METHOD AND SYSTEM OF SIMULATING A PULSE GENERATOR ON A CLINICIAN PROGRAMMER

• US 20170076025A1
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirtec Medical Corp.
• Original Assignee: Nuvectra Corporation
• Inventors: Kaula, Norbert, Iyassu, Yohannes
• Granted Patent: US 10,083,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An electronic device having a display is provided. Interactive user engagements with the electronic device are made through the display. A simulation mode is entered. The simulation mode simulates a real pulse generator configured to generate electrical stimulation pulses. The simulation mode is entered without establishing a wireless connection with the real pulse generator. Via the display, one or more features of a virtual pulse generator are demoed after entering the simulation mode. The one or more features of the virtual pulse generator simulate corresponding features of the real pulse generator. The virtual pulse generator is a software program that resides on the electronic device. The demoing comprises mimicking a plurality of user interface screens that allow a user to interact with the real pulse generator.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display configured to display an output;

a radio component configured to conduct wireless communications with external devices;

electronic circuitry that causes the electronic device to perform operations comprising;

entering a simulation mode that simulates a real pulse generator configured to generate electrical stimulation pulses, wherein the entering the simulation mode is performed without establishing a wireless connection with the real pulse generator; and

demoing, via the display, one or more features of a virtual pulse generator after entering the simulation mode, wherein the one or more features of the virtual pulse generator simulate corresponding features of the real pulse generator, and wherein the virtual pulse generator is a software program that resides on the electronic device, and wherein the demoing comprises mimicking a plurality of user interface screens that allow a user to interact with the real pulse generator.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein demoing is performed while the radio component remains turned off.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the demoing comprises programming the virtual pulse generator to simulate an electrical stimulation therapy, without physically generating electrical stimulation pulses.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise:

establishing a wireless connection with the real pulse generator; and

automatically programming the real pulse generator using programming data compiled as a result of the programming of the virtual pulse generator.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise:

establishing a wireless connection with the real pulse generator; and

programming the real pulse generator;

wherein the programming the virtual pulse generator is performed using programming data compiled as a result of the programming of the real pulse generator.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the demoing comprises:

simulating a successful electronic discovery of a nearby pulse generator, without requiring a presence of any real pulse generators nearby.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the demoing comprises one or more of:

retrieving a unique identifier of the virtual pulse generator, deleting data on the virtual pulse generator, rebooting the virtual pulse generator, restoring the virtual pulse generator with configurable electrical stimulation programming parameters, displaying a connection status of the virtual pulse generator, displaying a battery status of the virtual pulse generator, and displaying a stimulation status of the virtual pulse generator.

8. A medical system, comprising:

a pulse generator configured to generate electrical pulses for stimulating target nerve tissues of a patient; and

an electronic device configured to simulate the pulse generator, wherein the electronic device includes a non-transitory, tangible machine-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that when executed electronically by one or more processors, causes the electronic device to perform operations comprising;

entering a simulation mode that simulates the pulse generator, wherein the entering the simulation mode is performed without establishing a wireless connection with the pulse generator; and

demoing, via a display of the electronic device, one or more features of a virtual pulse generator after entering the simulation mode, wherein the one or more features of the virtual pulse generator simulate corresponding features of the pulse generator, and wherein the virtual pulse generator is a software program that resides on the electronic device, and wherein the demoing comprises mimicking a plurality of user interface screens that allow a user to interact with the pulse generator.

9. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the electronic device includes a radio component, and wherein demoing is performed while the radio component remains turned off.

10. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the demoing comprises programming the virtual pulse generator to simulate an electrical stimulation therapy, without the pulse generator physically generating electrical stimulation pulses.

11. The medical system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

establishing a wireless connection with the pulse generator; and

automatically programming the pulse generator using programming data compiled as a result of the programming of the virtual pulse generator.

12. The medical system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

establishing a wireless connection with the pulse generator; and

programming the pulse generator;

wherein the programming the virtual pulse generator is performed using programming data compiled as a result of the programming of the pulse generator.

13. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the demoing comprises:

simulating a successful electronic discovery of a nearby pulse generator, without requiring a presence of any real pulse generators nearby.

14. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the demoing comprises one or more of:

retrieving a unique identifier of the virtual pulse generator, deleting data on the virtual pulse generator, rebooting the virtual pulse generator, restoring the virtual pulse generator with configurable electrical stimulation programming parameters, displaying a connection status of the virtual pulse generator, displaying a battery status of the virtual pulse generator, and displaying a stimulation status of the virtual pulse generator.

15. A method of simulating a real pulse generator on an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing an electronic device having a display through which interactive user engagements with the electronic device are made;

entering a simulation mode that simulates the real pulse generator configured to generate electrical stimulation pulses, wherein the entering the simulation mode is performed without establishing a wireless connection with the real pulse generator; and

demoing, via the display, one or more features of a virtual pulse generator after entering the simulation mode, wherein the one or more features of the virtual pulse generator simulate corresponding features of the real pulse generator, and wherein the virtual pulse generator is a software program that resides on the electronic device, and wherein the demoing comprises mimicking a plurality of user interface screens that allow a user to interact with the real pulse generator.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the demoing comprises programming the virtual pulse generator to simulate an electrical stimulation therapy, without physically generating electrical stimulation pulses, and while a radio component of the electronic device is turned off.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

establishing a wireless connection with the real pulse generator; and

automatically programming the real pulse generator using programming data compiled as a result of the programming of the virtual pulse generator.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

establishing a wireless connection with the real pulse generator; and

programming the real pulse generator;

wherein the programming the virtual pulse generator is performed using programming data compiled as a result of the programming of the real pulse generator.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the demoing comprises:

simulating a successful electronic discovery of a nearby pulse generator, without requiring a presence of any real pulse generators nearby.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the demoing comprises one or more of:

retrieving a unique identifier of the virtual pulse generator, deleting data on the virtual pulse generator, rebooting the virtual pulse generator, restoring the virtual pulse generator with configurable electrical stimulation programming parameters, displaying a connection status of the virtual pulse generator, displaying a battery status of the virtual pulse generator, and displaying a stimulation status of the virtual pulse generator.