Implantable medical device which may be controlled from central station
First Claim
1. Electronic medical apparatus adapted to be implanted in a human patient, a so-called implantable medical device (IMD), which may be alternatively automatically self-controlled and externally controlled by a properly identified medical expert, said apparatus comprising, in combination:
- (a) a sensor circuit, having a sensor circuit output, for producing at least one sensor circuit output signal at said sensor circuit output in response to medical data sensed from the patient;
(b) a first transmitting/receiving (“
T/R”
) device for transmitting the medical data sensed from said patient to an external location, and for receiving from said external location at least one external signal representing (i) control information for the IMD, and (ii) incoming identification information (“
III”
) which identifies a source of said control information;
(c) an electronic medical treatment device for treating said patient;
(d) a memory device, for storing identification information indicating allowed sources of said control information; and
(e) a first processor coupled to each of(i) said sensor circuit output,(ii) said first T/R device,(iii) said treatment device, and(iv) said memory device;
for(i) analysis of said at least one sensor circuit output signal,(ii) generating an external station notification signal,(iii) generating at least one local treatment device control signal,(iv) generating at least one external treatment device control signal representing said control information;
(v) comparing said III with said stored identification information (“
SII”
), and(vi) indicating an identification (“
ID”
) match upon a determination that said III and said SII are substantially similar; and
wherein;
(1) said first processor analyzes said at least one sensor circuit output signal to detect a medical abnormality which requires notification of the medical expert at the external location, and is operative to generate a notification signal representing at least one medical state of the patient for consideration by said medical expert when said analysis reveals said medical abnormality;
(2) upon receipt of said notification signal, said first T/R device transmits said notification signal to the external location;
(3) said first processor analyzes said at least one sensor circuit output signal to detect a medical abnormality which requires treatment and is operative to generate at least one local treatment device control signal, if required;
(4) upon the determination of said ID match, said first processor is operative to generate at least one external treatment device control signal in response to the control information represented by said at least one external signal received from the external location by said first T/R device; and
(5) said treatment device delivers therapy, if required, in response to one of said at least one local treatment device control signal and said at least one external treatment device control signal; and
whereby;
(1) said processor determines whether to issue said notification signal, to issue said at least one local treatment device control signal, to issue both said notification and said at least one local treatment device control signal, or to issue neither said notification nor said at least one local treatment device control signal, based on said analysis, and(2) said first processor generates said at least one external treatment device control signal only upon receipt of control information from a properly identified source of control.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable medical device (IMD) comprises a transmitting/receiving (T/R) device for transmitting medical data sensed from a patient to, and for receiving control signals from, a medical expert (a human medical professional and/or a computerized expert system) at a remote location; an electronic medical treatment device for treating the patient in response to control signals applied thereto; and a sensor circuit, having a sensor circuit output, for producing sensor circuit output signal(s) representing medical data sensed from the patient. The IMD also includes a logic device (processor) which analyzes the sensor circuit output signal(s) to detect a medical abnormality and, upon detecting an abnormality, either sends a notification signal representing a medical state of said patient to the medical expert at the remote location or sends a local treatment device control signal to the medical treatment device, or does both. The medical expert can transmit an external treatment control signal to the IMD to effect patient treatment, if treatment is warranted. To ensure that the medical expert is authorized to provide such treatment, data which identify one or more authorized medical experts is stored in an IMD memory and compared with identification data transmitted from the putative authorized medical expert along with the external treatment control signal. Only if the identification data received from the putative authorized medical expert matches the pre-stored identification data of an originally authorized medical expert does the IMD effect treatment.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. Electronic medical apparatus adapted to be implanted in a human patient, a so-called implantable medical device (IMD), which may be alternatively automatically self-controlled and externally controlled by a properly identified medical expert, said apparatus comprising, in combination:
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(a) a sensor circuit, having a sensor circuit output, for producing at least one sensor circuit output signal at said sensor circuit output in response to medical data sensed from the patient; (b) a first transmitting/receiving (“
T/R”
) device for transmitting the medical data sensed from said patient to an external location, and for receiving from said external location at least one external signal representing (i) control information for the IMD, and (ii) incoming identification information (“
III”
) which identifies a source of said control information;(c) an electronic medical treatment device for treating said patient; (d) a memory device, for storing identification information indicating allowed sources of said control information; and (e) a first processor coupled to each of (i) said sensor circuit output, (ii) said first T/R device, (iii) said treatment device, and (iv) said memory device; for (i) analysis of said at least one sensor circuit output signal, (ii) generating an external station notification signal, (iii) generating at least one local treatment device control signal, (iv) generating at least one external treatment device control signal representing said control information; (v) comparing said III with said stored identification information (“
SII”
), and(vi) indicating an identification (“
ID”
) match upon a determination that said III and said SII are substantially similar; andwherein; (1) said first processor analyzes said at least one sensor circuit output signal to detect a medical abnormality which requires notification of the medical expert at the external location, and is operative to generate a notification signal representing at least one medical state of the patient for consideration by said medical expert when said analysis reveals said medical abnormality; (2) upon receipt of said notification signal, said first T/R device transmits said notification signal to the external location; (3) said first processor analyzes said at least one sensor circuit output signal to detect a medical abnormality which requires treatment and is operative to generate at least one local treatment device control signal, if required; (4) upon the determination of said ID match, said first processor is operative to generate at least one external treatment device control signal in response to the control information represented by said at least one external signal received from the external location by said first T/R device; and (5) said treatment device delivers therapy, if required, in response to one of said at least one local treatment device control signal and said at least one external treatment device control signal; and whereby; (1) said processor determines whether to issue said notification signal, to issue said at least one local treatment device control signal, to issue both said notification and said at least one local treatment device control signal, or to issue neither said notification nor said at least one local treatment device control signal, based on said analysis, and (2) said first processor generates said at least one external treatment device control signal only upon receipt of control information from a properly identified source of control. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method of controlling an electronic medical apparatus adapted to be implanted in a human patient, a so-called implantable medical device (IMD), which may treat a medical condition in a patient following the detection by said device of an abnormality, which may be alternatively (A) automatically self-controlled by said IMD and (B) externally controlled by a properly identified medical expert, said method comprising the steps of:
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(1) at said IMD, storing identification information pertaining to a medical expert permitted to control an IMD implanted in a patient; (2) at said IMD, monitoring signals which contain information about at least one medical state in said patient and producing medical condition signals representative of said state; (3) at said IMD, detecting a medical abnormality which may require treatment, based on said signals; (4) upon detection of said medical abnormality, determining at said IMD whether said treatment is to be selected (A) automatically by said IMD or (B) by said medical expert; (5) if said determination is for said IMD-selected automatic treatment, automatically selecting and administering said treatment at said IMD, if treatment is warranted; (6) if said determination is for selection of treatment by said medical expert; (a) transmitting information from said IMD concerning said medical abnormality to said medical expert; (b) receiving said information for review by said medical expert; (c) said medical expert selecting the treatment of said medical abnormality, if treatment is warranted; (d) said medical expert transmitting to said IMD (i) at least one treatment control signal, and (ii) information identifying said medical expert, if treatment is warranted; and (e) at said IMD, receiving said at least one treatment control signal and said incoming identification information (“
III”
);(f) at said IMD, comparing said III with said stored identification information (“
SII”
);(g) at said IMD, administering said medical expert-selected treatment, in response to said at least one treatment control signal, if said comparison indicates that said III is substantially similar to said SII.
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47. A method of controlling an electronic medical apparatus adapted to be implanted in a human patient, a so-called implantable medical device (IMD), which may treat a medical condition in a patient following the detection by said device of an abnormality, which may be alternatively (A) automatically self-controlled by said IMD and (B) controlled by a medical expert, said method comprising the steps of:
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(1) at said IMD, storing identification information pertaining to a medical expert permitted to control said IMD; (2) at said IMD, monitoring information about at least one medical state in a patient and producing at least one medical condition signal representative of said medical state; (3) at said IMD, detecting a first apparent medical abnormality which may require treatment, based on said at least one medical condition signal; (4) at said IMD, upon detection of said first apparent medical abnormality, transmitting said at least one medical condition signal to a medical expert; (5) at said IMD, detecting a second apparent medical abnormality which may require treatment, based on said at least one medical condition signal, and, upon detection of said second apparent medical abnormality generating a local treatment control signal; (6) at said IMD, in the absence of a received external treatment control signal, administering a first treatment to said patient specified by said local treatment control signal, if any; (7) said medical expert receiving said at least one medical condition signal and making a determination of whether treatment is warranted based on said at least one received medical condition signal and, if said treatment is warranted, transmitting at least one external treatment control signal to said IMD, said at least one external treatment control signal representing (A) a second treatment to be administered by said IMD and (B) identification information of said medical expert; (8) at said IMD, receiving said at least one external treatment control signal and comparing said incoming identification information with said stored identification information; and (9) at said IMD, if said second treatment is different from said first treatment, and if said comparison indicates that said incoming identification information is substantially similar to said stored identification information, administering said second treatment to said patient.
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Specification