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises the mobile device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises an Internet or other network server accessible by the mobile device.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical device application is selectable for execution as an icon on a display of the mobile device.