System of implantable devices for monitoring and/or affecting body parameters
First Claim
1. A system for stimulating body tissue internal to a patient'"'"'s body, said system comprising:
- a plurality of addressable devices each comprised of a housing having an axial dimension of less than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than 6 mm and configured for injection into said patient'"'"'s body, each of said devices including circuitry operable in accordance with one or more controllable operating parameters to stimulate body tissue and including a battery having a capacity of at least one microwatt-hour;
each of said addressable devices including an address storage means, a data signal transmitter and a data signal receiver; and
a system control unit comprised of a housing configured for implantation in said patient'"'"'s body for controlling said controllable operating parameters, said system control unit comprising;
a signal transmitter in said control unit housing for transmitting command signals including address information identifying at least one of said addressable devices and operating parameter information for controlling an operating parameter of the identified addressable device;
a programmable controller in said control unit housing for producing command signals for transmission by said control unit signal transmitter to said addressable devices;
a power supply in said control unit housing for providing operating power to said control unit signal transmitter, signal receiver, and programmable controller; and
wherein said power supply has a capacity of at least one watt-hour.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring and/or affecting parameters of a patient'"'"'s body and more particularly to such a system comprised of a system control unit (SCU) and one or more other devices, preferably battery-powered, implanted in the patient'"'"'s body, i.e., within the envelope defined by the patient'"'"'s skin. Each such implanted device is configured to be monitored and/or controlled by the SCU via a wireless communication channel. In accordance with the invention, the SCU comprises a programmable unit capable of (1) transmitting commands to at least some of a plurality of implanted devices and (2) receiving data signal from at least some of those implanted devices. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the system operates in closed loop fashion whereby the commands transmitted by the SCU are dependent, in part, on the content of the data signals received by the SCU. In accordance with the invention, a preferred SCU is similarly implemented as a device capable of being implanted beneath a patient'"'"'s skin, preferably having an axial dimension of less than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than 6 mm. Wireless communication between the SCU and the implanted devices is preferably implemented via a modulated sound signal, AC magnetic field, RF signal, or electric conduction.
1787 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A system for stimulating body tissue internal to a patient'"'"'s body, said system comprising:
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a plurality of addressable devices each comprised of a housing having an axial dimension of less than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than 6 mm and configured for injection into said patient'"'"'s body, each of said devices including circuitry operable in accordance with one or more controllable operating parameters to stimulate body tissue and including a battery having a capacity of at least one microwatt-hour;
each of said addressable devices including an address storage means, a data signal transmitter and a data signal receiver; and
a system control unit comprised of a housing configured for implantation in said patient'"'"'s body for controlling said controllable operating parameters, said system control unit comprising;
a signal transmitter in said control unit housing for transmitting command signals including address information identifying at least one of said addressable devices and operating parameter information for controlling an operating parameter of the identified addressable device;
a programmable controller in said control unit housing for producing command signals for transmission by said control unit signal transmitter to said addressable devices;
a power supply in said control unit housing for providing operating power to said control unit signal transmitter, signal receiver, and programmable controller; and
whereinsaid power supply has a capacity of at least one watt-hour. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
said programmable controller operates to execute the sequence of operations defined by said program.
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3. The system of claim 2 further including a programmer disposed external to said patient'"'"'s body for producing program information;
- and
means responsive to said externally produced program information for modifying the content of said storage means.
- and
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4. The system of claim 3 wherein said program storage means includes an alterable portion and a nonalterable portion;
- and wherein
said nonalterable portion stores a default program.
- and wherein
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5. The system of claim 3 wherein said means responsive to said program information includes means for producing a modulated alternating magnetic field.
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6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said addressable devices is operable in one or more modes including a stimulator mode, a sensor mode, and a transponder mode;
- and wherein
said addressable device is responsive to a command signal from said control unit transmitter defining one or more operating modes.
- and wherein
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7. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said addressable devices includes means responsive to a command signal for transmitting data signals via said device signal transmitter;
- and wherein
said programmable controller is responsive to received data signals for defining command signals for transmission by said control unit signal transmitter.
- and wherein
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8. The system of claim 1 wherein said control unit power supply comprises a battery;
- and further including;
an internal coil and a charging circuit disposed in said control unit housing for supplying a charging current to said battery.
- and further including;
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9. The system of claim 8 further including means for generating an alternating magnetic field outside of said patient'"'"'s body for supplying energy to said charging circuit via said internal coil.
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10. The system of claim 1 wherein said addressable devices each contains an electrode extending externally of the device housing;
- and wherein
said device circuitry is operable to supply a sequence of drive pulses to said electrode.
- and wherein
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11. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said addressable devices includes a battery for supplying power to said circuitry.
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12. The system of claim 11 wherein at least one addressable device signal transmitter transmits status signals indicative of the charge state of the battery therein.
Specification