Dynamic bandwidth monitor and adjuster for remote communications with a medical device

• US 6,564,104 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Nelson, Chester G., Stomberg, Charles R., Stauffer, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US09/745,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 607/27, 607/30, 607/31, 607/32, 607/60, 600/300, 600/301, 600/345, 600/315, 600/481, 600/483, 600/484, 600/485, 600/509, 600/529, 128/899, 128/902, 128/903, 128/904, 128/905, 128/920, 128/923, 128/924, 705/2, 705/3, 705/28, 707/6, 709/204, 709/205, 709/230, 709/238, 709/245, 709/246
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7217 of noise originating from a therapeutic or surgical apparatus, e.g. from a pacemaker
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• 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: A61N 1/37254 Pacemaker or defibrillator security, e.g. to prevent or inhibit programming alterations by hackers or unauthorised individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A communication system is provided which allows real-time communication between a deployed implantable medical device (IMD) and a computing resource capable of storing and distributing patient and device data. A deployed IMD may be polled by a network interface external to the host patient, and data may be received by wireless real-time communication in a manner which ensures secure and reliable information exchange. A bandwidth or baud rate monitor is used to verify the viability of the network-IMD connection for the intended use and then monitors the connection to ensure that bandwidth remains reliable. An alert feature notifies the user of any threatening bandwidth onset. This feature allows vibrant exchange of real-time information from the patient-IMD to a medical provider or system expert.

Claims

1. A computerized method of communicating real-time data from one or more IMDs deployed in one or more patients, said IMDs having firmware or software, comprising the steps of:

communicating real-time bandwidth validation data signals between a user interface and an IMD and another network linked component;

verifying adequate bandwidth for an intended communication session;

transmitting via a network communication link real-time IMD-accessible data gathered from an IMD to an external device capable of communicating real-time with a computing resource external to any patient; and

conducting real-time signal monitoring of the baud rate or bandwidth during the communication session and adjusting either the data being transferred or the available bandwidth to prevent loss of data during the communications session.

2. A computerized information network system linking one or more IMDs deployed in one or more patients to a computer via a data communication network, said network comprising:

a first computer accessible by the network, said first computer capable of storing patient data recorded by an IMD;

at least one network interface capable of wireless communication with at least one IMD deployed in a patient, said network interface being capable of real-time communication with the network; and

a bandwidth monitor for real-time monitoring of the available bandwidth during a real-time communication session between the IMD and the network interface.

3. The computerized network of claim 2, wherein the network comprises a direct link between the at least one network interface and the computer.

4. The computerized network of claim 3, wherein the first computer comprises a supercomputer.

5. The computerized network of claim 3, wherein the first computer comprises a multi-processor workstation.

6. The computerized network of claim 3, wherein the first computer comprises a networked or parallel cluster of computers.

7. The computerized network of claim 3, wherein the data communication is asynchronous.

8. The computerized network of claim 3, wherein the data communication is synchronous.

9. The computerized network of claim 3, further comprising a second computer on which device instructions or device operation and control software may be accessed by the first computer.

10. A computerized method of communicating real-time data from one or more IMDs deployed in one or more patients, said IMDs having firmware or software, comprising the steps of:

communicating real-time bandwidth validation data signals between a user interface and an IMD and other network linked components; and

upon verification of adequate bandwidth for an intended communication session, then transmitting via a network communication link real-time IMD-accessible data gathered from at least one of the IMDs to an external device capable of communicating real-time with a computing resource external to any patient.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the network communication link comprises a radio frequency link.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more IMDs comprises one or more of a pacemaker, a PCD pacemaker/cardioverter/defibrillator, an oxygen sensing device, a nerve stimulator, a muscle stimulator, a drug pump, or an implantable monitoring device.

13. The computerized method of claim 10, comprising the further step of transmitting from the computing resource to one or more IMDs an upgrade to the IMD firmware or software.

14. The computerized method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

determining instructions comprising an IMD treatment regimen based data gathered by or stored in the IMD; and

transmitting via a network communication link the instructions to the appropriate IMD which may be executed by the IMD in accordance with its firmware or software.

15. The computerized method of claim 10, comprising the further step of transmitting from the computing resource to one or more IMDs a command to adjust a therapeutic or diagnostic feature of the IMD.

16. The computerized method of claim 10, further comprising the step of distributing the IMD data from the computing resource to one or more remote data interface devices.

17. The computerized method of claim 16 wherein the remote data interface device comprises one or more network computers, facsimile machine, telephone, voice mail systems, cellular devices, pagers, PDAs, printers, or broadcast reception devices.

18. The computerized method of claim 10, comprising the further step of conducting real-time signal monitoring of the baud rate or bandwidth during the communication session and adjusting either the data being transferred or the available bandwidth to prevent loss of data during the communications session.

19. The computerized method of claim 18, comprising the further step of alerting the user to the condition monitored.

20. The computerized method of claim 10 wherein the step of communicating real-time bandwidth validation data signals includes the step of detecting a communications link interruption.

21. The computerized method of claim 20, further comprising the step of re-initiating the step of communicating real-time bandwidth validation data signals if the bandwidth required for the communications session is restored.

22. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein the IMD-accessible data comprises physiologic data from the patient.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the network communication link comprises a hybrid link.

24. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein the IMD-accessible data comprises device information.

25. The computerized method of claim 24, wherein the device information comprises hardware, firmware, or software identification information.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the hybrid link comprises a radio frequency link from an IMD to a network interface, and a secondary network link from the network interface to the computer.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the secondary network link is a direct dial up connection.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the secondary network communication link comprises an asynchronous link.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the secondary network communications link comprises a synchronous link.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the secondary network link is an area network.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the area network is a LAN.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the area network is a WAN.