Tactile feedback for indicating validity of communication link with an implantable medical device

• US 7,699,060 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Behm, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert; Samuel G
• Application Number:
  US10/973,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 128/899, 128/903, 128/904, 607/30, 607/31, 607/32
• US Class Current: 128/899
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37258 Alerting the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal

Abstract

Implantable medical device telemetry is provided between an implantable medical device and an external communication device. The implantable medical device includes a device transmitter and/or a device receiver. The external communication device includes a moveable communication head including an antenna therein connected to at least one of an external transmitter and/or an external receiver for communication with the device transmitter and/or the device receiver of the implantable medical device. A user moves the moveable head apparatus relative to the implantable medical device. Tactile feedback is provided to the user via the moveable head apparatus upon movement of the moveable head apparatus to a position where valid telemetry can be performed.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device telemetry method, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device including at least one of a device transmitter and a device receiver;

providing an external communication device, the external communication device including at least one of an external transmitter and an external receiver connected to an antenna for communication with the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver;

determining validity of a communication link between the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver of the implantable medical device and the at least one of the external transmitter and the external receiver of the external communication device; and

providing a tactile indication as a function of the validity determination, wherein providing the tactile indication as a function of the validity determination includes initiating the tactile indication upon determination of a valid communication link and discontinuing the tactile indication after a predetermined period of time following initiation thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the external communication device includes a user communication head movable relative to the implantable medical device when the implantable medical device is implanted, and further wherein providing the tactile indication includes providing tactile indication to a user via the user communication head.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining validity of the communication link includes:

detecting communication of a signal between the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver of the implantable medical device and the at least one of the external transmitter and the external receiver of the external communication device;

determining the strength of the communicated signal; and

comparing the strength of the communicated signal to at least one predetermined reference strength.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein providing a tactile indication includes controlling the frequency of vibration of the tactile indication as a function of the strength of the communicated signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining validity of a communication link includes:

completing a handshake between the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver of the implantable medical device and the at least one of the external transmitter and the external receiver of the external communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the tactile indication as a function of the validity determination further includes activation of an indicator when the valid communication link becomes invalid following discontinuation of the tactile indication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the external communication device includes a programming apparatus for the implantable medical device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the external communication device includes a patient activation apparatus for the implantable medical device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an implantable medical device includes providing an implantable device selected from a pacemaker, a cardioverter/defibrillator, a brain stimulator, a neurostimulator, a muscle stimulator, a gastric stimulator, an implantable monitor, a hemodynamic monitor, a pacemaker/cardioverter/defibrillator, and a drug delivery device.

10. An implantable medical device telemetry method, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device including at least one of a device transmitter and a device receiver;

providing an external communication device including a movable head apparatus including at least an antenna therein connected to at least one of an external transmitter and an external receiver for communication with the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver;

moving, by a user, the movable head apparatus relative to the implantable medical device; and

providing tactile feedback to the user via the movable head apparatus upon movement of the movable head apparatus to a position where information between the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver of the implantable medical device and the at least one of the external transmitter and the external receiver of the external communication device is communicated,

wherein providing tactile feedback includes initiation of the tactile feedback upon determination of a valid communication link and discontinuing the tactile feedback after a predetermined period of time following such initiation.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein providing tactile feedback to the user via the movable head apparatus includes determining validity of a communication link and providing the tactile feedback to the user as a function thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining validity of a communication link includes:

detecting the communication of a signal between the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver of the implantable medical device and the at least one of the external transmitter and the external receiver of the external communication device;

determining a strength of the communicated signal; and

comparing the strength of the communication signal to at least one predetermined reference strength.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the tactile feedback includes controlling the frequency of vibration of the tactile feedback as a function of the strength of the communicated signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein determining validity of a communication link includes completing a handshake between the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver of the implantable medical device and the at least one of the external transmitter and the external receiver of the external communication device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the tactile feedback further includes activation of an indicator when the valid communication link becomes invalid following the discontinuation of the tactile feedback.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the external communication device includes providing a programming apparatus for the implantable medical device.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the external communication device includes providing a patient activation apparatus for the implantable medical device.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein providing an implantable medical device includes providing an implantable device selected from a pacemaker, a cardioverter/defibrillator, a brain stimulator, a neurostimulator, a muscle stimulator, a gastric stimulator, an implantable monitor, a hemodynamic monitor, a pacemaker/cardioverter/defibrillator, and a drug delivery device.

19. An implantable medical device telemetry method, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device including at least one of a device transmitter and a device receiver;

providing an external communication device, the external communication device including at least one of an external transmitter and an external receiver connected to an antenna for communication with the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver;

determining validity of a communication link between the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver of the implantable medical device and the at least one of the external transmitter and the external receiver of the external communication device, wherein determining validity of the communication link includes;

detecting communication of a signal between the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver of the implantable medical device and the at least one of the external transmitter and the external receiver of the external communication device;

determining the strength of the communicated signal; and

comparing the strength of the communicated signal to at least one predetermined reference strength; and

providing a tactile indication as a function of the validity determination, wherein providing a tactile indication includes controlling the frequency of vibration of the tactile indication as a function of the strength of the communicated signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the external communication device includes a user communication head movable relative to the implantable medical device when the implantable medical device is implanted, and further wherein providing the tactile indication includes providing tactile indication to a user via the user communication head.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein determining validity of a communication link includes:

completing a handshake between the at least one of the device transmitter and the device receiver of the implantable medical device and the at least one of the external transmitter and the external receiver of the external communication device.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the tactile indication as a function of the validity determination includes:

initiating the tactile indication upon determination of a valid communication link; and

discontinuing the tactile indication after a predetermined period of time following initiation thereof.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein providing the tactile indication as a function of the validity determination further includes activating an indicator when the valid communication link becomes invalid following discontinuation of the tactile indication.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the tactile indication as a function of the validity determination includes continuously providing tactile indication during the entire period of time that a valid communication link is determined.