Ambulatory recorder having a communication watchdog between two processors

• US 6,108,571 A
• Filed: 01/27/1999
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Williams, Malcolm G.S., Butler, Arch W., Minoz, Alain, Pedersen, Henrik E., Gunnarsson, Thorir
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASTORINO, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/237,806
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/361, 128/897-899, 128/920-925, 364/184-187, 395/180-185.1
• US Class Current: 600/361
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

An ambulatory recording system, for medical and especially diagnostic purposes, is described having a communication watchdog between two processors. The two processors may be of differing types. For example, the first processor may be real time processor ("RTP") which handles the sampling function, while the second processor may be a non real time processor ("NRTP") which handles the operating system function. This dual processor design permits relatively low power consumption for data recording (which is handled by the relatively lower power consuming RTP), while also providing a graphical user interface for user simple user operation (which is handled by the relatively higher power consuming NRTP). A communication watchdog between the two processors is provided to reset the device upon the detection of a processor failure or communication failure between the two processors.

Claims

1. An ambulatory medical recording system comprising:

a medical sensing catheter;

a medical data recorder coupled with the medical sensing catheter, the medical data recorder comprising;

a first processor and a second processor, the fist and second processors communicating along a first line, the first processor comprising means for sensing a communication failure between the first processor and the second processor, the first processor further comprising means for resetting the second processor in response to sensing the communication failure.

2. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 1 wherein the first processor is a real time processor RTP.

3. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 2 wherein the second processor is a non real-time processor NRTP.

4. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 1 wherein the first processor and the second processor communicate along the first communication line and a second communication line.

5. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 1 wherein the first line comprises a data bus.

6. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 1 further comprising the second processor having means for directing the first processor to periodically perform a test communication with the second processor.

7. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 1 wherein the means for resetting the second processor comprises a reset line coupled between the first processor and the second processor, the reset line controlled by the first processor, the reset line permitting the first processor to reset the second processor.

8. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 6, wherein the means for periodically performing a test communication with the second processor further comprises means for sensing whether the test communication has failed and repeating the test communication a pre-selected number of times.

9. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 8, wherein the means for resetting the second processor is activated upon the repeating of the test communication a pre-selected number of times.

10. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 1 further comprising a non-volatile memory coupled to the second processor.

11. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 1 further comprising means for infra red data communication coupled to the second processor.

12. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 1 further comprising the first processor having means for periodically performing a test communication with the second processor.

13. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 12, wherein the first processor has means for resetting the second processor.

14. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 13, wherein the means for resetting the second processor comprises a reset line coupled between the first processor and the second processor, the reset line controlled by the first processor, the reset line permitting the first processor to reset the second processor.

15. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 14, wherein the means for periodically performing a test communication with the second processor further comprises means for sensing whether the test communication has failed and repeating the test communication a pre-selected number of times.

16. An ambulatory medical recording system according to claim 15, wherein the means for resetting the second processor is activated upon the repeating of the test communication the pre-selected number of times.