Programmer for biostimulator system

• US 8,788,053 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jacobson, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kahelin, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/654,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0573 chacterised by means penetrating the heart tissue, e.g. helix needle or hook
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0587 Epicardial electrode systems; Endocardial electrodes piercing the pericardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/059 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3621 for treating or preventing abnormally high heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36514 controlled by a physiological quantity other than heart potential, e.g. blood pressure controlled by two or more physical parameters A61N1/36585
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36542 controlled by body motion, e.g. acceleration
• 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 1/36842 Multi-site stimulation in the same chamber
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3704 Circuits specially adapted therefor, e.g. for sensitivity control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3706 Pacemaker parameters stimulation threshold A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3727 characterised by the modulation technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 : Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 : Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37518 : Anchoring of the implants, e.g. fixation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 : Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 : Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3956 : Implantable devices for applying electric shocks to the heart, e.g. for cardioversion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39622 : Pacing therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/058 : Fixing tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 : Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body

Abstract

A biostimulator system comprises one or more implantable devices and an external programmer configured for communicating with the implantable device or devices via bidirectional communication pathways comprising a receiving pathway that decodes information encoded on stimulation pulses generated by ones of the implantable device or devices and conducted through body tissue to the external programmer.

Claims

1. A method for communicating in an implantable biostimulator system comprising:

connecting an external programmer to a body surface via electrodes;

monitoring electrical signals conducted through body tissue with the electrodes, and bidirectional communication pathways configured to couple with the electrodes, of the external programmer;

distinguishing, in the electrical signals, information-encoded pulses generated by a pulse generator of an implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker from ECG signals;

decoding information encoded into the information-encoded pulses with a receiving pathway of the bidirectional communication pathways; and

transmitting encoded information with the electrodes and bidirectional communication pathways of the external programmer to the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker, wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting information modifying a configuration parameter of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to the distinguishing step:

generating information-encoded cardiac pacing pulses configured to therapeutically pace the heart with the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker; and

delivering the cardiac pacing pulses into body tissue through electrodes of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker for antenna-less and telemetry coil-less communication.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the cardiac pacing pulses are delivered during a refractory period.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising encoding information in puke width of the cardiac pacing pulses.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising encoding information onto the cardiac pacing pulses by selectively varying timing between consecutive pulses.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating information among the external programmer and at least two implanted leadless cardiac pacemakers;

the transmitting step comprising transmitting encoded information from the electrodes of the external programmer to the implanted leadless cardiac pacemakers using a modulated signal at a frequency configured to avoid skeletal muscle stimulation.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the transmitting step further comprises transmitting address information unique to at least one of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemakers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the distinguishing step comprises amplifying electrical signals in a frequency range from approximately 1 Hz to approximately 100 Hz.

9. A method for communicating in an implantable biostimulator system comprising:

connecting an external programmer to a body surface via programmer electrodes;

generating information encoded pulses with a pulse generator of an implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker;

delivering the information encoded pulses into body tissue through stimulating electrodes of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker;

monitoring electrical signals conducted through body tissue with the programmer electrodes, and bidirectional communication pathways configured to couple with the programmer electrodes, of the external programmer;

distinguishing, in the electrical signals, pulses generated by the pulse generator of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker from ECU signals, such that information encoded pulses are separated from the ECG signals;

decoding the information encoded into the pulses with a receiving pathway of the bidirectional communication pathways; and

transmitting encoded information with the programmer electrodes and bidirectional communication pathways of the external programmer to the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting information modifying a configuration parameter of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein generating information encoded pulses with a pulse generator of an implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker comprises encoding the information onto cardiac pacing pulses configured to therapeutically pace the heart.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein delivering the information encoded cardiac pacing pulses into body tissue through stimulating electrodes of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker comprises delivering information encoded cardiac pulses during a refractory period.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein delivering the information encoded cardiac pacing pulses into body tissue through stimulating electrodes of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker comprises delivering information encoded cardiac pulses during a non-refractory period to cause contraction of a patient'"'"'s heart.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting encoded information with the programmer electrodes and bidirectional communication pathways of the external programmer to the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker comprises transmitting modulated signals using a frequency between 10 kHz and 100 kHz.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the signals comprise a serialized bit-stream.

15. A method for communicating in an implantable biostimulator system comprising:

connecting an external programmer to a body surface via programmer electrodes;

generating information encoded cardiac pacing pulses configured to therapeutically pace a heart with a pulse generator of an implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker when delivered during a non-refractory period;

delivering the information encoded cardiac pacing pulses into body tissue through stimulating electrodes of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker;

monitoring electrical signals conducted through body tissue with the programmer electrodes, and bidirectional communication pathways configured to couple with the programmer electrodes, of the external programmer;

distinguishing, in the electrical signals, pulses generated by the pulse generator of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker from ECG signals, such that information encoded cardiac pacing pulses are separated from the ECG signals;

decoding the information encoded into the cardiac pacing pulses with a receiving pathway of the bidirectional communication pathways; and

transmitting encoded information with the programmer electrodes and bidirectional communication pathways of the external programmer to the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting information modifying a configuration parameter of the implanted leadless cardiac pacemaker.