Frequency agile telemetry system for implantable medical device

• US 7,177,700 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cox, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, CARL HERNANDZ
• Application Number:
  US10/833,596
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/32, 607/60, 128903-904
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A system enables high-frequency communication between an external communication device and one or more implantable medical devices. The system implements a communication protocol in which the external communication device interrogates any implantable medical devices within range to establish one-to-one communication links for purposes of exchanging data and/or programming the medical devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting data from an implantable medical device to a central repository;

transmitting at least a portion of the data from the central repository to a first location associated with a first end user;

processing the data at the first location;

transmitting the processed data from the first location to a second location associated with a second end user; and

generating a notification to a patient associated with the implantable medical device in response to the processing of the data;

wherein generating a notification is performed by the second end user.

2. A method comprising:

transmitting data from an implantable medical device to a central repository;

transmitting at least a portion of the data from the central repository to a first location associated with a first end user;

processing the data at the first location;

transmitting the processed data from the first location to a second location associated with a second end user; and

generating a notification from the first location to the second location in response to the processing of the data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the processed data comprises transmitting the processed data from a clinical group to a healthcare provider.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the processed data comprises transmitting the processed data directly from the first location to the second location.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the processed data comprises transmitting the processed data from the first location to the second location through the central repository.

6. A system comprising:

means for transmitting data from an implantable medical device to a central repository;

means for transmitting at least a portion of the data from the central repository to a first location associated with a first end user;

means for processing the data at the first location; and

means for transmitting the processed data from the first location to a second location associated with a second end user; and

means for generating a notification to a patient associated with the implantable medical device in response to the processing of the data;

wherein the means for generating a notification comprises means for generating the notification at the second end user.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for transmitting the processed data comprises means for transmitting the processed data from a clinical group to a healthcare provider.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for transmitting the processed data comprises means for transmitting the processed data directly from the first location to the second location.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for transmitting the processed data comprises means for transmitting the processed data from the first location to the second location through the central repository.

7. A system comprising:

means for transmitting data from an implantable medical device to a central repository;

means for transmitting at least a portion of the data from the central repository to a first location associated with a first end user;

means for processing the data at the first location;

means for transmitting the processed data from the first location to a second location associated with a second end user; and

means for generating a notification from the first location to the second location in response to the processing of the data.

11. A method comprising:

transmitting data from an implantable medical device to a central repository;

automatically processing the data at the central repository into at least two different sets of data; and

automatically transmitting one of the sets to a first location associated with a first end user, and transmitting the other of the sets to a second location associated with a second end user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second end users comprise a clinical group and a healthcare provider.

13. The method of claim 11, and further comprising processing data at the first location, and transmitting processed data from the first location to the second location.

14. A system comprising:

means for transmitting data from an implantable medical device to a central repository;

means for processing the data at the central repository into at least two different sets of data; and

means for transmitting one of the sets to a first location associated with a first end user, and transmitting the other of the sets to a second location associated with a second end user.

15. The system of claim 14, and further comprising means for generating a notification from the first location to the second location in response to the processing of the data.

16. The system of claim 14, and further comprising means for processing one of the sets of data at the first location, and means for transmitting processed data from the first location to the second location.