Advanced patient management system including interrogator/transceiver unit

• US 6,978,182 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Manicka, Yatheendhar D., Mazar, Scott Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US10/330,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20040127958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 607/60, 607/31, 600/300, 709/224
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

An advanced patient management system including at least one device that is implanted in a patient, the device being configured to measure physiological attributes of the patient and provide therapy to the patient. The advanced patient management system may also include an interrogator/transceiver unit in communication with the device and a network, the unit being positioned relative to the device to facility communication between the repeater and the device. The advanced patient management system also includes a host, in communication with the device through the network, to store data from the device and to provide a predictive diagnosis of an oncoming event. The interrogator/transceiver unit may include programmable or updateable with software from a computer system or remote host.

Claims

1. An interrogator/transceiver unit in an advanced patient management system, the unit being configured to communicate with at least one device associated with a patient, and a host, the unit comprising:

a processor module to process software instructions;

an interface with a remote host; and

a memory module, wherein the memory module includes, at startup, baseline software to allow the unit to ping the device and, upon a response from the device, the unit is configured to connect through the interface to the remote host to download software into the memory module that is specific to the device;

wherein, upon reset of the unit, the unit automatically pings the device and downloads software from the remote host.

2. The unit of claim 1, further comprising user interface means for communicating with a patient.

3. The unit of claim 1, wherein the device is implanted.

4. The unit of claim 1, wherein the unit automatically communicates with the remote host to download the software.

5. The unit of claim 1, wherein the unit periodically communicates with the remote host to download updated software.

6. A method of transmitting data from a device associated with a patient to a remote host as part of an advanced patient management system, the method comprising:

providing an interrogator/transceiver unit being configured to communicate with the device;

initializing the unit;

sending a ping from the unit to the device;

responding with identification information from the device to the unit;

establishing communication between the unit and the remote host;

downloading software from the remote host associated with the device to the unit;

installing the software on the unit;

resetting the unit;

sending a second ping from the unit to a second device;

responding with identification information from the second device to the unit;

establishing communication between the unit and the remote host;

downloading software associated with the second device to the unit; and

installing the software on the unit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, prior to initialization of the unit, the unit includes only baseline software.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the device and the second device are identical.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the device is implanted.