Physiological data acquisition and management system for use with an implanted wireless sensor

• US 8,665,086 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings Ii S.A.R.L.
• Original Assignee: CardioMEMS Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Donald J., Rutkowski, Kim, Kroh, Jason, Brogdon, Shawn Michael, Moore, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US13/343,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20120105248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.12, 340/539.11, 340/573.1, 340/573.3, 340/573.4, 334/4, 334/5, 343/866, 343/873, 128/903, 128/904, 600/12, 600/300, 600/301
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0043 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensor coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0087 with multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/02 using transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils

Abstract

Aspects and embodiments of the present invention provide a system for obtaining, processing and managing data from an implanted sensor. In some embodiments, a patient or other persons can use a flexible antenna to obtain data from the implanted sensor. The flexible antenna includes at least one transmit loop and at least one receive loop. The transmit loop is adapted to propagate energizing signals to the implanted sensor. The receive loop is adapted to detect a response signal from the implanted sensor. The transmit loop includes a capacitor formed by a discontinuous area. The capacitor is adapted to allow the loop to be tuned. The flexible antenna can communicate with a patient device that collects the data from the implanted sensor, creates a data file and transmits the data file to a remote server over a network. A physician or other authorized person may access the remote server using an access device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a flexible antenna comprising a transmit loop and a receive loop, the transmit loop being configured for transmitting an energizing signal to a sensor implanted in a body of a person, the receive loop being configured for receiving, responsive to the energizing signal, a sensor signal from the sensor, the sensor signal being adapted to represent data that is from the sensor;

a patient control device that is configured to respond to a control command received from the person by causing the transmit loop to transmit the energizing signal;

a patient device in communication with at least one of the patient control device or the flexible antenna, the patient device being configured for transmitting over a network a data file comprising the data represented by the sensor signal to a server that is remotely located to the patient device; and

an access device in communication with the server, the access device being configured for displaying the data represented by the sensor signal to a second person that is different than the person in which the sensor is implanted,

wherein the transmit loop comprises a capacitor for tuning the transmit loop.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second person is at least one medical personnel of a medical services provider.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient device comprises a processor device and software stored on a tangible medium, the software being executable by the processor device for processing and transmitting the data,

wherein the server is adapted to configure or update the software remotely over the network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible antenna comprises a circuit configured to output a test signal resonating at a certain frequency,

the system being configured to detect the test signal and compare the certain frequency with a stored resonant frequency for the circuit, wherein the system is further configured to output a notification in response to a deviation between the certain frequency and the stored resonant frequency being greater than a pre-set threshold.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the certain frequency and the stored resonant frequency are out of band to the energizing signal and the sensor signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a management engine for scanning the server for new data files, formatting the data files, and sending a notification to the second person that new data files are stored on the remote server.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the access device is configured for displaying the data represented by the sensor signal by generating a waveform based on the data and generating a visual representation of the waveform.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data file comprises patient identification, wherein the data comprises a waveform of the sensor signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmit loop and the receive loop are associated with a substrate, the substrate being attached to a base comprising a pad adapted to receive a body part of the person, wherein the flexible antenna is configured for being in communication with the patient device through an antenna cable coupled to the base.

10. The flexible antenna of claim 9, wherein a device that is remote to the patient device is a server accessible by the access device that is adapted for displaying the data to a second person that is different that the person in which the sensor is implanted.

11. The flexible antenna of claim 10, wherein the second person is at least one medical personnel of a medical services provider.

12. The flexible antenna of claim 9, further comprising a circuit configured to output a test signal resonating at a certain frequency,

the system being configured to detect the test signal and compare the certain frequency with a stored resonant frequency for the circuit, wherein the system is further configured to output a notification in response to a deviation between the certain frequency and the stored resonant frequency being greater than a pre-set threshold.

13. The flexible antenna of claim 12, wherein the certain frequency and the stored resonant frequency are out of band to the energizing signal and the sensor signal.

14. The flexible antenna of claim 9, wherein the flexible antenna is configured for providing an identification of the person with the data represented by the sensor signal, wherein the data comprises a waveform of the sensor signal.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmit loop is disconnected from the receive loop.

16. A flexible antenna, comprising:

a base;

a substrate coupled to the base;

a transmit loop mounted to the substrate, the transmit loop being configured for transmitting an energizing signal to a sensor implanted in a body of a person in response to a command received from the person, the transmit loop comprising a capacitor configured for tuning the transmit loop; and

a receive loop mounted to the substrate, the receive loop being disconnected from the transmit loop, the receive loop being configured for receiving a sensor signal from the sensor in response to the energizing signal,

wherein the flexible antenna is configured for providing data represented by the sensor signal to a patient device operable for transmitting the data over a network to a device that is remote to the patient device.

17. The flexible antenna of claim 16, further comprising a sheath adapted to receive the receive loop and the transmit loop, the sheath being connected to the substrate.

18. The flexible antenna of claim 16, wherein the base comprises:

a pad adapted to receive a body part of the person;

a support structure; and

a shield for substantially preventing electromagnetic signals from passing through the shield, the shield comprising a conduit that houses an antenna cable adapted to connect to the receive loop and the transmit loop.

19. The flexible antenna of claim 18, wherein the pad is a headrest pad adapted to receive a head of a person.

20. A method comprising:

outputting a command to a flexible antenna in response to receiving a control command from a person;

transmitting, by a transmit loop of the flexible antenna responsive to the command, an energizing signal to a sensor implanted in a body of the person, the transmit loop comprising a capacitor for tuning the transmit loop;

receiving, by a receive loop of the flexible antenna, a sensor signal from the sensor, the sensor signal being responsive to the energizing signal and representing data that is from the sensor;

generating, by a patient device, a data file comprising an identification of the person and the data represented by the sensor signal;

transmitting the data file over a network to a device that is remotely located to the patient device and that is operable for displaying the data represented by the sensor signal to a second person that is different than the person in which the sensor is implanted.