Implantable medical device with automated last session identification

• US 5,891,043 A
• Filed: 01/29/1998
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Carey, Jay R., Eisinger, Eric V., Ericksen, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US09/015,125
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 607/27, 607/30, 607/10, 600/308, 600/310
• US Class Current: 600/508
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3702 Physiological parameters A61N1/365 takes precedence; evoked response A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data

Abstract

An implantable device which stores information indicative of events occurring within a patient'"'"'s body and related to operation of the device for transmission to an external device in response to a request from the external device. The implanted device is provided with a mechanism for retaining information as to the state of the information stored in the device at the time of a preceding request or interrogation from the external device and for storing cumulative information indicative of the operation of the device or events occurring within the patient'"'"'s body over a time frame spanning multiple interrogations or requests from the external device. The two types of stored information together may be employed by the implanted device or the external device to derive information indicative only of events occurring since a preceding interrogation of the implanted device by the external device.

Claims

1. A device for implantation within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

means for detecting occurrences of events within said patient'"'"'s body;

telemetry means for transmitting stored information from said device to an external device in response to requests from said external device;

first memory means for storing information with regard to occurrences of said events over a time period encompassing multiple requests from said external device for stored information;

second memory means for storing present values of said information stored in said first memory means at times of requests from said external device; and

means responsive to a request from said external device for employing information stored in said first and second memory means to uplink information stored in said first and second memory means to said external device, whereby values with regard only to events occurring since a preceding request from said external device may be derived.

2. A device according to claim 1 further comprising:

temporary memory means for temporary storage of said present values of said information stored in said first memory means at times of requests from said external device; and

a timer, defining a time period initiated in response to requests from said external device; and

wherein said second memory means comprises means for storing information stored in said temporary memory means in response to expiration of said time period.

3. A device according to claim 2, further comprising fourth memory means for storing present values of events other than those stored in said first memory means;

and

wherein said second memory means comprises means for storing said present values of events other than those stored in said first memory means in said second memory means on expiration of said time period.

4. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said information comprises numbers of occurrences of said events.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said events comprise multiple types of events and wherein said information comprises numbers of occurrences of said multiple types of events.

6. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said values with regard only to events occurring since a preceding request from said external information comprises numbers of occurrences of said events since said preceding request.

7. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said information comprises stored series of occurrences of said events.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said values with regard only to events occurring since a preceding request from said external information comprises a series of occurrences of said events since said preceding request.