Security system for implantable medical devices
First Claim
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1. A implantable and programmable medical device comprising:
- a. a processing and control unit for regulating the delivery of treatment to a patient in accordance with a plurality of programmable parameters, said processing and control unit having (1) memory in which a password and programmable parameters are stored, (2) a first mode of operation in which a first set of said programmable parameters stored in memory can be changed, and (3) a second mode of operation in which at least one of said first set of said programmable parameters cannot be changed; and
b. an external programmer for transmitting passwords and programming signals to said processing and control unit such that if a password transmitted by the eternal external programmer matches the password stored in the memory of the processing and control unit, the processing and control unit will switch to said first mode of operation so that the programming signals can be used to change any of the first set of programmable parameters stored in memory.
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Abstract
A security system for programmable medical devices is provided. Such devices have a variety of features at least some of which are only enabled if a proper password is provided. Different levels of security are provided to protect the patent from inadvertent or unintended reprogramming or from deliberate, but unauthorized efforts to reprogram the device.
70 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A implantable and programmable medical device comprising:
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a. a processing and control unit for regulating the delivery of treatment to a patient in accordance with a plurality of programmable parameters, said processing and control unit having (1) memory in which a password and programmable parameters are stored, (2) a first mode of operation in which a first set of said programmable parameters stored in memory can be changed, and (3) a second mode of operation in which at least one of said first set of said programmable parameters cannot be changed; and
b. an external programmer for transmitting passwords and programming signals to said processing and control unit such that if a password transmitted by the eternal external programmer matches the password stored in the memory of the processing and control unit, the processing and control unit will switch to said first mode of operation so that the programming signals can be used to change any of the first set of programmable parameters stored in memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A programmable medical device comprising:
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a. a processing and control unit for regulating the delivery of treatment to a patient in accordance with a plurality of programmable parameters, said processing and control unit having (1) a first mode of operation in which a serial number and password can be entered and stored in its memory, (2) a second mode of operation in which a first set of operating parameters can be entered and stored in its memory, and (3) a third mode of operation in which at least one of said first set of operating parameters cannot be altered;
b. an external programmer for transmitting passwords and programming signals to said processing control unit such that if a password transmitted by the eternal external programmer matches the password stored in the memory of the processing and control unit, the processing and control unit will switch to said second mode of operation so that the programming signals can be used to change th any of the first set of operating parameters stored in the memory of the processing and control unit, the external programmer automatically reading and storing the serial number and password of the processing and control unit if said processing and control unit is in said second mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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19. A programmable medical device comprising:
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a. a processing and control unit for regulating the delivery of treatment to a patient in accordance with a plurality of programmable parameters, said processing and control unit having (1) a first mode of operation in which a serial number and Password can be entered and stored in its memory, (2) a second mode of operation in which a first set of operating parameters can be entered and stored in its memory, and (3) a third mode of operation in which at least one of said first set of operating parameters cannot be altered;
b. an external programmer for transmitting passwords and programming signals to said processing control unit such that if a password transmitted by the external programmer matches the password stored in the memory of the processing and control unit, the processing and control unit will switch to said second mode of operation so that the programming signals can be used to change any of the first set of operating parameters stored in the memory of the processing and control unit, external programmer reads the serial number of the processing and control unit, interrogates the remote storage/computer to determine the serial number of the processing and control unit and transmits the password to the processing and control unit to switch the processing and control unit from the third mode of operation to the second mode of operation for reprogramming; and
c. a remote computer in which the password and serial number are stored for future reference. - View Dependent Claims (20, 27, 28)
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29. A programmable medical device comprising:
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a. processing and control means for regulating the delivery of treatment to a patient in accordance with a plurality of programmable parameters, said processing and control means having (1) memory in which a password and programmable parameters are stored, (2) a first mode of operation in which a first set of said programmable parameters stored in memory can be changed, and (3) a second mode of operation in which at least one of said first set of said programmable parameters cannot be changed; and
b. external programming means for transmitting passwords and programming signals to said processing control unit such that if a password transmitted by the eternal programming means matches the password stored in the memory of the processing and control means, the processing and control means will switch to said first mode of operation so that the programming signals can be used to change any of the first set of programmable parameters stored in memory.
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30. A programmable medical device comprising:
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a. processing and control means for regulating the delivery of treatment to a patient in accordance with a plurality of programmable parameters, said processing and control means having (1) a first mode of operation in which a serial number and password can be entered and stored in its memory, (2) a second mode of operation in which a first set of operating parameters can be entered and stored in its memory, and (3) a third mode of operation in which at least one of said first set of operating parameters cannot be altered;
b. external programming means for transmitting passwords and programming signals to said processing and control means such that if a password transmitted by the eternal programming means matches the password stored in the memory of the processing and control means, the processing and control means will switch to said second mode of operation so that the programming signals can be used to change the any of the first set of operating parameters stored in the memory of the processing and control means.
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31. A method for protecting a programmable medical device from unauthorized programming, said method comprising:
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a. providing a processing and control unit that controls the operation of the medical device, said processing and control unit having memory for storing a password and operating parameters, said processing and control unit having at least a first mode of operation in which all of a first set of operating parameters can be altered and a second mode of operation in which less than all of said first set of operation parameters can be altered, said password being used to control the entry of the processing and control unit into the first mode of operation;
b. providing an external programmer capable of transmitting passwords and programming signals to said processing and control unit;
c. using the external programmer to send a password to the processing and control unit which compares the password sent to the password stored in its memory, and enters the first mode of operation only if the password stored in memory and the password transmitted match;
d. if the processing and control unit is in the first mode of operation, using the external programmer to alter at least one of the first set of parameters. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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- 36. A programmable medical device comprising a processing and control unit for regulating the delivery of treatment to a patient in accordance with a plurality of programmable parameters, said processing and control unit having a password assigned to it so that at least some of the programmable parameters can only be altered in response to programming signals from an external programmer if the processing and control unit first receives from the external programmer a password corresponding to the password assigned to the processing and control unit.
Specification