Programming a medical device with a general purpose instrument

• US 20080140157A1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Goetz, Steven M., Drew, Touby A., Keacher, Jeffrey T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,295,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

An apparatus including a processor configured to selectively load a first operating system that controls general purpose computer functionality of the apparatus; and a second operating system different from the first operating system. The second operating system controls medical device programming functionality of the apparatus, enabling the apparatus to program a medical device including at least one implantable component.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a processor configured to selectively load:

a first operating system that controls general purpose computer functionality of the apparatus; and

a second operating system different from the first operating system, wherein the second operating system controls medical device programming functionality of the apparatus, enabling the apparatus to program a medical device comprising at least one implantable component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to apply a first set of criteria for accessing the first operating system and a second set of criteria for accessing the second operating system.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second criteria comprises at least one of an encrypted file scheme, or an authentication procedure different from an authentication procedure in the first criteria.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is configured to format the memory to provide a region formatted for the first and the second operating systems, and wherein the first operating system and the second operating system share the formatted region to form a shared partition.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the shared partition is formatted such that the memory is readable by both the first and the second operating systems, and writable by only the second operating system.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the shared partition is formatted such that the memory is readable by both the first and the second operating systems, and writable by neither the first nor the second operating systems.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is configured to format the memory to provide a first memory region formatted for the first operating system and a second memory region formatted for the second operating system, and the first region is different from the second region.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an encrypted file scheme limits access to the first memory region formatted for the first operating system and a second memory region formatted for the second operating system, and the first region is different from the second region.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor limits access to the first memory region formatted for the first operating system and a second memory region formatted for the second operating system, and the first region is different from the second region.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is configured to load both of the first and second operating systems from the memory.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is configured to load the first operating system from the memory and the second operating system from an external memory.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second operating system comprises a virtual operating system that runs on top of the first operating system.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a general purpose personal computer.

14. A computer with a memory comprising a region formatted for:

a first operating system for controlling general purpose functionality of the computer, and

a second operating system for controlling medical device programming functionality of the computer, enabling the computer to program a medical device, wherein the medical device comprises at least one implantable component.

15. The computer of claim 14, wherein the region comprises a first region and a second region, wherein the first region is formatted for the first operating system and the second region is formatted for the second operating system.

16. A system comprising:

a first medical device that includes at least one implantable component; and

a personal computer comprising a processor that selectively boots and activates either a first operating system that provides general purpose functionality for the personal computer, or a second operating system, different from the first operating system, that provides medical device programming functionality for the personal computer to enable the personal computer to program the first medical device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor boots and activates the second operating system based on instructions in a memory of the personal computer.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor boots and activates the second operating system based on instructions supplied by at least one of an external fixed or a peripheral non-fixed medium.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the fixed medium is selected from the group consisting of a compact disc (CD) and a digital versatile disc (DVD).

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the non-fixed medium comprises a flash media device.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor boots and activates the second operating system based on instructions supplied by a second controlled medical device different from the first medical device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the second medical device is a Patient Therapy Manager (PTM).

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor boots and activates the second operating system based on instructions supplied by at least one of a telemedicine base station, a telemetry head, and a patient ID card.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor boots and activates the second operating system based on instructions supplied by the first medical device.

25. A method comprising:

selectively activating one or both of a first operating system or a second operating system in a computing device, wherein the first operating system provides general purpose functionality for the computing device, and the second operating system provides medical device programming functionality for the computing device; and

programming a medical device comprising at least one implantable component when the second operating system is activated.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

applying a first set of criteria for accessing the first operating system; and

applying a second set of criteria for accessing the second operating system.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein applying a second set of criteria comprises applying at least one of an encrypted file scheme, or an authentication procedure different from an authentication procedure in the first criteria.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the computing device comprises a memory, the method further comprising loading both of the first and second operating systems from the memory.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the computing device comprises a memory, the method further comprising loading the first operating system from the memory and the second operating system from another memory external to the computing device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein loading the second operating system from another memory external to the computing device comprises loading the second operating system from at least one of an external fixed or a peripheral non-fixed medium.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein loading the second operating system from another memory external to the computing device comprises loading the second operating system from a second controlled medical device different from the first medical device.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein loading the second operating system from another memory external to the computing device comprises loading the second operating system from at least one of a telemedicine base station, a telemetry head, or a patient ID card.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein loading the second operating system from another memory external to the computing device comprises loading the second operating system from the first medical device.

34. The method of claim 25, further comprising running the second operating system as a virtual operating system on top of the first operating system.

35. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a programmable processor to:

selectively activate one or both of a first and second operating system in a computing device, wherein the first operating system provides general purpose functionality for the personal computer, and the second operating system provides medical device programming functionality for the personal computer; and

transmit programming instructions to a medical device comprising at least one implantable component when the second operating system is activated.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, further comprising instructions that cause a programmable processor to:

apply a first set of criteria for accessing the first operating system; and

apply a second set of criteria for accessing the second operating system.