Remote control for implantable medical device

• US 8,401,661 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Vamos, George, McClure, Kelly H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gedeon, Brian T
• Application Number:
  US12/783,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20100228323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 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 first request for service and a second request for service; and

a remote control device configured for communicating with the implantable medical device, the remote control device including a server module configured for communicating with the external computer in accordance with a markup language protocol, the server module configured for sending information to the external computer in response to receiving the first request for service from the external computer, and further configured for sending operational parameters to the implantable medical device in response to receiving the second request for service from the external computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second request for service includes the operational parameters.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the external computer is configured for displaying the information in a web page.

4. 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.

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

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

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the each of the first and second requests for service includes a URL of the remote control device.

8. An external control device, comprising:

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

second telemetry circuitry configured for communicating with an external computer; and

a software server module configured for communicating with a client program contained in the external computer in accordance with a markup language protocol, the server module configured for sending information to the client program in response to receiving a first request for service from the client program, and sending operational parameters to the implantable medical device in response to receiving a second request for service from the client program.

9. The external control device of claim 8, wherein the second request for service includes the operational parameters.

10. The external control device of claim 8, 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.

11. The external control device of claim 8, wherein the client program is a web browser program.

12. The external control device of claim 8, 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.

13. The external control device of claim 8, wherein the markup language is an HTTP protocol.

14. The external control device of claim 8, wherein the software server module is configured for sending the information directly to the client program in accordance with the markup language protocol.

15. The external control device of claim 8, wherein the each of the first and second requests for service includes a URL of the external control device.

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

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

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

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

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

sending operational parameters from the remote control device to the implantable medical device in response to the second request for service.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second request for service includes the operational parameters.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying the information on the external computer in a web page.

19. The method of claim 16, 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.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the markup language protocol is an HTTP protocol.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the first and second requests for service includes a URL of the remote control device.