Clinician programming system and method

• US 8,903,496 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirtec Medical Corp.
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Drees, Scott, Kaula, Norbert, Iyassu, Yohannes, Leyh, Scott G., Polefko, Richard J., Trier, Stephen C., Yoder, Raymond L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Porter, Jr., Allen
• Application Number:
  US13/600,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 607/59, 607/30, 345/173
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36132 using patient feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display

Abstract

A clinician programming system operable to control an implantable medical device includes a clinician programmer and a secondary unit. The clinician programmer has a housing, and includes a first display configured to display information indicative of the inputs by the clinician or display information indicative of status of an implantable pulse generator, the first display having a first display size. The secondary unit is separate from the housing of the clinician programmer and includes a secondary display. The secondary display is configured to communicate with the clinician programmer via the secondary display communication interface and configured to display information received via the secondary display communication interface.

Claims

1. A clinician programming system operable to control an implantable medical device, comprising:

a clinician programmer with a housing, comprising;

a processor and memory having executable instructions enabling programming of an implantable pulse generator;

a user interface configured to receive inputs by a clinician instructing operation of an implantable pulse generator;

a first display configured to display information indicative of the inputs by the clinician or display information indicative of status of an implantable pulse generator, the first display having a first display size;

an implant communication interface configured to transmit information from the clinician programmer to an implantable pulse generator and configured to receive information from an implantable pulse generator; and

a display communication interface configured to transmit content shown on the first display; and

a microphone and a speaker; and

a secondary unit separate from the housing of the clinician programmer, the secondary unit having a secondary microphone, a secondary speaker and a secondary display of a second display size larger than the first display size, the secondary display being configured to communicate with the clinician programmer via a secondary display communication interface, wherein the secondary display displays programming information of the implantable medical device substantially simultaneously as the programming information occurs on the first display of the clinician programmer and wherein the secondary microphone and secondary speaker are in electrical communication with the microphone and speaker of the clinician programmer.

2. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the clinician programmer is a tablet style programmer and the display communication interface of the clinician programmer comprises a HDMI connector.

3. The clinician programming system of claim 1, further comprising an implantable pulse generator in communication with the implant communication interface of the clinician programmer.

4. The clinician programming system of claim 3, wherein the implant communication interface comprises a medical implant communication service (MICS) RF transceiver used to communicate with the implantable pulse generator.

5. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is further configured to receive inputs selecting a stimulation program stored in the memory and operable on an implanted medical device.

6. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the first display comprises a touch screen display, and wherein the user interface comprises a touch-sensitive graphical user interface that is implemented at least in part via the touch screen display.

7. The clinician programming system of claim 1, further comprising a patient feedback tool operable by a patient, the patient feedback tool being configured to communicate feedback information to the secondary unit, and the secondary unit being configured to communicate feedback information to the clinician programmer.

8. The clinician programming system of claim 1, further comprising a surgeon input device operable by a patient, the surgeon input device being configured to communicate feedback information to the secondary unit, and the secondary unit being configured to communicate feedback information to the clinician programmer.

9. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the second display size is at least twice as large as the first display size of the clinician programmer.

10. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the secondary microphone is configured to receive audio and transmit the audio to the clinician programmer.

11. The clinician programming system of claim 1, further comprising an HDMI cable connecting the display communication interface of the clinician programmer to the secondary unit to carry the information.

12. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the display communication interface comprises an external display driver, the driver being operable via a selection at the user input to enable and disable the second display.

13. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the secondary unit is mounted to a wall in a sterile operating room.

14. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the secondary unit is configured to convert information received from the clinician programmer into a three-dimensional image.

15. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the secondary unit is configured to mirror a content displayed on the first display of the clinician programmer but with enhanced resolution of the content.

16. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the secondary display communication interface includes a DVI interface.

17. The clinician programming system of claim 1, wherein the processor of the clinician programmer is further configured to:

detect whether a connection with the secondary unit exists;

mirror the first display of the clinician programmer to the secondary display if the connection with the secondary unit exists; and

disable the mirror of the first display if the connection with the secondary unit no longer exists.

18. A clinician programming system operable to control an implantable medical device, comprising:

a clinician programmer with a housing, comprising;

a processor and memory having executable instructions enabling programming of an implantable pulse generator;

a user interface configured to receive inputs by a clinician instructing operation of an implantable pulse generator;

a first display configured to display information indicative of the inputs by the clinician or display information indicative of status of an implantable pulse generator, the first display having a first display size;

an implant communication interface configured to transmit information from the clinician programmer to an implantable pulse generator and configured to receive information from an implantable pulse generator; and

a display communication interface configured to transmit content shown on the first display; and

a microphone and a speaker; and

a secondary unit separate from the housing of the clinician programmer, the secondary unit having a secondary microphone, a secondary speaker and a secondary display of a second display size larger than the first display size, the secondary display being configured to communicate with the clinician programmer via a secondary display communication interface and configured to display information received via the secondary display communication interface, wherein the secondary unit is mounted to a wall of a sterile room and wherein the secondary microphone and secondary speaker are in electrical communication with the microphone and speaker of the clinician programmer.

19. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein the clinician programmer is a tablet style programmer and the display communication interface of the clinician programmer comprises a HDMI connector.

20. The clinician programming system of claim 18, further comprising an implantable pulse generator in communication with the implant communication interface of the clinician programmer.

21. The clinician programming system of claim 20, wherein the implant communication interface comprises a medical implant communication service (MICS) RF transceiver used to communicate with the implantable pulse generator.

22. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein the user interface is further configured to receive inputs selecting a stimulation program stored in the memory and operable on an implanted medical device.

23. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein the first display comprises a touch screen display, and wherein the user interface comprises a touch-sensitive graphical user interface that is implemented at least in part via the touch screen display.

24. The clinician programming system of claim 18, further comprising a patient feedback tool operable by a patient, the patient feedback tool being configured to communicate feedback information to the secondary unit, and the secondary unit being configured to communicate feedback information to the clinician programmer.

25. The clinician programming system of claim 18, further comprising a surgeon input device operable by a patient, the surgeon input device being configured to communicate feedback information to the secondary unit, and the secondary unit being configured to communicate feedback information to the clinician programmer.

26. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein the second display size is at least twice as large as the first display size of the clinician programmer.

27. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein the secondary microphone is configured to receive audio and transmit the audio to the clinician programmer.

28. The clinician programming system of claim 18, further comprising an HDMI cable connecting the display communication interface of the clinician programmer to the secondary unit to carry the information.

29. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein information displayed on the secondary display is the same as information displayed on the primary display.

30. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein information displayed on the secondary display relates to programming information for an implantable pulse generator, but is different than information displayed on the primary display.

31. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein the display communication interface comprises an external display driver, the driver being operable via a selection at the user input to enable and disable the second display.

32. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein content shown on the secondary display mirrors content shown on the first display simultaneously.

33. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein the secondary unit is configured to convert information received from the clinician programmer into a three-dimensional image.

34. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein the secondary unit is configured to mirror a content displayed on the first display of the clinician programmer but with enhanced resolution of the content.

35. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein the secondary display communication interface includes a DVI interface.

36. The clinician programming system of claim 18, wherein the processor of the clinician programmer is further configured to:

detect whether a connection with the secondary unit exists;

mirror the first display of the clinician programmer to the secondary display if the connection with the secondary unit exists; and

disable the mirror of the first display if the connection with the secondary unit no longer exists.

37. A clinician programming system operable to control an implantable medical device, comprising:

a clinician programmer with a housing, comprising;

a processor and memory having executable instructions enabling programming of an implantable pulse generator;

a user interface configured to receive inputs by a clinician instructing operation of an implantable pulse generator;

a first display configured to display information indicative of the inputs by the clinician or display information indicative of status of an implantable pulse generator, the first display having a first display size;

an implant communication interface configured to transmit information from the clinician programmer to an implantable pulse generator and configured to receive information from an implantable pulse generator; and

a display communication interface configured to transmit content shown on the first display; and

a microphone and a speaker; and

a secondary unit separate from the housing of the clinician programmer, the secondary unit having a secondary microphone, a secondary speaker and a secondary display of a second display size larger than the first display size, the secondary display being configured to communicate with the clinician programmer via a Digital Video Interface (DVI) connector and configured to display information received via the DVI connector and wherein the secondary microphone and secondary speaker are in electrical communication with the microphone and speaker of the clinician programmer.

38. The clinician programming system of claim 37, wherein the secondary unit is attached to a structure in a sterile operating room while the clinician programmer is disposed in a non-sterile room.

39. The clinician programming system of claim 37, wherein the secondary unit is configured to convert information received from the clinician programmer into a three-dimensional image.

40. The clinician programming system of claim 37, wherein the secondary unit is configured to mirror a content displayed on the first display of the clinician programmer in real time and with enhanced resolution of the content.

41. The clinician programming system of claim 37, wherein the processor of the clinician programmer is further configured to:

detect whether a connection with the secondary unit exists;

mirror the first display of the clinician programmer to the secondary display if the connection with the secondary unit exists; and

disable the mirror of the first display if the connection with the secondary unit no longer exists.