System of implantable devices for monitoring and/or affecting body parameters

• US 6,564,807 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2000
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research
• Original Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research
• Inventors: Dell, Robert Dan, Schulman, Joseph H., Gord, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert, Samuel G.
• Application Number:
  US09/677,384
• Time in Patent Office: 962 Days
• Field of Search: 128/897-899, 607/17, 607/27, 607/30-32, 607/37
• US Class Current: 128/899
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 Endoradiosondes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/72 Bioelectric control, e.g. myoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5058 having means for restoring the perception of senses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/705 Electromagnetic data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

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.

Claims

1. A system control unit configured for controlling and monitoring the operation of one or more other implantable addressable controllable devices wherein each of said controllable devices is contained within a sealed elongate housing having an axial dimension of less than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than 6 mm suitable for injection into a patient'"'"'s body and wherein at least one of said devices is configurable to modify at least one parameter of the patient'"'"'s body, said system control unit comprising:

a control unit housing;

a data signal transmitter for wireless transmission of command data signals to selectively addressed controllable devices;

a data signal receiver for wireless reception of status data signals from selectively addressed controllable devices;

a controller capable of accepting status data signals from said data signal receiver and sending addressable command data signals to said data signal transmitter in response thereto to selectively control or monitor the operation of one or more of said selectively addressed controllable devices in a closed loop manner in accordance with one or more controllable operating parameters for modifying at least one parameter of the patient'"'"'s body;

program storage for specifying the operation of said controller; and

wherein

said data signal transmitter, data signal receiver, said controller, and said program storage are disposed within said control unit housing.

2. The system control unit of claim 1 wherein said control unit housing is sealed and has an axial dimension of less than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than 6 mm suitable for implantation via injection into the patient'"'"'s body.

3. The system control unit of claim 1 additionally comprising a power source contained within said control unit housing for providing operating power to said data signal transmitter, said data signal receiver, said controller, and said program storage.

4. The system control unit of claim 1 wherein said data signal receiver includes a coil responsive to a status data signal defined by a modulated magnetic field.

5. The system control unit of claim 1 wherein said data signal receiver includes a transducer responsive to a status data signal defined by a modulated ultrasonic signal.

6. The system control unit of claim 1 wherein said transmitter transmits a command data signal in the form of a modulated magnetic field.

7. The system control unit of claim 1 wherein said transmitter transmits a command data signal in the form of a modulated ultrasonic signal.

8. The system control unit of claim 1 wherein said program storage is modified in response to signals received by said data signal receiver.

9. The system control unit of claim 1 additionally including:

at least one electrode;

sensor circuitry; and

wherein

said sensor circuitry is configurable to generate a data signal representative of an electrical signal conducted by said electrode.

10. The system control unit of claim 1 additionally including:

at least one electrode;

stimulator circuitry; and

wherein

said stimulator circuitry is configurable to supply a sequence of drives pulses to said at least one electrode.

11. The system control unit of claim 10 wherein said supplied sequence of drive pulses is altered in response to a status signal received from at least one of said implantable addressable controllable devices.

12. The system control unit of claim 1 wherein at least one of said implantable addressable controllable devices operates as a stimulator and includes at least one electrode and stimulator circuitry for delivering a sequence of drive pulses to said at least one electrode and said system control unit periodically transmits a command signal to said stimulator in response to a status signal received from another one of said implantable addressable controllable devices.

13. The system control unit of claim 1 additionally comprising a rechargeable battery for powering said system control unit.

14. The system control unit of claim 13 wherein said battery has a capacity of at least one watt hour.

15. The system control unit of claim 1 wherein each of said implantable addressable controllable devices includes a rechargeable battery for powering each said implantable addressable controllable device.

16. The system control unit of claim 15 wherein said battery for each of said implantable addressable devices has a capacity of at least one microwatt-hour.

17. The system control unit of claim 1 wherein said system control unit is configured for implantation in the patient'"'"'s body.

18. A system control unit configured for controlling and monitoring the operation of one or more other implantable addressable controllable devices wherein each of said controllable devices is contained within a sealed elongate housing having an axial dimension of less than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than 6 mm suitable for injection into a patient'"'"'s body and wherein at least one of said devices is configurable as a stimulator to modify at least one parameter of the patient'"'"'s body and at least one of said devices is configurable as a sensor to sense at least one parameter of the patient'"'"'s body, said system control unit comprising:

a control unit housing;

a data signal transmitter for wireless transmission of command data signals to selectively addressed controllable devices;

a data signal receiver for wireless reception of status data signals from selectively addressed controllable devices;

a controller capable of accepting status data signals from said data signal receiver from one or more of said selectively addressed controllable devices operating as sensors and sending addressable command data signals to said data signal transmitter in response thereto to selectively control the operation of one or more of said selectively addressed controllable devices operating as stimulators to thereby operate in a closed loop manner for modifying at least one parameter of the patient'"'"'s body;

program storage for specifying the operation of said controller; and

wherein

said data signal transmitter, data signal receiver, said controller, and said program storage are disposed within said control unit housing.

19. The system control unit of claim 18 wherein said system control unit is configured for implantation in the patient'"'"'s body.

20. The system control unit of claim 18 wherein said system control unit is configured for use outside of the patient'"'"'s body.