Implantable medical device having long-term wireless capabilities

• US 8,700,172 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers
• Inventors: Mazar, Scott T., Manicka, Yatheendhar D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heller, Tammie K
• Application Number:
  US12/151,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,170 Days
• Field of Search: 607/60, 600/481, 600/509, 128/904
• 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: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A medical device is capable of utilizing a pervasive wireless communications network, such as a digital wireless telephone network, personal communication services network or pager network, to directly communicate with a host computer without the need for a repeater device. The device includes a sensor capable of measuring a body characteristic, such as temperature or electrical cardiac activity, and generates clinical data describing the measurement. The device also includes a wireless transmitter/receiver unit capable of establishing a communications link with a host computer over the long-range wireless network. The wireless transmitter/receiver unit is capable of delivering the measured clinical data to the host computer over the wireless network. The wireless transmitter/receiver unit can also periodically deliver status information regarding the operation of the implantable device to the host computer.

Claims

1. A method of operation for an implantable medical device comprising a processor, a sensor, and a wireless transmitter/receiver unit, the method comprising:

obtaining a measurement of a body characteristic at the sensor and generating clinical data describing the measurement;

determining whether said clinical data relates to a medically significant event; and

in response to determining that said clinical data relates to said medically significant event, then;

turning on said transmitter/receiver unit to establish a direct wireless telephone communications link between said transmitter/receiver unit and a host computer;

transmitting said clinical data or status information regarding the operation of said implantable medical device to said host computer via said wireless telephone communications link; and

turning said transmitter/receiver unit off after said clinical data or status information has been transmitted to said host computer.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining whether an external local transceiver is within a short-range telemetry communication range of said implantable wireless transmitter/receiver unit;

establishing a first communications link with said host computer using said external local transceiver, when said wireless transmitter/receiver unit is within said short-range telemetry communication range of said external local transceiver, to deliver said clinical data to said host computer using said first communications link; and

establishing a second communications link with said host computer over a pervasive wireless communications network, when said wireless transmitter/receiver unit is not within said short-range telemetry communication range of said external local transceiver, to deliver said clinical data to said host computer over said second communications link.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining whether said communications link with said host computer is operative before delivering said clinical data; and

in response to determining that said communications link is not operative, storing said clinical data in a memory until said communications link becomes operative.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising:

determining whether said clinical data stored in said memory has not been delivered to said host computer within a specified period of time; and

in response to determining that said clinical data has not been delivered, alerting a patient in which said implantable medical device is implanted.

5. The method of claim 3, comprising:

determining whether said communications link cannot be established with said host computer for a specified period of time; and

in response to determining that said communications link, has not been established, alerting a patient in which said implantable medical device is implanted.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

recurrently establishing said communications link with said host computer to transmit status information regarding operation of said implantable medical device to said host computer or to receive a software update or a firmware update from said host computer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein turning on said transmitter/receiver unit comprises turning on said transmitter/receiver unit for a specified period of time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said body characteristic comprises at least one of electrical cardiac activity, physical motion, temperature, heart rate, activity, blood pressure, breathing pattern, wedge-pressure, ejection fraction, blood viscosity, blood chemistry, or blood glucose level.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said implantable medical device comprises an activity sensor to detect activity, and wherein said method comprises:

detecting a predefined number of consecutive pulses; and

at least one of;

activating said wireless transmitter/receiver unit when said wireless transmitter/receiver unit is inactive;

or

deactivating said wireless transmitter/receiver unit when said wireless transmitter/receiver unit is active.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said implantable medical device comprises an activity sensor to detect activity, and wherein said method comprises:

detecting a predefined number of consecutive pulses;

in response to detecting said predefined number of consecutive pulses;

turning on said transmitter/receiver unit;

establishing an emergency communications link with said host using said wireless transmitter/receiver unit; and

transmitting said clinical data to said host computer over said emergency communications link.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein turning on said transmitter/receiver unit establishing said wireless telephone communications link comprises accessing a wireless telephone network without use of a repeater device.

12. A method of operation for an implantable medical device comprising a processor, a sensor, and a wireless transmitter/receiver unit, the method comprising:

obtaining a measurement of a body characteristic at the sensor and generating clinical data describing the measurement;

turning on said transmitter/receiver unit at a specified time;

determining whether an incoming wireless telephone call is received directly from a host computer at said transmitter/receiver unit from a host computer while said transmitter/receiver unit is turned on, the received wireless telephone call establishing a direct communications link;

in response to determining that said incoming wireless telephone call has been received at said transmitter/receiver unit from said host computer, transmitting said clinical data or status information regarding the operation of said implantable medical device to said host computer, and turning said transmitter/receiver unit off after said status information has been transmitted to said host computer;

determining whether said clinical data has not been delivered to said host computer within a predetermined period of time; and

in response to determining that said clinical data has not been delivered, alerting a patient in which said implantable medical device is implanted.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

determining whether an external local transceiver is within a short-range telemetry communication range of said implantable wireless transmitter/receiver unit;

establishing a first communications link with said host computer using said external local transceiver, when said wireless transmitter/receiver unit is within said short-range telemetry communication range of said external local transceiver, to deliver said clinical data to said host computer using said first communications link; and

establishing a second communications link with said host computer over a pervasive wireless communications network, when said wireless transmitter/receiver unit is not within said short-range telemetry communication range of said external local transceiver, to deliver said clinical data to said host computer over said second communications link.