Apparatus and method for dynamically interpreting and displaying a real-time telemetry link
First Claim
1. An external monitoring apparatus having a communication channel for transmitting signals representing data between a cardiac stimulation device implanted within a human body and the external monitoring apparatus, comprising:
- a telemetry head, connected to the external monitoring apparatus, having means for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals, defined by a plurality of parameters, over the communication channel;
means for measuring at least one parameter of the radio frequency signals, the measured parameter being indicative of the quality of the communication channel;
means for evaluating the quality of the communication channel based on the value of the measured parameter; and
means for displaying at least one graphical representation indicative of the quality to an operator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A monitoring and/or programming device communicates with a cardiac stimulation device, such as a pacemaker, which is operatively implanted within a patient. Communication between the programmer and cardiac device occurs over a radio frequency (RF) telemetry link. During a monitoring and/or programming procedure, data is transmitted over the RF telemetry link between the programming device and the cardiac device. Parameters indicating the quality of the RF telemetry link are continuously measured, evaluated and formatted for display to an operator of the programming device.
147 Citations
62 Claims
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1. An external monitoring apparatus having a communication channel for transmitting signals representing data between a cardiac stimulation device implanted within a human body and the external monitoring apparatus, comprising:
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a telemetry head, connected to the external monitoring apparatus, having means for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals, defined by a plurality of parameters, over the communication channel; means for measuring at least one parameter of the radio frequency signals, the measured parameter being indicative of the quality of the communication channel; means for evaluating the quality of the communication channel based on the value of the measured parameter; and means for displaying at least one graphical representation indicative of the quality to an operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An external monitoring apparatus, having a telemetry device coupled to a control unit, for monitoring the status and quality of a radio frequency communication channel used to transmit and receive signals defined by a plurality of parameters, including data signals, between a cardiac stimulation device implanted within a patient and said telemetry device, said apparatus comprising:
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means for establishing said communication channel by initiating a coded data transmission between said cardiac stimulation device and said control unit; means for dynamically measuring at least one parameter of the signals transmitted over the channel, the dynamic measuring means comprising means for dynamically measuring a first parameter indicative of the communication channel quality during transmission of the data signals; means, coupled to the dynamic measuring means, for determining the operative status of said communication channel; means for generating a data message indicative of the communication channel status and quality; and means, responsive to the data message, for displaying a representation of the communication channel status and quality, said displaying means comprising means for displaying a graphical representation of the first parameter to provide feedback information to an operator of said control unit for positioning of said telemetry device in response to the feedback information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A programming device having an apparatus for evaluating a radio frequency communication channel between a cardiac stimulation device implanted within a patient and the programming device, comprising:
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a telemetry head, connected to said programming device, having means for transmitting radio frequency signals to said cardiac stimulation device and for receiving radio frequency signals from said cardiac stimulation device, said radio frequency signals being defined by a plurality of parameters and representing data exchanged between said cardiac stimulation device and said programming device during a procedure for programming or monitoring said cardiac stimulation device; means for establishing said radio frequency communication channel between said cardiac stimulation device and said telemetry head; means for displaying said data to an operator of said programming device during said procedure; means for measuring a first parameter during said procedure, said first parameter indicative of the strength of said radio frequency signals emanating from said cardiac stimulation device; means for measuring a second parameter during said procedure, said second parameter indicative of the strength of signals emanating from sources other than said cardiac stimulation device; and means for displaying a graphical representation of said first and second parameters to said operator during said procedure. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An external monitoring device having an apparatus for providing information about a communication channel over which data is transmitted between a cardiac stimulation device implanted within a human body and said external monitoring device, comprising:
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a telemetry head, connected to said external monitoring device, having means for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals, defined by a set of parameters, over said communication channel, said signals representative of said data, said data reflective of functions performed by the cardiac stimulation device; means for processing said data within said external monitoring device; a display for conveying said data to an operator of said external monitoring device; means for monitoring at least one parameter within the set of parameters, each parameter in the set indicative of a quality aspect of the communication channel, the set of parameters comprising; (a) a first parameter indicating the strength of said radio frequency signals emanating from said cardiac stimulation device; (b) a second parameter indicating the strength of signals emanating from sources other than said cardiac stimulation device; (c) a third parameter indicating an error rate associated with transmission of said data between said cardiac stimulation device and said programming unit; and means for generating icons representing at least one of the parameters, the generating means including means for displaying said icons onto said display to provide feedback of communication-channel information to said operator. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of continuously monitoring and displaying operational information of a telemetry link, said telemetry link transmitting data between a cardiac stimulation device and a processing unit having a telemetry head and a display screen, said method comprising the steps of:
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(1) establishing a telemetry link between said cardiac stimulation device and said telemetry head for the transmission and reception of telemetry signals; (2) generating a request signal by said processing unit to initiate monitoring of the telemetry link; (3) determining at least one parameter corresponding to the quality of a telemetry signal received by said telemetry head; (4) verifying the status of said telemetry link between said pacemaker device and said telemetry head, the status being one of open or closed; (5) generating a channel-information data message based on the results of steps (3) and (4) for indicating the status of the telemetry link and the quality of said telemetry signal; (6) processing said channel-information data message for display; and (7) displaying said channel-information data message as at least one dynamically-changing icon on the display screen. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An external monitoring device having an improved communication system for transmitting and receiving telemetry signals between an implantable cardiac stimulation device and the external monitoring system, the improved communication system comprising:
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a telemetry head having means for transmitting and receiving the telemetry signals, the telemetry signals being defined by a plurality of parameters; means for measuring at least two parameters of the telemetry signals indicative of the quality of the telemetry signals received from the implantable device; and display means for displaying the at least two parameters indicative of the quality of the telemetry signal so that appropriate action can be taken by an operator to establish and maintain a proper communication link. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An external monitoring device having an improved communication system for transmitting and receiving telemetry signals carrying data between an implantable cardiac stimulation device and the external monitoring system, the improved communication system comprising:
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telemetry means for transmitting and receiving the telemetry signals; means for determining an error rate of the telemetry signals, the error rate being defined as a number of incorrect bits in the data transmitted by the telemetry signal during a predetermined time interval; and means for displaying the error rate to an operator of the programming device. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification