Implantable heart pacemaker with a sensor for inertial and/or rotational movements of the user
First Claim
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1. A pacemaker implantable in a patient for stimulating the heart of said patient comprising:
- sensing means for detecting physical activity of said patient including a hollow element, freely moveable means enclosed in said hollow element, and means connected to said hollow element for detecting relative movement between said freely moveable means and said hollow element and generating an electrical signal proportional to said movement; and
means for generating stimulation pulses for stimulating said heart at a stimulation frequency including means responsive to said electrical signal for varying said stimulation frequency dependent on said physical activity of said patient.
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Abstract
A pacemaker has a sensor for deteching inertial and/or rotational movements of a patient in whom the pacemaker is implanted. The sensor has a hollow member with at least one freely moveable member therein, the freely moveable member generating a mechanical vibration upon movement thereof within the hollow member caused by movement or rotation of the patient. A transducer generates an electrical signal corresponding to the mechanical vibrations, the electrical signal being proportional to the movement. This electrical signal is used to vary the rate at which stimulation pulses are supplied to the patient by the pacemaker.
50 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A pacemaker implantable in a patient for stimulating the heart of said patient comprising:
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sensing means for detecting physical activity of said patient including a hollow element, freely moveable means enclosed in said hollow element, and means connected to said hollow element for detecting relative movement between said freely moveable means and said hollow element and generating an electrical signal proportional to said movement; and means for generating stimulation pulses for stimulating said heart at a stimulation frequency including means responsive to said electrical signal for varying said stimulation frequency dependent on said physical activity of said patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A pacemaker implantable in a patient for stimulating the heart of said patient comprising:
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a hollow element having an interior surface; a freely moveable element enclosed in said hollow element for generating an acoustic signal by mechanically interacting with said interior surface of said hollow element due to movement of said patient and said hollow element; a microphone for receiving said acoustic signal and generating an electrical signal therefrom at least partially proportional to the mechanical interaction of said hollow element and said freely moveable element; and means for generating stimulation pulses for stimulating said heart at a stimulation frequency including means responsive to said electrical signal for varying said stimulation frequency dependent on said physical activity of said patient. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A pacemaker implantable in a patient for stimulating the heart of said patient comprising:
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a hollow element; a freely moveable magnetic dipole enclosed in said hollow element, said magnetic dipole changing position within said hollow element upon movement of said patient and said hollow element; at least one coil at least partially surrounding said hollow element in which voltage is induced by movement of said magnetic dipole within said hollow element; and means for generating stimulation pulses for stimulating said heart at a stimulation frequency including means responsive to said electrical signal for varying said stimulation frequency dependent on said physical activity of said patient.
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30. A pacemaker implantable in a patient for stimulating the heart of said patient comprising:
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a hollow element; a plurality of electrical conducting particles enclosed in said hollow element and freely moveable therein such that said particles re-orient within said hollow element upon a change in position of said hollow element due to movement of said patient; a pair of spaced electrodes within said hollow element adapted for connection to a voltage source, said particles being at least partially disposed between said electrodes and changing the resistance between said electrodes upon re-orientation of said particles due to movement of said patient; and means for generating stimulation pulsed for stimulating said heart at a stimulation frequency including means responsive to said electrical signal for varying said stimulation frequency dependent on said physical activity of said patient. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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Specification