Programmable pacer
First Claim
1. A demand cardiac pacer having a pulse generator operating at a pulse interval determined by the programming of said pacer when it is in the asynchronous mode and by received QRS signals when it is in the demand mode, and comprising:
- a. means for sensing the presence and absence of an externally applied magnetic signal;
b. first means for counting said pulse intervals when said external magnetic signal is sensed;
c. second means for counting said pulse intervals when the absence of said external magnetic signal is sensed;
d. control signal means for generating control signals as a function of the counts of said first and second counting means; and
e. control means for controlling at least one predetermined pacer parameter with said generated control signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable programmable pacer is disclosed which incorporates a program logic system for receiving magnetic signals from a simple magnet source applied external to the patient, and for translating the simple magnetic signals into logic signals for re-programming selected pacer parameters. The circuitry of the programming system is adapted to react to predetermined timed sequences of application of the external magnetic signal, which timed sequences are correlated with successive intervals of the pacer stimulus generator. The programming system is adapted to interpret predetermined patterns of external application of a magnetic field as instructions for re-programming respective operating parameters.
56 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A demand cardiac pacer having a pulse generator operating at a pulse interval determined by the programming of said pacer when it is in the asynchronous mode and by received QRS signals when it is in the demand mode, and comprising:
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a. means for sensing the presence and absence of an externally applied magnetic signal; b. first means for counting said pulse intervals when said external magnetic signal is sensed; c. second means for counting said pulse intervals when the absence of said external magnetic signal is sensed; d. control signal means for generating control signals as a function of the counts of said first and second counting means; and e. control means for controlling at least one predetermined pacer parameter with said generated control signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A cardiac pacer having a stimulus generator circuit which continuously operates with successive time intervals which may vary within a predetermined internal range, comprising:
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a. means for sensing the presence of an externally applied magnetic signal; b. counting means for counting the total number of such stimulus generator time intervals which occur during the time period that a continuous magnetic signal is sensed by said sensing means; c. control signal means for generating a predetermined control signal when said total count of said counting means is within a predetermined range; and d. means for controlling a predetermined pacer operating parameter with said control signal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A demand pacer adapted to operate with an electrode for communicating pacer stimulus signals to the patient'"'"'s heart and for communicating sensed heartbeat signals from said heart to the pacer, comprising:
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a. oscillator means, operating in demand mode, in combination with amplifier and on demand logic circuitry, for operating at a fixed programmed rate in the absence of detected natural heartbeat signals and in an inhibited mode in the presence of detected natural heartbeat signals, and with a pulse interval defined by the programmed state of said pacer during said fixed operation and by the received heartbeat rates during said demand mode; b. sensing means for sensing predetermined sequences of an external magnetic field wherein said magnetic field is present and absent in predetermined time coincidence with consecutive ones of said pulse intervals, and for generating program control signals corresponding to said sensed predetermined sequences; and c. means for controlling at least one selected operating parameter of said pacer with said control signals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A cardiac pacer for use in connection with a catheter for delivery of stimulus signals to a patient'"'"'s heart, comprising:
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a. pulse generating means for delivering stimulus pulses to said catheter; b. means for detecting an externally generated time-varying signal; c. means for determining when said detected time-varying signal has one of a plurality of predetermined time relations to the operation of said pulse generation means, and for generating a predetermined program signal upon determining said time relation; d. means for controlling a preselected operating parameter of said pacer in a predetermined manner with said predetermined program signal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A cardiac pacer for use in connection with a catheter adapted to be positioned in a patient'"'"'s heart, comprising:
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a. a sealed metallic housing having only one feedthrough element, said element being adapted for connection to said catheter; b. demand pacer circuitry, including a pulse generator, contained within said housing and connected to said feedthrough element, said circuitry continuously generating parameter signals representative of a pacer operating parameter; c. means for detecting time-varying programming signals generated outside of said housing and for generating therefrom program signals, said detecting means being contained within said housing; d. control signal means connected to said detecting means and said pacer circuitry for generating control signals derived from said parameter signals and said program signals; and e. program control means for controlling a preselected operating parameter as a function of said control signals. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. Apparatus adapted to be implanted in a body and for generating output signals suitable for transmission to a predetermined location within said body, comprising:
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a. means for receiving time-varying external signals from outside of said apparatus; b. means for generating internal signals independent of said external signals; c. logic means connected to receive said external signals and said internal signals for generating a program control signal upon a predetermined time coincidence of the receipt of said external signal and the generation of said internal signal; d. power means for providing power to said apparatus; e. generating means for generating said output signals; and f. control means for controlling the operation of said generating means with said control signal. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A programmable cardiac pacer for generation of output signals suitable for delivery to a patient'"'"'s heart, having receiving means for receiving externally generated program signals and signal generating circuitry for generating said output signals, said signal generating circuitry continuously providing timing signals representative of the timing of said circuitry, characterized by:
programmer means for generating control signals as a function of the time relationship of said program signals and said timing signals, and control means for controlling at least one operating parameter of said pacer with said program signals. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
Specification