Implantable satellite effectors

• US 7,640,060 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Proteus Biomedical, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zdeblick, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman; Mark W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bertram; Eric D
• Application Number:
  US11/731,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20080027289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 607/34, 607/37
• US Class Current: 607/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/341 Vectorcardiography [VCG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36185 Selection of the electrode configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/368 comprising more than one electrode co-operating with different heart regions A61N1/3622, A61N1/3627 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3684 for stimulating the heart at multiple sites of the ventricle or the atrium
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36843 Bi-ventricular stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3686 configured for selecting the electrode configuration on a lead A61N1/3688 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/0585 Coronary sinus electrodes

Abstract

Techniques for controlling one or more modular circuits (“satellites”) that are intended for placement in a subject'"'"'s body. The one or more satellites are controlled by sending signals over a bus that includes first and second conduction paths. Also coupled to the bus in system embodiments is a device such as a pacemaker that provides power and includes control circuitry. Each satellite includes satellite circuitry and one or more effectors that interact with the tissue. The satellite circuitry is coupled to the bus, and thus interfaces the controller to the one or more effectors, which may function as actuators, sensors, or both. The effectors may be electrodes that are used to introduce analog electrical signals (e.g., one or more pacing pulses) into the tissue in the local areas where the electrodes are positioned (e.g., heart muscles) or to sense analog signals (e.g., a propagating depolarization signal) within the tissue.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus comprising:

a carrier unit configured for insertion into a subject'"'"'s body;

a bus having at least one conduction path, at least a part of which is insulated from the subject'"'"'s body when the carrier is inserted into the subject'"'"'s body; and

a plurality of satellite units located along the carrier and connected to the bus, wherein each satellite unit includes

one or more effectors that interact with the subject'"'"'s body when the carrier is inserted into the subject'"'"'s body, and

satellite circuitry that is coupled to the bus, wherein the satellite circuitry is structured to

receive power over the bus,

receive a bit sequence over the bus,

store information based on the bit sequence; and

receive a sleep command over the bus that causes a certain part of the control circuitry within that satellite circuitry to turn off while electrodes coupled to the control circuitry remain in a configured state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the carrier is formed with a lumen; and

the conduction path, at least a part of which is insulated from the subject'"'"'s body when the carrier is inserted into the subject'"'"'s body, is within the lumen.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bus has at least one additional conduction path that is insulated from the subject'"'"'s body when the carrier is inserted into the subject'"'"'s body.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

a given satellite unit'"'"'s effectors include first and second electrodes; and

the satellite circuitry is structured to establish, in response to a given bit sequence, low-impedance paths between the first and second electrodes and respective first and second input terminals of a detecting device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the bus has first and second conduction paths that are insulated from the subject'"'"'s body when the carrier is inserted into the subject'"'"'s body;

the detecting device is located outside the satellite unit; and

the low-impedance paths include low-impedance path segments inside the satellite unit between the first and second electrodes and the first and second conduction paths.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the bus has only one conduction path that is insulated from the subject'"'"'s body when the carrier is inserted into the subject'"'"'s body; and

an additional conduction path for the bus is provided by portions of the subject'"'"'s body when the carrier is inserted into the subject'"'"'s body.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the satellite circuitry includes one or more of data storage circuitry, address encoding circuitry, address decoding circuitry, logic, analog circuitry, mixed-signal circuitry, power recovery circuitry, clock recovery circuitry, data recovery circuitry, transmit circuitry, receive circuitry, electrode driver circuitry, sensor stimulation circuitry, and sensor detection circuitry.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one satellite unit can be used for activation, and at least one satellite unit, which may be the same satellite unit, can be used for signal detection.