Sensor arrangement for the control of implantable devices
First Claim
1. An apparatus for medically treating a patient comprising:
- an implantable device which supplies a medical treatment to said patient, said device having at least one variable function;
a catheter connected to said device and also implantable in said patient, said catheter having a plurality of leads therein;
a plurality of sensors which respectively generate measured signals corresponding to different body parameters of said patient contained within said catheter;
control means in said catheter for successively respectively connecting said sensors across only two leads of said plurality of leads and thereby activating said sensors chronologically offset;
an evaluation means disposed in said implantable device remote from said sensors and connected to said sensors by said catheter for generating a signal for use in varying said variable function from said measured signals; and
means for transmitting said respective measured signals from each activated sensor chronologically offset to said evaluation means via no more than said two leads.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor arrangement for controlling an implantable device, such as a heart pacemaker, has a number of individual sensors connected to an evaluation circuit through a catheter having at least two leads. The sensors are respectively activated in chronological succession by a shared control circuit, with both the sensors and the control circuit being arranged in the catheter. The corresponding measured signals are transmitted via the same leads, and also being offset chronologically. The arrangement permits a number of sensors to be connected to a catheter while maintaining only two lines in the catheter, so that the flexibility and reliability of the catheter, which are best with the fewest possible leads, remain unimpaired.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for medically treating a patient comprising:
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an implantable device which supplies a medical treatment to said patient, said device having at least one variable function; a catheter connected to said device and also implantable in said patient, said catheter having a plurality of leads therein; a plurality of sensors which respectively generate measured signals corresponding to different body parameters of said patient contained within said catheter; control means in said catheter for successively respectively connecting said sensors across only two leads of said plurality of leads and thereby activating said sensors chronologically offset; an evaluation means disposed in said implantable device remote from said sensors and connected to said sensors by said catheter for generating a signal for use in varying said variable function from said measured signals; and means for transmitting said respective measured signals from each activated sensor chronologically offset to said evaluation means via no more than said two leads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for medically treating a patient comprising:
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an implantable device which supplies a medical treatment to said patient, said device having at least one variable function; a catheter connected to said implantable device and also implantable in said patient, said catheter having a plurality of leads; a plurality of sensors contained within said catheter, each sensor generating a measured value signal upon activation thereof corresponding to a respective body parameter of said patient; a like plurality of switching means respectively connected to said sensors and also contained within said catheter for connecting said sensors across only two leads of said plurality of leads; an evaluation means disposed in said implantable device remote from said sensors and connected to said sensors by said catheter for generating a signal for use in varying said variable function from said measured value signals; a counter means connected to each of said switches for operating said switches to activate said sensors in a selected sequence in response to an input signal, each of said sensors, when activated, supplying its measured value signal via no more than said two leads to said evaluation means; and means for generating said input signal for said counter. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for medically treating a patient comprising:
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an implantable device which supplies a medical treatment to said patient, said device having at least one variable function; a catheter connected to said implantable device and also implantable in said patient, said catheter having a plurality of leads therein; a plurality of sensors contained within said catheter, each sensor generating an output signal upon activation thereof corresponding to a respective body parameter of said patient; a like plurality of switching means respectively connected to said sensors for connecting said sensors across only two leads of said plurality of leads; an evaluation means disposed in said implantable device remote from said sensors and connected to said sensors by said catheter for generating a signal for use in varying said variable function from said output signals of said sensors; a counter means connected to each of said switches for operating said switches to activate said sensors in a selected sequence based on a input signal to said counter each of said sensors when activated, supplying its output signal via no more than two leads to said evaluation means; means for generating said input signals;
means connected to each of said sensors, to said counter and to said leads for encoding the output signals of said sensors for transmission to said evaluation means to identify the sensor producing the output signal. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification