Distributed network system for use with implantable medical devices

• US 6,249,705 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1999
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Snell, Jeffery D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US09/422,511
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/31, 607/59, 607/60, 128/903, 128/920
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A distributed system of network programmers is described for use with implantable medical devices. The system includes a set of network programmers each having a processor for performing functions directed to programming an implantable medical device and having a transceiver for communicating with the implantable medical device in response to those functions. The system also includes a remotely located network server. The network server has a processor for performing additional functions directed to analyzing information received from the network programmers and to transmitting the results of analyses to selected network programmers. By providing network programmers configured to perform only limited functions in conjunction with a network server, the individual network programmers can be considerably less costly to manufacture and maintain. Yet each of the network programmers can exploit a far greater amount of processing power and access a much larger database of information than a conventional stand-alone programmer. Stored information pertaining to numerous patients is shared among many programmers permitting easy access by the physician. Software updates to the network programmers are easily performed by transmitting new software from the network server to the network programmers. A system of distributed network transtelephonic monitors is also described.

Claims

1. A system for use with one or more implantable medical devices, each configured for communicating with a network programmer, wherein the network programmers are additionally configured for communicating with a network server through a communication path, the system comprising:

one or more network programmers each comprising;

a first processor for performing a first set of functions directed to programming an implantable medical device;

a first transceiver for communicating with the implantable medical device in response to those functions; and

a second transceiver for communicating over the communication path; and

a network server located remotely from the network programmers, the network server comprising;

a second processor for performing a second set of functions directed to analyzing information received from the network programmers; and

a third transceiver for receiving information and transmitting the results of analyses to selected network programmers via the communication path and the second transceiver of each respective network programmer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second and third transceivers include network interface units in the network programmers and in the network server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the network interface units are selected from a group consisting of analog modems, ISDN modems, DSL modems, cable modems, Ethernet interface cards and token-ring interface cards.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second and third transceivers operate to transmit information over the communication path using a communication protocol selected from a group consisting of X.25, AppleTalk and TCP/IP.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication path is selected from a group consisting of PSTN telephone lines, T1 lines, LANs, WANs, wireless transmission networks, the Internet, and Intranets.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the network server is configured to additionally perform the first set of functions.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the network programmers is configured to additionally perform the second set of functions.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the network programmers includes a printer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the network server includes means for transmitting information to facsimile machines.

10. The system of claim 1, further including one or more transtelephonic monitor units interconnected to the network server via the communication path.

11. The system of claim 1, further including a transtelephonic transceiver within the network server.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the transtelephonic transceiver is configured to receive information directly from one or more transtelephonic patient transmitters.

13. A method for use with one or more implantable medical devices, each configured for communicating with a network programmer, wherein the network programmers are additionally configured for communicating with a network server through a communication path, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data signals from the implantable medical device using a network programmer;

transmitting the data signals from the network programmer to a network server;

analyzing the data signals received from the network programmer using the network server and transmitting signals representative of the results of the analysis to the network programmer; and

displaying the results of the analysis using the network programmer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein signals are transmitted between the network server and the network programmer using a communication protocol selected from a group consisting of X.25, AppleTalk and TCP/IP.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein signals are transmitted between the network server and the network programmer via a communication path, the communication path selected from a group consisting of PSTN telephone lines, T1 lines, LANs, WANs, wireless transmission networks, the Internet, and Intranets.

16. The method of claim 13, further including the step of transmitting the results of the analysis via facsimile modems.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein a plurality of network programmers are provided.

18. The method of claim 13, further including the steps of:

receiving software programs at the network server, wherein the software programs are configured to enhance the functionality of the network programmers;

transmitting the software programs from the network server to the network programmers; and

reprogramming the network programmers using the software programs.

19. The method of claim 13, further including the step of:

generating programming signals for programming the operation of the implantable medical device using the network programmer; and

transmitting the programming signals to the implantable medical device from the network programmer.

20. A method for programming a plurality of network programmers each having a processor for performing functions directed to programming implantable medical devices, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving programming software at a network server;

transmitting the programming software to each of the plurality of network programmers from the network server;

reprogramming functionality of each of the network programmers using the programming software received from the network server;

generating programming signals using the programming software for programming the operation of the implantable medical device using the network programmer; and

transmitting the programming signals to the implantable medical device from the network programmer for programming functions of the implantable medical device.

21. A method for programming a plurality of network transtelephonic monitors, each having a transceiver for transmitting signals to and for receiving signals from a remotely-located transtelephonic patient transmitter, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving programming software at a network server;

transmitting the programming software to each of the plurality of network transtelephonic monitors from the network server;

reprogramming the functionality of each of the network transtelephonic monitors using the programming software received from the network server; and

processing signals transmitted to and received from the remotely-located transtelephonic patient transmitter using the programming software.