Implantable medical device and power source depletion control therefor
First Claim
1. A programmable medical device having programmable means responsive to externally applied programming signals for programming the operation of the medical device in one of a plurality of operating modes and operating rates comprising:
- a depletable power source for powering said medical device;
power source energy detecting means coupled to said power source for providing a first end-of-life signal at a first depletion level and a second end-of-life signal at a second depletion level lower than said first depletion level;
first rate and mode switching means coupled to said programmable means and said detecting means and responsive to an externally applied testing signal for operating said medical device in a first predetermined mode and at the programmed rate when neither a first nor a second end-of-life signal is present;
second rate and mode switching means coupled to said programmable means and said detecting means and responsive to said testing signal for operating said medical device in the first predetermined mode and at a first predetermined rate when said first end-of-life signal is present; and
third rate and mode switching means coupled to said programmable means and said detecting means and responsive to said testing signal for operating said medical device in a second predetermined mode and rate when said second end-of-life signal is present.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A programmable pulse generator capable of operating in several atrial and ventricular pacing modes having atrial and ventricular sense amplifiers and output circuits, programmable memory and clock controlled digital timing circuits and a depletable power source. End-of-life sensing circuits detect first and second end-of-life depletion levels. Magnet activated end-of-life test circuitry responds to the presense of none, one or both of the end-of-life depletion level signals to alter the operating modes and pacing rates to indicate the orginally programmed mode and the level of depletion to an observer. Preferably, the pulse generator is operated in the asynchronous DOO or VOO modes and at non-programmed test rates to provide the indication.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A programmable medical device having programmable means responsive to externally applied programming signals for programming the operation of the medical device in one of a plurality of operating modes and operating rates comprising:
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a depletable power source for powering said medical device; power source energy detecting means coupled to said power source for providing a first end-of-life signal at a first depletion level and a second end-of-life signal at a second depletion level lower than said first depletion level; first rate and mode switching means coupled to said programmable means and said detecting means and responsive to an externally applied testing signal for operating said medical device in a first predetermined mode and at the programmed rate when neither a first nor a second end-of-life signal is present; second rate and mode switching means coupled to said programmable means and said detecting means and responsive to said testing signal for operating said medical device in the first predetermined mode and at a first predetermined rate when said first end-of-life signal is present; and third rate and mode switching means coupled to said programmable means and said detecting means and responsive to said testing signal for operating said medical device in a second predetermined mode and rate when said second end-of-life signal is present. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A programmable atrial and ventricular pulse generator comprising:
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a depletable power source for powering said pulse generator; power source energy detecting means coupled to said power source for providing a first end-of-life signal at a first depletion level and a second end-of-life signal at a second depletion level lower than said first depletion level; atrial sensing means for sensing atrial contractions of the heart and providing an atrial sense signal; ventricular sensing means for sensing ventricular contractions of the heart and providing a ventricular sense signal; atrial pulse providing means for providing atrial stimulating pulses; ventricular pulse providing means for providing ventricular stimulating pulses; and digital control and memory means responding to atrial and ventricular sense signals, and selectively triggering said atrial and ventricular pulse providing means under the control of operating mode and rate control signals, further comprising; programmable memory means for storing operating mode and rate control signals; first rate and mode switching means coupled to said programmable means and said detecting means and responsive to an externally applied testing signal for triggering said atrial and ventricular pulse providing means in a first predetermined, non-programmed mode and at the programmed rate when neither a first nor a second end-of-life signal is present; second rate and mode switching means coupled to said programmable means and said detecting means and responsive to said testing signal for triggering said atrial and ventricular pulse providing means in the first predetermined, non-programmed mode and at a first predetermined rate when said first end-of-life signal is present; and third rate and mode switching means coupled to said programmable means and said detecting means and responsive to said testing signal for triggering said ventricular pulse providing means in a second predetermined non-programmed mode and at a second predetermined rate when said second end-of-life signal is present. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A programmable atrial and ventricular pulse generator comprising:
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a depletable power source for powering said pulse generator; atrial pulse providing means for providing atrial stimulating pulses; ventricular pulse providing means for providing ventricular stimulating pulses; and power source energy detecting means coupled to said power source for providing a first end-of-life signal at a first depletion level and second end-of-life signal at a second depletion level lower than said first depletion level; digital control and memory means responding to atrial and ventricular sense signals, and selectively triggering said atrial and ventricular pulse providing means under the control of operating mode and rate control signals, further comprising; programmable memory means for selectively storing operating mode and rate control signals, a first of said selectively stored operating mode signals providing for the operation of said pulse generator in an atrial and ventricular pacing mode and a second of said selectively stored operating mode signal providing for the operation of said pulse generator in a ventricular pacing mode; first rate and mode switching means coupled to said programmable memory means and said detecting means and responsive to an externally applied testing signal for triggering said atrial and ventricular pulse providing means in said atrial and ventricular pacing mode and at a first fixed rate when said programmable memory means stores said first selectively stored operating mode signal and in said ventricular pacing mode and at said first fixed rate when said programmable memory means stores said second selectively stored operating mode signals when neither a first nor a second end-of-life signal is present. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A programmable atrial and ventricular pulse generator comprising:
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a depletable power source for powering said pulse generator; power source energy detecting means coupled to said power source for providing an end-of-life signal when said power source energy depletes to a certain depletion level; and atrial sensing means for sensing atrial contractions of the heart and providing an atrial sense signal; ventricular sensing means for sensing ventricular contractions of the heart and providing a ventricular sense signal; atrial pulse providing means for providing atrial stimulating pulses; ventricular pulse providing means for providing ventricular stimulating pulses; and digital control and memory means responsive to atrial and ventricular sense signals, and selectively triggering said atrial and ventricular pulse providing means under the control of stored operating mode and rate control memory data further comprising; means for operating said pulse generator at a non-programmable safety rate and in low energy consuming mode in the absence of any stored operating mode and rate control signal; and mode and rate switching means responsive to said end-of-life signal for disregarding any stored operating mode and rate control date in said memory means and for operating said pulse generator at said safety rate and in said low energy consuming mode. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A programmable atrial and ventricular pulse generator comprising:
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atrial sensing means for sensing atrial contractions of the heart and providing an atrial sense signal; ventricular sensing means for sensing ventricular contractions of the heart and providing a ventricular sense signal; atrial pulse providing means for providing atrial stimulating pulses; ventricular pulse providing means for providing ventricular stimulating pulses; and digital control and memory means responding to atrial and ventricular sense signals, and selectively triggering said atrial and ventricular pulse providing means under the control of operating mode and rate control signals, further comprising; programmable memory means having memory stages for storing operating mode and rate control data for the selection of the lower pacing rate and the operation of the pulse generator in (1) a DDD mode wherein atrial and ventricular sense signals control the operation of said atrial and ventricular pulse providing means;
(2) a DVI mode wherein ventricular sense signals control the operation of said atrial and ventricular pulse providing means;
(3) a VVI mode wherein ventricular sense signals control the operation of said ventricular pulse providing means; and
(4) a VDT/I mode wherein atrial and ventricular sense signals control the operation of said ventricular pulse providing means;means for providing a test pacing rate; and rate and mode switching means responsive to an externally applied testing signal for operating said pulse generator at said test pacing rate and (1) in the DOO mode, wherein atrial and ventricular stimulating pulses are provided at said test pacing rate, when said memory stages store the DDD operating data and (2) in the VOO mode, wherein ventricular pulses are provided at said fixed rate when said memory stages store the VDT/I operating mode data and at the rate provided by the rate control data and (1) in the DOO mode when said memory stages store the DVI operating data and (2) in the VOO mode when said memory stages stored the VVI operating data. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A programmable medical device having programmable means responsive to externally applied programming signals for programming the operation of the medical device in one of a plurality of operating modes and operating rates comprising:
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a depletable power source for powering said medical device; power source energy detecting means coupled to said power source for providing an end-of-life signal at an energy depletion level; and digital control and memory means responsive to stored operating mode and rate control data for selectively operating said medical device further comprising; means for operating said pulse generator at a non-programmable safety rate and in low energy consuming mode in the absence of any stored operating mode and rate control data; and mode and rate switching means responsive to said end-of-life signal for disregarding any stored operating mode and rate control data in said memory means and for operating said medical device at said safety rate and in said low energy consuming mode.
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Specification