Posture state redefinition based on posture data

• US 9,968,784 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Skelton, Dennis M., Davis, Jon P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abouelela, May
• Application Number:
  US12/433,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,302 Days
• Field of Search: 600585, 600587, 600595, 600300, 607 46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36135 using physiological parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 controlled by body position or posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36542 controlled by body motion, e.g. acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

The disclosure is directed towards posture-responsive therapy. To avoid interruptions in effective therapy, an implantable medical device may include a posture state module that detects the posture state of the patient and automatically adjusts therapy parameter values according to the detected posture state. A system may include a memory that stores posture state definitions, a posture state module that records a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time, and a processor that identifies a set of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state, and redefines a boundary of the posture state based on where the postures fall within the posture state.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a memory configured to store posture state definitions;

a posture state module configured to sense a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time; and

a processor configured to;

identify, based on one of the posture state definitions, a set of two or more of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state;

identify a portion of the posture state where a specified amount of the postures fall; and

automatically update the one of the posture state definitions to redefine at least one boundary of the posture state to change a size of the posture state and to correspond to the identified portion based on where the postures in the set of postures fall within the posture state and the identified portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the specified amount comprises at least a specified percentage of postures of the set of the plurality of postures.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to update the one of the posture state definitions to redefine the at least one boundary to change the size of the posture state by at least modifying a tolerance from a posture reference vector at a center of the posture state.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the posture state module is configured to periodically sample the posture of the patient.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a medical device, wherein the medical device comprises at least one of the memory, posture state module, and processor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the medical device comprises an implantable medical device.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an external programmer, wherein the external programmer comprises at least one of the memory, posture state module, and processor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the external programmer comprises at least one of a patient programmer or a clinician programmer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to update the one of the posture state definitions to change the size of the posture state by shrinking the posture state.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to update the one of the posture state definitions to change the size of the posture state by expanding the posture state.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the specified percentage of postures comprises at least 80 percent of postures of the set of the plurality of postures.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein the tolerance comprises one of an angle or a cosine value.

13. A system comprising:

means for sensing a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time;

means for identifying, based on one of a plurality of posture state definitions, a set of two or more of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state;

means for identifying a portion of the posture state where a specified amount of the postures fall; and

means for automatically updating the one of the posture state definitions to redefine at least one boundary of the posture state to change a size of the posture state and to correspond to the identified portion based on where the postures in the set of postures fall within the posture state and the identified portion.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the specified amount comprises at least a specified percentage of postures of the set of the plurality of postures.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for updating the one of the posture state definitions to redefine the at least one boundary of the posture state comprises means for modifying a tolerance from a posture reference vector at a center of the posture state.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for sensing a plurality of postures of the patient over the period of time comprises means for periodically sampling the posture of the patient.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for updating the one of the posture state definitions comprises means for shrinking the posture state.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for updating the one of the posture state definitions comprises means for expanding the posture state.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the tolerance comprises one of an angle or a cosine value.

20. An implantable medical device comprising:

a memory configured to store posture state definitions;

a posture state module configured to sense a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time; and

a processor configured to;

identify, based on one of the posture state definitions, a set of two or more of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state;

identify a portion of the posture state where a specified amount of the postures fall; and

automatically update the one of the posture state definitions to redefine at least one boundary of the posture state to change a size of the posture state and to correspond to the identified portion based on where the postures in the set of postures fall within the posture state and the identified portion.

21. An external programmer comprising:

a memory configured to store posture state definitions; and

a processor configured to;

record a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time;

identify, based on one of the posture state definitions, a set of two or more of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state;

identify a portion of the posture state where a specified amount of the postures fall; and

automatically update the one of the posture state definitions to redefine at least one boundary of the posture state to change a size of the posture state and to correspond to the identified portion based on where the postures in the set of postures fall within the posture state and the identified portion.

22. A system comprising:

a memory configured to store posture state definitions;

a posture state module configured to sense a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time; and

a processor configured to;

identify, based on one of the posture state definitions, a set of two or more of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state; and

update the one of the posture state definitions to redefine at least one boundary of the posture state to change a size of the posture state by at least modifying a posture reference vector at a center of the posture state based on where the postures in the set of postures fall within the posture state.

23. A system comprising:

means for sensing a plurality of postures of a patient over a period of time;

means for identifying, based on one of a plurality of posture state definitions, a set of two or more of the plurality of postures that fall within a posture state; and

means for updating the one of the posture state definitions to redefine at least one boundary of the posture state to change a size of the posture state by at least modifying a posture reference vector at a center of the posture state based on where the postures in the set of postures fall within the posture state.