Responsive manufacturing and inventory control

• US 6,882,982 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Thompson, David L., McMenimen, James L., Campbell, Christopher J., Ruble, Barbara K., Fabian, Willa M., Clark, Larry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): JASMIN, LYNDA C
• Application Number:
  US09/775,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/7, 705/24, 607/59, 607/32, 607/30, 128/903, 128/904, 600/300
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medical device production and supply information management system for just-in-time inventory control at the manufacturing facility, vendor stocks, material/product tracking, distribution and shipping management, to thereby reduce inventory at all points in the product manufacturing distribution/delivery chain. The system is implemented using a preferably Web-enabled information network and data communication with a programmer. The programmer provides access to product information, specification and related data for implanted medical devices from which build-to-order or build-to-replenish commands are issued to the manufacturing center. The system is interactive within the information management system that is integrally and seamlessly connected with patients, hospitals, sales offices and related consumption hubs, including manufacturing facilities.

Claims

1. A medical device manufacturing and supply information management system comprising:

a Web-enabled information network having data communications with a medical device manufacturing control system;

at least one implanted medical device having specific features, including customized features having customized data sets deployed from a known source, the at least one implanted medical device taken from an inventory; and

a medical device programmer in bi-directional telemetric data communication with and capable of programming one or more parameters of the at least one implantable medical device, and the programmer is in bi-directional communication via the Web-enabled information network with the medical device manufacturing control system to provide information to the medical device manufacturing control system about the at least one implanted medical device and to cause the manufacturing control system to initiate a build to order process to replace the at least one medical device in the inventory based on the information provided.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said Web-enabled information network includes one of satellite based telecommunications link and a cellular link.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said programmer is implemented to interface between the medical device and the Web-enabled information network via the bi-directional data communication scheme to store and transfer said customized data set and information about the at least one implanted medical device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one implanted medical device includes said customized data set relating to specific device functions and/or features, a patient warning alarm, a voice alert in the patient'"'"'s own language, patient'"'"'s name and identification number, name of the implanting institution and physician and the date of the implant, as well as the hubs inventory management system label.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said known source includes at least one of the manufacturing center, hospital, sales office, distributor, having data communications with the Web-enabled information network.