System and method for detecting and displaying parameter interactions

• US 7,010,349 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Conley, Vickie L., Koshiol, Allan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DROESCH, KRISTEN L
• Application Number:
  US10/731,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20040116982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 600522-523, 128897-898, 607/5, 607 30- 32, 607/59, 607/63
• US Class Current: 607/31
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data

Abstract

A system and method of detecting and displaying parameter interactions. A medical device system has a medical device and a programming interface, wherein the medical device includes a plurality of features which can be programmed via the programming interface. A plurality of icons is defined, wherein the plurality of icons includes a first icon, a second icon and a third icon, wherein the first icon indicates correctness, wherein the second icon warns of a parameter interaction and wherein the third icon warns of impermissible parameter settings. Parameter interactions between feature parameters are identified and each of the parameter interactions is associated with one of the plurality of icons. A parameter value is accepted and examined to determine if it causes a parameter interaction. If the parameter value causes a parameter interaction, the icon associated with the parameter interaction is displayed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

means for determining whether entered parameters for a programmable medical device acceptably interact with each other according to a set of rules;

means for providing a visual status indicator based on the entered parameters and the set of rules; and

means for providing a feedback message for entered parameters that do not acceptably interact with each other, wherein the feedback message includes a suggestion for how to change the entered parameters to resolve unacceptable parameter interaction.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a visual status indicator based on entered parameters and the set of rules includes means for providing a visual indicator that the parameters acceptably interact.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a visual indicator that the parameters acceptably interact with each other includes means for providing a green check icon next to each acceptable parameter.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a visual status indicator based on entered parameters and the set of rules includes means for providing a visual indicator that the parameters do not acceptably interact with each other.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the means for providing a visual indicator that the parameters do not acceptably interact with each other includes means for providing a red stop sign icon next to each parameter that does not acceptably interact with each other.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the means for providing a feedback message for entered parameters that do not acceptably interact with each other includes means for displaying a reason why the parameters do not acceptably interact with each other.

7. The system of claim 4, where the means for providing a feedback message for entered parameters that do not acceptably interact with each other includes means for displaying a suggestion for changing the parameters that do not acceptably interact with each other.

8. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

means for determining that at least one unacceptable parameter has been changed to at least one acceptable parameter; and

means for changing the visual indicator that the parameters do not acceptably interact with each other to a visual indicator that the parameters acceptably interact with each other.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a visual status indicator based on entered parameters and the set of rules includes means for providing a visual indicator that provides a warning to use discretion based on parameter interaction.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for providing a visual indicator that provides a warning to use discretion with respect to the parameters includes means for providing a yellow warning icon next to each parameter for which discretion should be used.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for providing a visual status indicator based on entered parameters and the set of rules includes:

means for providing a visual indicator for one or more acceptable parameters;

means for providing a visual indicator for one or more allowable parameters indicating a warning to use discretion with respect to the allowable parameters; and

means for providing a visual indicator for one or more unacceptable parameters.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the means for providing a visual indicator for one or more acceptable parameters includes means for providing a green check icon next to each acceptable parameter;

the means for providing a visual indicator for one or more allowable parameters indicating a warning to use discretion with respect to the allowable parameters includes means for providing a yellow warning icon next to each allowable parameter for which discretion should be used; and

the means for providing a visual indicator for one or more unacceptable parameters includes means for providing a red stop sign icon next to the each unacceptable parameter.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for providing a feedback message for entered parameters that do not acceptably interact includes means for displaying a reason why the parameters do not acceptably interact.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for providing a feedback message for entered parameters that do not acceptably interact includes means for displaying a suggestion for changing the parameters that do not acceptably interact.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for determining that at least one unacceptable parameter has been changed to at least one acceptable parameter; and

means for changing the visual indicator that the parameters do not acceptably interact to a visual indicator that the parameters acceptably interact.

16. A system, comprising:

means for determining whether entered parameters for a programmable medical device acceptably interact with each other according to a set of rules; and

means for providing a visual status indicator based on entered parameters and the set of rules, including;

means for providing a visual indicator of a first color for one or more acceptable parameters;

means for providing a visual indicator of a second color for one or more allowable parameters indicating a warning to use discretion with respect to interaction of the allowable parameters to other entered parameters; and

means for providing a visual indicator of a third color for one or more unacceptable parameters.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the means for providing a visual indicator of a first color for one or more acceptable parameters includes means for providing a green check icon next to each acceptable parameter;

the means for providing a visual indicator of a second color for one or more allowable parameters indicating a warning to use discretion includes means for providing a yellow warning icon next to each allowable parameter for which discretion should be used; and

the means for providing a visual indicator of a third color for one or more unacceptable parameters includes means for providing a red stop sign icon next to the each unacceptable parameter.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for determining that at least one unacceptable parameter has been changed to at least one acceptable parameter; and

means for changing the visual indicator that the parameters do not acceptably interact with each other to a visual indicator that the parameters acceptably interact with each other.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for providing a feedback message for entered parameters that do not acceptably interact with each other.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the feedback message is a text message.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for providing a feedback message for entered parameters that do not acceptably interact with each other includes means for displaying a reason why the parameters do not acceptably interact with each other.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for providing a feedback message for entered parameters that do not acceptably interact with each other includes means for displaying a suggestion for changing the parameters that do not acceptably interact with each other.

23. A system, comprising:

means for identifying parameter interactions between feature parameters;

means for defining a plurality of messages, wherein the plurality of messages includes a first type of message, a second type of message and a third type of message, wherein the first type of message indicates correctness, wherein the second type of message warns of a parameter interaction and wherein the third type of message warns of impermissible parameter settings;

means for associating each of the parameter interactions with one of the message types;

means for accepting a parameter value;

means for examining the parameter value to determine if it causes a parameter interaction;

means for displaying a message of the first message type for one or more acceptable parameters;

means for displaying a message of the second message type indicating a warning to use discretion with respect to interaction of the feature parameters; and

means for displaying a message of the third message type for one or more unacceptable parameters.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of messages includes icons indicating a level of correctness.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of messages includes a suggestion for how to change the parameter value to resolve unacceptable parameter interaction.