Advanced patient management system including interrogator/transceiver unit

• US 20040127958A1
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Manicka, Yatheendhar D., Mazar, Scott Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 6,978,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

An advanced patient management system including at least one device that is implanted in a patient, the device being configured to measure physiological attributes of the patient and provide therapy to the patient. The advanced patient management system may also include an interrogator/transceiver unit in communication with the device and a network, the unit being positioned relative to the device to facility communication between the repeater and the device. The advanced patient management system also includes a host, in communication with the device through the network, to store data from the device and to provide a predictive diagnosis of an oncoming event. The interrogator/transceiver unit may include programmable or updateable with software from a computer system or remote host.

Claims

1. An interrogator/transceiver unit in an advanced patient management system, the unit being configured to communicate with at least one device associated with a patient, and a host, the unit comprising:

a processor module to process software instructions;

an interface with a remote host; and

a memory module, wherein the memory module includes, at startup, baseline software to allow the unit to ping the device and, upon a response from the device, the unit is configured to connect through the interface to the remote host to download software into the memory module that is specific to the device.

2. The unit of claim 1, further comprising user interface means for communicating with a patient.

3. The unit of claim 1, wherein the device is implanted.

4. The unit of claim 1, wherein the unit automatically communicates with the remote host to download the software.

5. The unit of claim 1, wherein the unit periodically communicates with the remote host to download updated software.

6. The unit of claim 1, wherein, upon reset of the unit, the unit automatically pings the device and downloads software from the remote host.

7. A system for configuring an interrogator/transceiver unit for use in an advanced patient management system, the unit being configured to communicate with at least one device associated with a patient, and a host, the system comprising:

an interrogator/transceiver unit, the unit including a processor to process software instructions, an interface, and a memory module, wherein the unit is blank at initialization; and

a computer system coupled to the unit through the interface, wherein the computer system allows a user to select one or more of a plurality of device models and, upon selection, installs software associated with the selected device model on the unit.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein software for the plurality of device models resides in memory of the computer system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein software for the plurality of device models resides on a removable storage medium that is read by the computer system.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a remote host including the software specific to the plurality of device models, wherein the computer system is configured to communicate with the remote host, download the software associated with the selected device model, and install the software on the unit.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the device is implanted.

12. A method of transmitting data from a device associated with a patient to a remote host as part of an advanced patient management system, the method comprising:

providing an interrogator/transceiver unit being configured to communicate with the device;

initializing the unit;

sending a ping from the unit to the device; and

responding with identification information from the device to the unit.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

establishing communication between the unit and the remote host;

downloading software associated with the device to the unit; and

installing the software on the unit.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, prior to initialization of the unit, the unit includes only baseline software.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

resetting the unit;

sending a second ping from the unit to a second device;

responding with identification information from the second device to the unit;

establishing communication between the unit and the remote host;

downloading software associated with the second device to the unit; and

installing the software on the unit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the device and the second device are identical.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the device is implanted.

18. A method of transmitting data from a device associated with a patient to a remote host as part of an advanced patient management system, the method comprising:

providing a blank interrogator/transceiver unit;

providing a computer system to allow selection from a list of a plurality of device models;

selecting the device from the list of the plurality of device models; and

installing software on the unit to allow the unit to communicate with the device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

establishing communication between the computer system and the remote host; and

downloading software associated with the device to the computer system.