Recorder with patient alarm and service request systems suitable for use with automatic implantable defibrillator
First Claim
1. A recorder system, adapted for use with an automatic defibrillator system responsive to a patient'"'"'s electrocardiagram (ECG) data and capable of detecting the occurrence of abnormal cardiac activity and render effective automatically in response thereto to generate and apply one or more defibrillation electrical impulses to the patient'"'"'s heart intended to return the heart to normal functioning, said recorder system being responsive to the patient'"'"'s ECG data and comprising, in combination,means for sampling and converting said ECG data from analog to digital form,first and second ECG data digital storage means,means for registering the occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity as detected by said automatic defibrillator system,storage control means controlled by said occurrence registering means responsive to the occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity for selectively rendering effective said first and second ECG data storage means to store ECG digital data occurring respectively for a first time period just prior to the occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity or for a second time period encompassing the application of said defibrillation impulse(s) by said automatic defibrillator system,time registration means controlled by said occurrence registering means responsive to the occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity for registering as a digital code the time of occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity,first counting means responsive to the generation of each defibrillation impulse by said automatic defibrillation system for registering as a digital code a count of the number of said defibrillation electrical impulses generated by said automatic defibrillator system,second counting means responsive to said occurrence registering means for registering as a digital code a count of the number of occurrences of said abnormal cardiac activity, andreadout control means operable upon command for reading out(a) the ECG digital data stored in each of said first and second storage means,(b) the digital code time registration of said time registration means, and(c) the digital code counts of each of said first and second counting means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a system and apparatus, particularly adapted for use with an automatic implantable defibrillator, for monitoring electrocardiagram (ECG) data signals to provide a continuously updated recording of the ECG data. The proposed recorder responds to the operating condition of the automatic implanted defibrillator device and places into storage, for subsequent readout by the patient'"'"'s doctor, ECG data both immediately preceding the onset of a ventricular fibrillation episode and also during the subsequent defibrillation activity, when one or more high energy electrical impulses are applied to the patient'"'"'s heart. Selected other data regarding operation of the implanted defibrillator and pertinent to the doctor'"'"'s evaluation of the patient'"'"'s condition as well as the efficacy of the defibrillator unit, are also recorded by the proposed apparatus for subsequent readout. In addition, the proposed recording apparatus operates to automatically alert the patient that ventricular fibrillation has been detected and that defibrillation is to be attempted, so that appropriate precautions may be taken. Moreover, following defibrillation, the patient is alerted in a distinctive manner that defibrillation has occurred and that a physician should be contacted, as soon as possible.
157 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A recorder system, adapted for use with an automatic defibrillator system responsive to a patient'"'"'s electrocardiagram (ECG) data and capable of detecting the occurrence of abnormal cardiac activity and render effective automatically in response thereto to generate and apply one or more defibrillation electrical impulses to the patient'"'"'s heart intended to return the heart to normal functioning, said recorder system being responsive to the patient'"'"'s ECG data and comprising, in combination,
means for sampling and converting said ECG data from analog to digital form, first and second ECG data digital storage means, means for registering the occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity as detected by said automatic defibrillator system, storage control means controlled by said occurrence registering means responsive to the occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity for selectively rendering effective said first and second ECG data storage means to store ECG digital data occurring respectively for a first time period just prior to the occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity or for a second time period encompassing the application of said defibrillation impulse(s) by said automatic defibrillator system, time registration means controlled by said occurrence registering means responsive to the occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity for registering as a digital code the time of occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity, first counting means responsive to the generation of each defibrillation impulse by said automatic defibrillation system for registering as a digital code a count of the number of said defibrillation electrical impulses generated by said automatic defibrillator system, second counting means responsive to said occurrence registering means for registering as a digital code a count of the number of occurrences of said abnormal cardiac activity, and readout control means operable upon command for reading out (a) the ECG digital data stored in each of said first and second storage means, (b) the digital code time registration of said time registration means, and (c) the digital code counts of each of said first and second counting means.
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17. A recorder system responsive to a selected physiological signal of a patient for monitoring, storing and reading out, on command, data regarding a particular physiological functioning represented by said physiological signal for that patient, comprising:
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means for sampling and converting said physiological signal from an analog form into a corresponding digital data signal format, addressable memory means for storing the digital data signal, said memory means being divided into first and second storage portions, means for repeatedly addressing the first storage portion of said memory prior to the occurrence of a preselected physiological event to continually update the digital data stored in said first storage portion, means for registering the occurrence of said preselected physiological event, means controlled by said registration means rendered effective upon the occurrence of said preselected physiological event to hold the most recent digital data then stored in said first storage portion corresponding to a first predetermined interval preceding said event, means controlled by said registration means rendered effective upon the occurrence of said preselected physiological event for thereafter addressing the second storage portion of said memory to store the digital data corresponding to said physiological signal during a second predetermined interval following said event, readout control means operable upon command for reading out the digital data stored by said first and second storage portion of said memory, means for commanding said readout control means, and patient identification generator means responsive to said readout control means for annexing a code to said digital data during readout uniquely identifying the particular patient. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31)
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29. A recorder system for use with an automatic defibrillation system implanted in a patient and operable, in response to the detection of abnormal cardiac activity, to apply automatically defibrillation electrical impulse to the patient'"'"'s heart in an attempt to correct said abnormal activity if such activity continues for longer than a predetermined time interval, said recorder system being responsive to the patient'"'"'s electrocardiagram (ECG) signal and comprising, in combination:
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means for registering the detection of said abnormal cardiac activity, means for registering completion of a corrective attempt by said implanted automatic defibrillation system, storage means for storing said ECG signal for a time period of interest extending substantially from the time at which said abnormal cardiac activity is detected to a predetermined time following application of said defibrillation electrical impulse by said implanted automatic defibrillation system; means for reading out the ECG signal stored by said storage means, and patient warning means for providing the patient with distinctive warnings of the occurrence of said abnormal cardiac activity and the responsive operation of said implanted automatic defibrillator system, said patient warning means including warning signal generating means implanted in the patent responsive to the detection of said abnormal cardiac activity and the responsive application of said electrical impulse by said implanted automatic defibrillation system for generating first and second patient stimulus signals respectively; and means responsive to said first and second patient stimulus signals for converting said first and second patient stimulus signals each to a different distinctive from detectable by the patient to warn the patient of said abnormal cardiac activity and said responsive defibrillation respectively. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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32. A recorder system responsive to a selected physiological signal of a patient for recording said physiological signal comprising, in combination,
means for periodically converting samples of said physiological signal into a succession of digital data code words, means for registering the occurrence of a preselected event in said physiological signal, memory means including a plurality of random access memory (RAM) stages capable of storing said digital data code words at selected addresses within said memory means, memory address control means responsive to said registering means for selectively addressing the RAM stages of said memory to (a) store digital data code words corresponding to a first predetermined time interval of said physiological signal immediately preceeding said preselected event in a first portion of said memory comprising memory addresses corresponding to said first predetermined time interval, and (b) store digital data code words corresponding to a second predetermined time interval of said physiological signal following said preselected event in a second portion of said memory comprising selected other memory addresses, said memory address control means including means for generating address selecting signals to sequentially address all memory addresses and logic circuit means connected to said generating means for (a) forcing said generating means to generate address selecting signals which repeatedly address in sequence said selected memory addresses corresponding to said first memory portion until said preselected event occurs in said physiological signal, and (b) thereafter enable generation of address selecting signals which address in sequence the other memory addresses corresponding to said second memory portion, and means for reading out the digital data code words from said memory means.
Specification