Cardiac simulation system having multiple stimulators for anti-arrhythmia therapy
First Claim
1. An implantable medical device for attachment to human tissue, comprising:
- a plurality of electrodes for connection to the tissue;
a communications device for receiving signals and energy via a wireless communication path from a control device;
a stimulus storage device coupled to said communications device and said electrodes for receiving electrical energy from said communications device to be stored and delivered to the tissue through the electrodes;
a rectifier disposed between said communications device and said stimulus storage device for rectifying said signals received from said control device;
a regulator disposed between said rectifier and said stimulus storage device for regulating the rectified signal from said rectifier; and
a receiver data decoder/encoder having a data encoder for producing encoded wireless communication signals identifying said implantable medical device and for conveying data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medical system comprising a control device (referred to as a "planet") and a plurality of sensing and stimulating devices (referred to as "satellites") is disclosed. The satellites are relatively small devices that can be thoracoscopically attached to an exterior surface of the heart. The planet can be implanted if desired or, alternatively, externally retained. The planet is capable of wirelessly communicating (i.e., without a direct electrical connection) to each satellite. The planet individually commands each satellite to deliver pacing energy to the heart. Additionally, each satellite is capable of determining when a sense event has occurred at the site of that satellite and transmitting an encoded signal to the planet indicating that a sense event has occurred, along with an identifying code indicating to the planet which satellite detected the sense event. The planet processes the encoded signals received from the network of satellites, assigns time values to each satellite when that satellite detects a sense event, compares the time values to a template of normal values, and determines if an arrhythmia has occurred if the time values do not match the template. Further, the planet selects and implements an appropriate pacing protocol to terminate the arrhythmia. The satellites derive their needed power from signals received from the planet via the wireless communication path.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. An implantable medical device for attachment to human tissue, comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes for connection to the tissue; a communications device for receiving signals and energy via a wireless communication path from a control device; a stimulus storage device coupled to said communications device and said electrodes for receiving electrical energy from said communications device to be stored and delivered to the tissue through the electrodes; a rectifier disposed between said communications device and said stimulus storage device for rectifying said signals received from said control device; a regulator disposed between said rectifier and said stimulus storage device for regulating the rectified signal from said rectifier; and a receiver data decoder/encoder having a data encoder for producing encoded wireless communication signals identifying said implantable medical device and for conveying data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An implantable medical device for attachment to human tissue, comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes for connection to the tissue; a communications device for receiving signals and energy via a wireless communication path from a control device, wherein said communications device includes a transducer to convert non-electromagnetic energy to electrical energy; a stimulus storage device coupled to said communications device and said electrodes for receiving electrical energy from said communications device to be stored and delivered to the tissue through the electrodes; a rectifier disposed between said communications device and said stimulus storage device for rectifying said signals received from said control device; and a regulator disposed between said rectifier and said stimulus storage device for regulating the rectified signal from said rectifier.
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11. An implantable medical device for attachment to human tissue, comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes for connection to the tissue; a communications device for receiving signals and energy via a wireless communication path from a control device, wherein said communications device includes an antenna and wherein said antenna includes a direction of highest energy radiation per unit solid angle that is not co-axial with a longitudinal axis of the antenna; a stimulus storage device coupled to said communications device and said electrodes for receiving electrical energy from said communications device to be stored and delivered to the tissue through the electrodes; a rectifier disposed between said communications device and said stimulus storage device for rectifying said signals received from said control device; and a regulator disposed between said rectifier and said stimulus storage device for regulating the rectified signal from said rectifier.
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12. An implantable medical device for attachment to human tissue, comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes for connection to the tissue; a communications device for receiving signals and energy via a wireless communication path from a control device; a stimulus storage device coupled to said communications device and said electrodes for receiving electrical energy from said communications device to be stored and delivered to the tissue through the electrodes; a rectifier disposed between said communications device and said stimulus storage device for rectifying said signals received from said control device; a regulator disposed between said rectifier and said stimulus storage device for regulating the rectified signal from said rectifier; and a rechargeable battery, wherein at least part of the electrical energy received by said communications device is delivered to said battery.
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13. An implantable medical device for attachment to human tissue, comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes for connection to the tissue; a communications device for receiving signals and energy via a wireless communication path from a control device; a stimulus storage device coupled to said communications device and said electrodes for receiving electrical energy from said communications device to be stored and delivered to the tissue through the electrodes; a rectifier disposed between said communications device and said stimulus storage device for rectifying said signals received from said control device; a regulator disposed between said rectifier and said stimulus storage device for regulating the rectified signal from said rectifier; and a sense amplifier and comparator coupled to said electrodes for amplifying electrical signals generated by said tissue and comparing said amplified signal to a reference signal to verify that a sense event has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A planet medical device for controlling a plurality of satellite implantable medical devices, comprising:
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a processor for interpreting signals received from the plurality of satellite devices; a memory device coupled to said processor; a communications device coupled to said processor for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to said plurality of satellite devices; a battery for providing electrical power to said processor, memory device, communications device, and said satellite devices; and a clock providing a periodic timing signal to said processor for assigning time values to sense events reported by each satellite device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A planet medical device for controlling a plurality of satellite devices, comprising:
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a processor for initiating timing signals to be communicated to said satellite devices; a memory device coupled to said processor; a communications device coupled to said processor for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to said plurality of satellite devices; and a battery for providing electrical power to said processor, memory device, communications device, and said satellite devices.
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28. A medical system for monitoring and stimulating the heart to beat, comprising:
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a planet control device, including; a processor; a memory device coupled to said processor; a planet communications device coupled to said processor for receiving and transmitting signals using a wireless communications technique; and a battery for providing electrical power to said processor, memory device, and communications device; and a plurality of satellite sensing and stimulating devices, each satellite including; a plurality of electrodes for connection to the heart; a satellite communications device for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to said communications device in said planet control device via said wireless communication technique; a rectifier coupled to said satellite communications device to derive operational electrical power needed by the satellite from the signals received by said satellite communications device wirelessly transmitted by said planet communications device; and a regulator coupled to said rectifier for regulating the rectified signal from said rectifier. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for implanting and initializing an implantable leadless medical system, comprising:
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attaching a plurality of satellite devices to the heart; communicating the number of implanted satellite devices to a central control unit; communicating the identity of a first satellite device that will first detect a sense event during each cardiac cycle to the central control unit; and storing the identity of said first satellite device in memory and said central control unit. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for pacing and sensing a human heart using an apparatus that includes a plurality of implantable satellites attached to the heart and a planet control device that communicates with said satellites via a wireless transmission link, said method comprising:
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receiving signals indicating the occurrence of sense events from said satellites; assigning time values to said satellites upon receipt by said planet of said sense event signals; comparing said time values to a template of time values; determining that an arrhythmia has occurred if said time values do not match said template within a predetermined tolerance; and communicating the times at which one or more satellites should stimulate cardiac tissue to correct the arrhythmia.
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Specification