Apparatus for the transmission of data in particular from an electromedical implant

• US 6,574,509 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biotronik Mess-Und Therapiegeraete GmbH & Company Ingenieurbuero Berlin (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Biotronik Mess-Und Therapiegeraete GmbH & Company Ingenieurbuero Berlin (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Potschadtke, Jens, Kraus, Michael, Lang, Martin, Beetz, Klemens, Neudecker, Johannes, Lang, Berhard, Nagelschmidt, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRADFORD, RODERICK D
• Application Number:
  US09/603,822
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 128/903, 128/904, 607/32, 607/60
• US Class Current: 607/60
• 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 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

Apparatus for the transmission of at least first data from an electronic device (1; 1′), in particular an electromedical implant such as a cardiac pacemaker, to a monitoring arrangement (38), including at least a first interface device (6; 6′), with at least one input unit for the first data, a control device (5) connected to the first interface device (6; 6′) and a mobile radio device (7) connected to the control device at least for the transmission of the first data to the monitoring arrangement (38) by way of a telecommunication network which is at least in part in the form of a mobile radio network, wherein there is provided at least one second interface device (8) connected to the control device (5) for connecting the control device to a fixed-line telecommunication network.

Claims

1. Apparatus for transmission of data from an electromedical implant to a monitoring center comprising:

a first interface device;

a control device connected to the first interface device;

a mobile radio device connected to the control device for the transmission of data to the monitoring center via a mobile radio network; and

a second interface device connected to the control device for connecting the control device to a fixed-line telecommunication network, wherein if the data transmission from the electromedical implant to the monitoring center is unsuccessful, after a predetermined number of unsuccessful attempts for transmitting the data by the mobile radio device, the control device transmits the data to the monitoring center through the second interface device via the fixed-line telecommunication network.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a housing and a mobile portion, wherein the first interface device, the control device, the mobile radio device and the second interface device are arranged in the housing within the mobile portion, and a base station connected to the mobile portion, wherein the base station includes a third interface device connected to the fixed-line telecommunication network for co-operating with the second interface device.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the base station has a data transmission device connected to the third interface device.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the base station has a receiving means for the mobile portion, and wherein the second and third interface devices co-operate with each other when the mobile portion is received in communication with the receiving means.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the base station includes at least one antenna connected to the mobile radio device when the mobile portion is connected to the base station.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a fourth interface device wherein the mobile radio device and at least a first part of the control device are included in a mobile telephone, and wherein the first interface device is connected to the first part of the control device via the fourth interface device in the mobile radio unit.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the first interface device is integrated into a housing for insertion into a battery compartment of the mobile radio unit.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the first interface device is a SIM-card for a mobile radio unit.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a fifth interface device connected to the control device.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mobile radio device has at least one memory for at least one call number for data transmission to the monitoring center.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein the at least one memory is a SIM-card.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second interface device is an infrared interface.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a man-machine interface connected to the control device.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein the man-machine interface has means for external actuation for producing an emergency signal and means for communicating the emergency signal to the control device and wherein the control device is caused by reception of the emergency signal to transmit the data to the monitoring center.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the means for producing the emergency signal include a key.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein the key includes means for protection from unintentional actuation.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the emergency signal is produced only after a relatively long period of actuation of the key.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein the period of actuation is at least 2 seconds.

19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first interface device includes at least one first input and at least one first output.

20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein the first input and the first output are potential-free input and output respectively.

21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein the first input is an optocoupler input.

22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first interface device is a telemetry unit including a transmitting/receiving device.

23. Apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein the control device includes a control module associated with the telemetry unit and a control module associated with the mobile radio device.