Communication device, communication system and communication method for an implantable medical device

• US 7,974,702 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rios, Ronald R., Fain, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behringer; Luther G
• Application Number:
  US11/972,065
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 607 30- 32, 607/60, 600/300, 705 2- 3, 340/539.12
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators

Abstract

A communication device for an implantable medical device may include: an input/output interface configured to communicate with a wireless communication device; a communication interface configured to communicate with a remote system; and a processor configured to perform an analysis of data received from the wireless communication device via the input/output interface and associated with the implantable medical device. The communication device may include a user interface configured to receive data input by a user. A communication system may include a wireless communication device and the aforementioned communication device. A communication method for an implantable medical device may include: providing a communication device that is configured to communicate with a wireless communication device, to communicate with a remote system and to perform an analysis of data; communicating data associated with an implantable medical device from a wireless device to the communication device; and analyzing the received data at the communication device.

Claims

1. A method of communicating information received from an implantable medical device, the method comprising:

wirelessly communicating information from the implanted medical device to a wireless handheld communication device; and

for information that may be analyzed both locally and remotely, determining, at either the wireless handheld communication device or a docking station, if a local analysis of the information is preferred over analysis via a remote system,

wherein, if it is determined that local analysis is preferred over analysis via the remote system, storing the information in a memory of the wireless handheld communication device and delivering the information to the docking station,

wherein, if it is determine that analysis via the remote system is preferred over local analysis, delivering the information to the remote system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the information is communicated to the docking station, further comprising employing the docking station to analyze the information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising forwarding the information from the docking station to the remote system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the information is communicated to the remote system, further comprising employing the remote system to analyze the information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless handheld communication device is a cellular telephone.