Apparatus and method for remote troubleshooting, maintenance and upgrade of implantable device systems

• US 7,096,067 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Linberg, Kurt R.
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US10/091,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20020095196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 607 30- 32, 607/59, 607/60, 129/907, 129/904, 129/920
• US Class Current: 607/30
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A programmer operating in association with a diverse number of implantable medical devices (IMDs) is in a bi-directional operable data, voice and video communications with a remote web-based expert data center. The programmer is in telemetric wireless communications with the IMDs. The data center is equipped to manage the operational and functional aspects of the programmer remotely thus importing expertise to the patient environment. Specifically the communications scheme is scalable and adaptable to enable high-speed interactions between the programmer and the remote center across various communications media. The remote center is able to remotely assess, monitor, evaluate for failure or conduct other performance checks on the programmer to implement a remote solution to those problems. Specifically, by utilizing the robust communication scheme integrated with the remote web-based expert data center, the system enables a real-time deployment of executable software commands to manage the programmer by remotely monitoring, updating software, performing remote repairs or replacement of components and alerting operators to significant problems before they become critical to the optimal performance and reliability of the programmer.

Claims

1. A programmer management system, comprising:

a remote web-based data center;

an implantable medical device programmer in wireless, bi-directional communication with the remote web-based data center and including dedicated software to access the remote data center; and

a network connection comprising a communications protocol that emulates a client/server model wherein;

means for initiating a connection between the remote data center and the programmer and sending a data set from the programmer to the data center;

means for initiating programmer management according to the data set;

means for assessing whether the data set relates to programmer trouble shooting; and

means for assessing whether the data set relates to programmer performance parameters.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote data center includes a database of clinical data and wherein the programmer delivers various clinical data to the remote data center in management of the database.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the database includes usage logs, patient data, error logs, and performance parameter information.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the usage logs include clock/timer data relating to the number of connections between the programmer and an implantable medical device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein executable commands implemented in the programmer are delivered to the programmer in performance of maintenance including delivery of software upgrades on imbedded systems of the programmer.