Method and apparatus for reporting and displaying a sequential series of pacing events
First Claim
1. A system for reporting a sequential series of pacing events for use with an implantable pacemaker, said implantable pacemaker having means for storing pacing event data and means for telemetrically transmitting said pacing event data, said system comprising:
- means for telemetrically receiving said pacing event data;
means for displaying a rate axis;
means for displaying a time axis orthogonal to the rate axis;
means for displaying a plurality of symbols arranged in a timed sequence relative to the time axis, said symbols representing pacing events, as recorded within said pacing event data, that have occurred in the sequence displayed, said symbols being positioned relative to the rate axis to indicate the rate at which the pacing events occurred; and
means for displaying a time scale indication that provides a graphical depiction of the time scale associated with the displayed timed sequence of symbols, and an indication of how much of the total time represented by said pacing event data is currently being displayed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable pacemaker continuously records pacing events and their respective rates of occurrence in sequence, as they occur, into an Event Record stored in a circular buffer. The circular buffer always contains the most recent events and rates collected. The recording of the pacing events selectively occurs at every event, or at sampling rates of one event per fixed sample interval. A programming device, coupled to the implantable pacemaker through a telemetry link, selectively retrieves the recorded pacing events and rates from the Event Record and reports subsets thereof in condensed or summarized form using numerical and/or graphical formats. The pacing event data collected in the Event Record is three-dimensional in that each pacing event includes a pacemaker event, an associated pacemaker or heart rate, and a real time interval. The programming device also calculates and reports statistical information from the data collected in the Event Record. The Event Record provides a base recording that establishes the behavior of the pacemaker in a particular patient under ascertainable conditions.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A system for reporting a sequential series of pacing events for use with an implantable pacemaker, said implantable pacemaker having means for storing pacing event data and means for telemetrically transmitting said pacing event data, said system comprising:
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means for telemetrically receiving said pacing event data; means for displaying a rate axis; means for displaying a time axis orthogonal to the rate axis; means for displaying a plurality of symbols arranged in a timed sequence relative to the time axis, said symbols representing pacing events, as recorded within said pacing event data, that have occurred in the sequence displayed, said symbols being positioned relative to the rate axis to indicate the rate at which the pacing events occurred; and means for displaying a time scale indication that provides a graphical depiction of the time scale associated with the displayed timed sequence of symbols, and an indication of how much of the total time represented by said pacing event data is currently being displayed.
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2. A method of reporting a sequential series of pacing events associated with the operation of an implantable pacemaker, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) displaying a horizontal time axis and a vertical rate axis; (b) dividing the horizontal time axis into a plurality of time slots; (c) electronically gathering event and rate data in a sequence that identifies specific pacing events, the rate of those specific pacing events, and the order in which such specific pacing events occurred; (d) grouping said event and rate data in a plurality of event/rate data groups, each group corresponding to a respective one of said time slots; (e) determining the maximum and minimum rates of the specific pacing events of each of said plurality of event/rate data groups; and (f) displaying a plurality of vertical first features, each of said vertical first features being displayed above a respective one of said time slots, each vertical first feature representing a respective one of said plurality of event/rate data groups, each vertical first feature being positioned relative to the vertical axis such that the top of the vertical first feature corresponds to the maximum rate of the respective one of said plurality of event/rate data groups, and the bottom of the vertical first feature corresponds to the minimum rate of the respective one of said plurality of event/rate data groups. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. An event record display apparatus for displaying a sequential series of pacing events associated with the operation of an implantable pacemaker, said event record display apparatus comprising:
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means for displaying a time axis; means for displaying a plurality of time slots on said time axis; means for displaying a rate axis orthogonal to said time axis; means for gathering event data and rate data in sequence, said event data and rate data identifying specific pacing events and the order in which such specific pacing events occurred; means for grouping said event and rate data into a plurality of event/rate data groups; means for processing said plurality of event and rate date groups to determine a plurality of histograms representing the specific pacing events of said event and rate data corresponding to the respective ones of said plurality of event/rate data groups; and means for graphically displaying said plurality of histograms each of said histograms being displayed above a respective one of said plurality of time slots. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An event record display apparatus for displaying a sequential series of pacing events associated with the operation of an implantable pacemaker, wherein said pacemaker has a plurality of buffer memories for storing pacing events and for storing the rate of said pacing events, said event record display apparatus comprising:
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means for designating a specific one of the buffer memories within said pacemaker; means for displaying a time axis; means for displaying a plurality of time slots on said time axis; means for displaying a rate axis orthogonal to said time axis; means for gathering event data and rate data in a sequence from said designated buffer memory that identifies specific pacing events and the order in which such specific pacing events occurred; and means for graphically depicting a plurality of histograms representing the specific pacing events identified in said event data and rate data that occurred during a time period corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of time slots.
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14. A system for reporting a sequential series of events for use with an implantable cardiac device, said implantable cardiac device having means for storing event data and means for telemetrically transmitting said event data, said system comprising:
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means for telemetrically receiving said event data; means for displaying a rate axis; means for displaying a time axis orthogonal to the rate axis; and means for displaying a plurality of symbols arranged in a timed sequence relative to said time axis, said symbols representing events, as recorded within said event data, that have occurred in the sequence displayed, said symbols being positioned relative to the rate axis to indicate the rate at which the corresponding events occurred. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of reporting a sequential series of pacing events associated with the operation of an implantable pacemaker, wherein the pacemaker detects the occurrence and rate of a plurality of specified pacing events and sequentially records the occurrence and rate of each event in the order in which it occurs in an event record, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) displaying a time axis divided into a plurality of time slots and a rate axis orthogonal to the time axis; (b) retrieving from said pacemaker said event record; (c) processing said event record to determine event data and rate data and identify specific pacing events and the order in which such specific pacing events occurred; (d) grouping said event data and rate data in a plurality of event/rate data groups, each group corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of time slots; (e) determining the maximum and minimum rates of the specific pacing events of each of said plurality of event/rate data groups; and (f) displaying a plurality of first features having a first end and a second end, each of said first features being displayed above a respective one of said plurality of time slots, each of said first features representing a respective one of said plurality of event/rate data groups corresponding to said respective one of said plurality of time slots, each said first feature being positioned relative to said rate axis such that said first end of each said first feature corresponds to the maximum rate of the pacing events represented by said first feature, and said second end of each said first feature corresponds to the minimum rate of the pacing events represented by each said first feature. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for reporting a sequential series of cardiac events for use with an implantable cardiac device, said implantable cardiac device including means for storing cardiac event data and means for telemetrically transmitting said cardiac event data, said system comprising:
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means for telemetrically receiving said cardiac event data; means for displaying a rate axis; means for displaying a time axis orthogonal to the rate axis; and means for displaying a plurality of symbols arranged in a timed sequence relative to said time axis, said symbols representing cardiac events, as recorded within said cardiac event data, that have occurred in the sequence displayed, said symbols being positioned relative to the rate axis to indicate the rate at which the corresponding cardiac events occurred. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification