MONITOR APPARATUS FOR IMPLANTED PULSE GENERATOR

• US 3,769,965 A
• Filed: 02/23/1971
• Issued: 11/06/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cal C. Herrmann, Jerome L. Kligerman, William J. Raddi
• Original Assignee: Cal C. Herrmann, Jerome L. Kligerman, William J. Raddi
• Inventors: Raddi, William J., Kligerman, Jerome L., Herrmann, Cal C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/118,144
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.5R,2.5T,2.6F,2.6R,2.1A,2.1R,419P,419R
• US Class Current: 607/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/26 maintaining contact between the body and the electrodes by the action of the subjects, e.g. by placing the body on the electrodes or by grasping the electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A monitor apparatus is disclosed for monitoring electrical stimulation signals due to either natural or artificial electrical stimulation of a body part via a communication link such that the repetition rate of the electrical stimulation signals can be determined. The monitor apparatus comprises the subsystems: a transducer; a communication link or network; and a reciever. The transducer is adapted to sense the electrical stimulation signals generated either naturally or by an electronic organ stimulator, such as an implanted cardiac pacer, and to convert the electrical stimulation signals to audible signals such as tone bursts. These audible tone bursts are then transmitted over a communication link such as the standard telephone network to the receiver located at a remote telephone station, typically a cardiologist'"'"''"'"'s office. The receiver is adapted to measure the time interval between received tone bursts. The receiver is further adapted to display or indicate to an observer the time interval between received tone burst. If desired, the receiver can be adapted to indicate directly the repetition rate of the stimulation signals. The information is then utilized by an observer for diagnostic purposes. The monitor apparatus also includes a test means for testing the integrity of the apparatus including the transducer, the communication link and the receiver.

Claims

1. A transducer for the monitoring of a body implanted electric pulse generating device via a telephone communication link, wherein the pulse generating device includes:

a power supply, and a pulse generating circuit operatively connected to the power supply to translate the power supplied by the power supply into a sequence of electrical pulses, the electrical pulses produced by the pulse producing circuit being of a preselected duration and being produced at a preselected rate, comprising;

a. sensing means constructed and arranged for connection to the body for sensing the electrical pulses generated by the implanted pulse generating device;

b. signal producing means operatively connected to the sensing means and being responsive to sensed electrical pulses to produce an electrical tone burst signal of predetermined duration in correspondence with the occurrence of each sensed electrical pulse;

c. output means operatively connected to the signal producing means for producing an audible tone burst signal of predetermined duration in correspondence with the occurrence of each electrical tone burst signal applied thereto; and

d. test means operatively connected between the sensing means and signal producing means and including means operable for rendering the transducer insensitive to electrical stimulation signals and for activating the test means, the test means further comprising an electrical test pulse producing circuit which applies to the signal producing means electrical test pulses at a predetermined rate, the predetermined rate of the electrical test pulses being greater than the expected rate of the electrical pulses generated by the pulse generating device, the signal producing means being also responsive to the electrical test pulses to produce an electrical test tone burst signal of predetermined duration in correspondence with the occurrence of each of the applied electrical test pulses, and the output means also producing an audible test tone burst signal of predetermined duration in correspondence with the occurrence of each electrical test tone burst signal when the latter signals are applied thereto.

2. signal producing means operatively connected to the sensing means and being responsive to sensed electrical pulses to produce an electrical tone burst signal of predetermined duration in correspondence with the occurrence of each sensed electrical pulse;

and

3. output means operatively connected to the signal producing means and being adapted to be acoustically coupled to the telephone communication link, the output means producing an audible tone burst signal of predetermined duration in correspondence with the occurrence of ech electrical tone burst signal applied thereto;

b. receiver means to receive the audible signals transmitted over the communication link and to measure and display the time interval between received audible signals for indicating to an observer the time interval between each audible signal; and

c. test means operatively connected to the transducer means for testing the integrity of the apparatus including the transducer, the communication link and the receiver, the test means being operatively connected between the sensing means and signal producing means and including means operable for rendering the transducer insensitive to electrical stimulation signals and for activating the test means, the test means further comprising an electrical test pulse producing circuit which applies to the signal producing means electrical test pulses at a predetermined rate, the predetermined rate of the electrical test pulses being greater than the expected rate of the electrical pulses generated by the pulse generating device, the signal producing means being also responsive to the electrical test pulses to produce an electrical test tone burst signal of predetermined duration in correspondence with the occurrence of each of the applied electrical test pulses, And the output means also producing an audible test tone burst signal of predetermined duration in correspondence with the occurrence of each electrical test tone burst signal when the latter signals are applied thereto.