Pacemaker having rate responsive transducer and method for operating same
First Claim
1. An implantable cardiac pacemaker comprising:
- a housing;
pacing circuitry within the housing including pacing rate circuitry controlling a pacing rate of the pacing circuitry as a function of a patient'"'"'s activity level;
a motion sensor within the housing;
the motion sensor including a magnet assembly defining a magnet gap and a conductive coil movable relative to the magnet assembly in response to motion of the pacemaker and positioned at least in part within the gap; and
an electrical connection between the coil and the pacing circuitry such that movement of the coil relative to the magnet assembly induces a current in the coil indicative of motion of the pacemaker and the patient'"'"'s activity level and sends an electrical signal to the pacing rate circuitry.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable cardiac pacemaker having a housing containing pacing circuitry, a signal generator, and an electromagnetic transducer. The transducer has an electrical input line connected to the signal generator, and an electrical output line connected to the pacing circuitry. Consequently, a forcing motion on the transducer sends an electrical signal to the pacing circuitry, and operation of the signal generator causes the transducer to vibrate. The pacemaker may also include a disablement switch connected to the signal generator, with the signal generator operating in response to activation of the switch to cause the transducer to generate an audible warning tone while the pacemaker is disabled.
20 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An implantable cardiac pacemaker comprising:
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a housing; pacing circuitry within the housing including pacing rate circuitry controlling a pacing rate of the pacing circuitry as a function of a patient'"'"'s activity level; a motion sensor within the housing; the motion sensor including a magnet assembly defining a magnet gap and a conductive coil movable relative to the magnet assembly in response to motion of the pacemaker and positioned at least in part within the gap; and an electrical connection between the coil and the pacing circuitry such that movement of the coil relative to the magnet assembly induces a current in the coil indicative of motion of the pacemaker and the patient'"'"'s activity level and sends an electrical signal to the pacing rate circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An implantable cardiac pacemaker comprising:
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a housing; pacing circuitry within the housing including pacing rate circuitry controlling a pacing rate of the pacing circuitry as a function of a patient'"'"'s activity level; a signal generator within the housing; an electromagnetic transducer within the housing which produces an electrical signal in response to motion of the pacemaker; and the transducer having an electrical input line connected to the signal generator, and having an electrical output line connected to the pacing circuitry, such that a forcing motion on the transducer sends an electrical signal to the pacing circuitry indicative of motion of the pacemaker and the patient'"'"'s activity level, and operation of the signal generator causes the transducer to vibrate. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of operating an implantable cardiac pacemaker having a signal generator, pacing circuitry, a motion transducer, and a disablement switch, the method comprising the steps:
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placing the disablement switch in an enabled position; and generating an activity signal in the motion transducer based on accelerative forces on the transducer; and sending the activity signal to the pacing circuitry; and calculating a pacing rate based on the activity signal; and generating a pacing signal as a function of the calculated pacing rate; and subsequently placing the disablement switch in a disabled position; and generating an electrical alarm signal in the signal generator; and sending the alarm signal to the motion transducer; and moving the motion transducer in response to the alarm signal to generate an audible tone. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An implantable cardiac pacemaker comprising:
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a housing; pacing circuitry within the housing including pacing rate circuitry controlling a pacing rate of the pacing circuitry as a function of a patient'"'"'s activity level; a motion sensor within the housing; a signal source within the housing; the motion sensor including a magnet assembly defining a magnet gap and a conductive sensor coil movable relative to the magnet assembly in response to motion of the pacemaker and positioned at least in part within the gap; a conductive driver coil positioned in and movable relative to the magnet assembly and coupled to the signal source whereby the driver coil will vibrate and generate an audible tone in response a driving signal from the signal source; and an electrical connection between the sensor coil and the pacing circuitry such that movement of the sensor coil relative to the magnet assembly induces a current in the coil indicative of motion of the pacemaker and the patient'"'"'s activity level and sends an electrical signal to the pacing rate circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification