Method and apparatus for locally upgrading implanted reprogrammable medical devices

• US 20040215278A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Van Geffen, Peter, Stegink, Wim, Visser, Paul, Anbergen, Gertwin, Evers, Xander, Westendorp, Henk
• Application Number:
  US10/424,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215278A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/30
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method for enabling a programming device to upload a distributed software upgrade into a reprogrammable device having a unique serial number, the software upgrade having a unique upgrade identifier. The method comprises the steps of calculating a first enabling code as a function of the unique upgrade identifier and the unique serial number and comparing the first enabling code to a second enabling code received from a registry. Also disclosed is an apparatus for changing a heart-stimulating waveform comprising an implanted reprogrammable medical device (IRMD) having a unique serial number, an IRMD software upgrade program having a unique media identifier, and a programming device for uploading the IRMD software upgrade program into the IRMD.

Claims

1. A method for uploading a distributed software upgrade to a reprogrammable medical device having a serial number from a programming device linked to a registry, said software upgrade having a upgrade identifier, the method comprising the steps of:

calculating a first enabling code as a function of said upgrade identifier and said serial number; and

comparing said first enabling code to a second enabling code received from the registry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of comparing comprises the step of receiving said second enabling code at said programming device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of receiving said second enabling code further comprises linking said programming device to said registry.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of receiving said unique upgrade identifier and said unique serial number into said programming device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of uploading said upgrade software into said reprogrammable device if said first enabling code matches said second enabling code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a relationship between said function, said serial number, and said unique upgrade identifier wherein a valid enabling code is produced only for a compatible combination of said software upgrade and said reprogrammable device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

locally storing a plurality of said removable media containing a plurality of said upgrade software programs;

downloading information from said IRD, said downloaded information comprising a said serial number;

selecting an appropriate software upgrade from said locally stored plurality of said upgrade software programs;

recording said serial number and said unique media identifier;

calculating a first enabling code as a function of said serial number and said unique media identifier;

communicating said serial number and said unique media identifier;

receiving a second enabling code; and

uploading said upgrade software program to said IRD if said first and second enabling codes are correct enabling codes.

7. A method for locally upgrading software in an implanted reprogrammable device (IRD) having a serial number, comprising the steps of:

distributing removable media containing an upgrade software program for said IRD and having a unique upgrade identifier;

receiving said serial number and said unique upgrade identifier; and

communicating an enabling code for said upgrade software program used with said IRD, wherein said enabling code comprises a calculated function of said received serial number and said received unique media identifier.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said IRD comprises an implanted medical device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said IRD comprises a pacemaker.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of downloading information from said IRD further comprises downloading a history of IRD activity used for selecting an upgrade software program.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said uploading and said downloading are performed using a programming device.

13. The method of claim 12, farther comprising the step f calculating said function of said unique identifier and said unique media identifier in said programming device.

14. An apparatus for non-invasively changing a heart-stimulating waveform of an implanted reprogrammable medical device (IRMD) having a unique serial number, the apparatus comprising:

an IRMD software upgrade program in machine-readable media having a unique media identifier; and

a programming device operable to calculate a first enabling code from said unique serial number and said unique media identifier and further operable to upload said IRMD software upgrade program into said IRMD.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a registry;

a first communication link between said programming device and said IRMD; and

a second communication link between said programming device and said registry.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said IRMD further comprises a waveform generator responsive to an IRMD computer software program to generate said heart-stimulating waveform.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said programming device further comprises a software installation switch responsive to an enabling signal to enable uploading of said program to said IRMD.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said programming device is configured to receive a second enabling code from said registry, said programming device further operable to compare said first enabling code with said second enabling code.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said programming device is further configured to generate said enabling signal if said first enabling code and said second enabling signal match.