Remote control for implantable medical device

• US 7,742,821 B1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed Incorporated
• Inventors: McClure, Kelly H, Vamos, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gedeon; Brian T
• Application Number:
  US10/857,390
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: 607 30- 32, 607/60, 128/903, 709/203, 709217-218, 709220-221
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• 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 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• 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: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A system and method for modifying the parameters of an implantable medical device includes an implantable medical device that communicates with a remote control device that, in turn, communicates through the browser of a computer or any other device capable of using mark-up language protocol. The computer optionally communicates with other computers and/or devices through a network.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an implantable medical device;

an external computer configured for transmitting a request for service; and

a portable remote control device configured for communicating with the implantable medical device, the remote control device including a server module configured for communicating with the computer in accordance with a markup language protocol, the server module configured for receiving the request from the computer and transmitting information to the computer in response to the request.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured for transmitting and receiving data relevant to the implantable medical device through a data transfer network of devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote control device is configured for wirelessly communicating with the implantable medical device and the computer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured for displaying the information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information is one or more of status information pertaining to the implantable medical device, a security token, a device control token, and a communication termination control token.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote control device is configured for being worn by a user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the markup language protocol is an HTTP protocol.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the server module is configured for directly communicating with the computer in accordance with the markup language protocol.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the service request includes a URL of the remote control device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the external computer is configured for transmitting another request for service, and the remote control device is configured for transmitting operational parameters to the implantable device in response to the other request.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the other request for service includes the operational parameters.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote control device is a hand-held remote control device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote control device is configured for communicating directly with the implantable medical device.

14. A remote control device, comprising:

first telemetry circuitry configured for communicating with an implantable medical device;

second telemetry circuitry configured for communicating with an external computer;

a software server module configured for receiving a request for service from a client program contained in the external computer and sending information to the client program in response to the service request in accordance with a markup language protocol; and

a portable housing containing the first telemetry circuitry, the second telemetry circuitry, and the software server module.

15. The remote control device of claim 14, further comprising:

a device control module configured for controlling the operations of the implantable medical device; and

an interface server module configured for managing the device control module.

16. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the software server module comprises a server side script program.

17. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the client program is a web browser program.

18. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the information is one or more of status information pertaining to the implantable medical device, a security token, a device control token, and a communication termination control token.

19. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the remote control device is configured for being worn by a user.

20. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the markup language is an HTTP protocol.

21. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the software server module is configured for sending the information directly to the client program in accordance with the markup language protocol.

22. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the service request comprises a URL of the remote control device.

23. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the software server module is further configured for receiving another request for service from the client program contained in the external computer and transmitting operational parameters to the implantable device in response to the other request.

24. The remote control device of claim 23, wherein the other request for service includes the operational parameters.

25. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the portable housing a hand-held housing.

26. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the first telemetry circuitry is configured for communicating directly with an implantable medical device.

27. A method of operating a system that includes an implantable medical device, a portable remote control device, and a computer, the method comprising:

communicating between the implantable medical device and the remote control device;

sending a service request from the computer to a server module of the remote control device in accordance with a markup language protocol; and

sending information from the server module of the remote control device to the computer in response to the service request in accordance with the markup language protocol.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising transmitting and receiving data relevant to the implantable medical device from and to the computer through a data transfer network of devices.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the communication between the remote control device and the implantable medical device is wireless, the service request is wirelessly sent from the computer to the server module of the remote control device, and the information is wirelessly sent from the server module of the remote control device to the computer.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising displaying the information on the computer.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the information is one or more of status information pertaining to the implantable medical device, a security token, a device control token, and a communication termination control token.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising wearing the remote control device.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the markup language protocol is an HTTP protocol.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the service request is directly sent from the computer to the server module of the remote control device, and the information is directly sent from the server module of the remote control device to the computer.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the service request includes a URL of the remote control device.

36. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

sending another service request from the computer to the server module of the remote control device in accordance with the markup language protocol; and

transmitting operational parameters from the remote control device to the implantable medical device in response to the other service request.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the other request for service includes the operational parameters.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein the remote control device is a hand-held remote control device.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein the remote control device communicates directly with the implantable medical device.