REMOTELY PROGRAMMABLE PERSONAL DEVICE AND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTE PROGRAMMING OF A PERSONAL DEVICE

• US 20090043353A1
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biotronik SE & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Biotronik VI Patent AG (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Doerr, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The invention relates to a remotely programmable personal device, in particular a programmable implantable medical device, e.g., a cardiac pacemaker, a defibrillator, a cardioverter or the like. In addition, the invention relates to a system for remote programming of such a personal medical device and a method for remote programming of a programmable personal device.

Claims

1. A programmable personal device (10), in particular an implantable medical device such as a cardiac pacemaker, a cardioverter, a defibrillator or the like, including:

b. first and second data communication interfaces (11, 13);

(1) wirelessly receiving programming instructions, wherein the programming instructions include one or more of;

(a) control parameters defining the functionality of the personal device (10),

(b) allowable parameter ranges for one or more of the control parameters, and

(c) control parameter attributes defining whether and/or how one or more of the control parameters may thereafter be varied within the personal device (10);

(2) wherein the second data communication interface (13) utilizes at least one of;

(a) a different data format, and

(b) a different data transmission technology, than the first data communication interface (11);

c. a memory (17) storing at least a portion of the programming instructions received by the first data communication interface (11),

d. a programmable controller (15) receiving programming instructions from the second data communication interface (13), with control parameters therein thereafter defining the functionality of the programmable controller (15) if these control parameters are in correspondence with the programming instructions from the first data communication interface (11) stored in the memory (17).

2. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 1 wherein the first data communication interface (11) wirelessly receives its programming instructions from a programming unit (20) separate from the personal device (10).

3. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 2 wherein the second data communication interface (13) wirelessly receives its programming instructions from the programming unit (20) via an intermediate patient device (30) which

a. is remotely located from the programming unit (20), and

b. wirelessly provides the programming instructions to the first data communication interface (11).

4. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 2 wherein the programmable controller (15), after receiving programming instructions from the second data communication interface (13), only uses any control parameters therein to thereafter define the functionality of the programmable controller (15) if these control parameters are in correspondence with any allowable parameter ranges and/or control parameter attributes within the programming instructions wirelessly received by the first data communication interface (11) from the programming unit (20).

5. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 1 wherein the programming instructions received by the first data communication interface (11) and stored in the memory (17) further include one or more combinations of control parameters, each combination being identified by a combination identifier, whereby one or more of the combinations may later be specified in programming instructions received by the second data communication interface (13) by their combination identifiers.

6. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 1 wherein the control parameters received by the programmable controller (15) from the second data communication interface (13) are deemed in correspondence with the programming instructions from the first data communication interface (11) stored in the memory (17), and thereby define the functionality of the programmable controller (15) thereafter, only when all of the control parameters received by the programmable controller (15) are in agreement with any

a. control parameters,

b. allowable parameter ranges, and

c. control parameter attributes,

within the programming instructions from the first data communication interface (11) stored in the memory (17).

7. A programmable personal device (10), in particular an implantable medical device such as a cardiac pacemaker, a cardioverter, a defibrillator or the like, including:

a. a first data communication interface (11) providing wireless reception of data containing programming instructions;

b. a second data communication interface (13) providing wireless reception of data containing programming instructions, wherein the second data communication interface (13) utilizes at least one of a different data format or data transmission technology than the first data communication interface (11);

c. a memory (17) storing control parameters and/or control parameter attributes,

d. a programmable controller (15);

(1) controlling functions of the personal device (10) on the basis of control parameters,

(2) being at least indirectly connected to the first and second data communication interfaces (11, 13),

(3) receiving programming instructions from the first data communication interface (11), the received programming instructions;

(a) being stored in the memory (17), and

(b) containing a specification of one or more of;

i. allowed parameter ranges for one or more control parameters,

ii. control parameter attributes for one or more control parameters, and

iii. several alternative control parameter combinations;

(4) receiving programming instructions over the second data communication interface (13), the received programming instructions being executed if any control parameters or control parameter combinations contained in this programming instruction are compatible with the parameter ranges or control parameter combinations stored in the memory (17).

8. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 7 wherein the programmable controller (15) sends parameter ranges, control parameter attributes or control parameter combinations stored in the memory (17) to an external device.

9. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 8 wherein the programmable controller (15):

a. stores a combination identifier characterizing a control parameter combination in the memory (17), and sends the combination identifier over the second data communication interface (13) to an external device, and

b. executes programming instructions received over the second data communication interface (13), the programming instructions containing a combination identifier, such that the control parameter combination designated by the particular combination identifier is used for further control of the function of the personal device (10).

10. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 8 wherein the programmable controller (15) stores a control parameter attribute for one or more of the control parameters, wherein each control parameter attribute defines whether the corresponding control parameter is alterable during the execution of a programming instruction received over the second data communication interface (13).

11. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 10 wherein the programmable controller (15), after receipt of a programming instruction over the second data communication interface (13) instructing that a control parameter be altered, queries the corresponding control parameter attribute and alters the control parameter only if the corresponding control parameter attribute characterizes the control parameter.

12. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 10 wherein the programmable controller, after receipt of a programming instruction over the second data communication interface (13) instructing that all control parameters be altered:

a. queries the corresponding control parameter attributes, and

b. executes the programming instruction only if the corresponding control parameter attributes characterize the control parameters as being alterable when received by the second data communication interface (13).

13. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 7 wherein the personal device (10) is an implantable cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator/cardioverter.

14. The programmable personal device (10) of claim 7 in combination with a service center (40) for programming the personal device (10) from a distance, wherein the service center includes:

a. a data communication interface (43) providing at least indirect connection of the service center to the personal device (10),

b. a memory (47) storing one or more of;

(1) parameter ranges,

(2) control parameter attributes, or

(3) control parameter combinations,

for control parameters of the programmable controller (15) of the programmable personal device (10), and

c. a programming unit (45, 47) for the personal device (10), wherein the programming unit (45, 47) generates a user interface for remote programming of the personal device (10) and displays on this interface the parameter ranges, control parameter attributes, and/or control parameter combinations stored in the memory (47) of the service center (40).

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the programming unit (45, 47) only allows compilation of programming instructions that contain control parameters compatible with parameter ranges, control parameter attributes, and/or control parameter combinations stored in the memory (47) of the service center (40).

16. The combination of claim 14 wherein the programming unit (45, 47):

a. displays control parameter combinations stored in the memory (47) of the service center, and

b. allows user selection of one of the displayed control parameter combinations, and

c. subsequently generates a corresponding programming instruction and sends it to the personal device (10).

17. The combination of claim 16 wherein the programming unit (45, 47) adds a combination identifier to a programming instruction generated after selection of a control parameter combination, wherein the combination identifier characterizes the selected control parameter combination.

18. A method for remote programming of the programmable personal device (10) of claim 14, the method including the steps of:

a. storing in the memory (17);

(1) one or more control parameter combinations, and

(2) one or more combination identifiers, each combination identifier being assigned to a respective one of the control parameter combinations,

b. programming the personal device (10) with the control parameter combination identified by a combination identifier received with a programming instruction after receipt of the programming instruction.

19. A method for remote programming of the programmable personal device (10) of claim 7, the method including the steps of:

a. storing in the memory (17) control parameter attributes assigned to programmable control parameters,

b. querying the stored control parameter attributes when a programming instruction is received from the second data communication interface (13),

c. storing in the memory (17) any control parameters contained in a programming instruction received from the second data communication interface (13), if the control parameters are characterized as variable by the control parameter attributes.