System and method for the remote programming of a programmable personal medical device

• US 8,423,149 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biotronik SE & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Biotronik VI Patent AG (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Hennig, Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Heller, Tammie K
• Application Number:
  US12/165,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20090024178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/31, 607/60
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• 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: 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and a method for the remote programming of a programmable personal medical device (10, 10′), in particular an implantable medical device such as a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, or the like, selecting (61) of a personal medical device, compiling (63) of a programming instruction (50) by accepting inputs of a user, and checking (63) the inputs for plausibility and compatibility with the personal medical device in a programming device (20), transmitting (65) the programming instruction to a patient intermediary device (30) tuned to the personal medical device via at least one indirect connection, receiving (67) of the programming instruction by the patient intermediary device, and transmitting of the programming instruction to the personal medical device, and accepting (69) of the programming instruction by a programmable controller of the personal medical device being provided.

Claims

1. A system for the remote programming of a programmable personal medical device, in particular an implantable medical device such as a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, or the like, including:

i. a programming device (20),

ii. a patient intermediary device (30),

iii. a programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

), the programming device (20), patient intermediary device (30), and programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

) being spaced from each other, wherein;

a. the programming device (20) includes;

(1) a programming unit (23) accepting input of programming instructions for the programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

);

(2) a programming device first interface (21) in communication with the patient intermediary device (30) and transmitting the programming instructions thereto;

b. the patient intermediary device (30) includes;

(1) an intermediary device second interface (33) receiving the programming instructions from the programming device (20),

(2) an intermediary device first interface (31) transmitting the programming instructions to the personal medical device (10, 10′

),

c. the personal medical device (10, 10′

) includes;

(1) a personal device first interface (11) receiving the programming instructions from the intermediary device first interface (31),

(2) a programmable controller (13) controlling functions of the personal medical device (10, 10′

) in accordance with the programming instructions received by the personal device first interface (11),

and wherein;

I. the programming device (20) is configured to append an identification (53) of a prior program to the programming instructions,

II. the personal medical device (10, 10′

) includes a comparison unit (15) configured to compare the identification appended to the programming instructions to the current program of the programmable controller (13), and

III. the programmable controller (13) is configured to reject the programming instructions if comparison results are negative.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the programming device first interface (21) transmits the programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30) via a service center (40), the service center (40) including:

a. a service center first interface (41) receiving the programming instructions from the programming device first interface (21), and

b. a service center second interface (45) transmitting the programming instructions to the intermediary device second interface (33).

3. The system of claim 1:

a. further including a service center (40) having;

(1) a service center first interface (41) configured to connect the service center (40) in communication with the programming device (20), and

(2) a data memory (43) configured to store data associated with at least one personal medical device,

b. wherein;

(1) the programming device first interface (21) is configured to provide communication between the programming device (20) and the intermediary device second interface (33),

(2) the programming device (20) further includes a programming device second interface (29) allowing communication between the programming device (20) and the service center (40),

(3) the programming unit (23) and the input unit (25) cooperate to request data associated with the personal medical device (10, 10′

) from the service center (40).

4. The system of claim 3 wherein:

a. the service center (40) has a service center second interface (45) configured to provide communications between the service center (40) and the patient intermediary device (30),

b. the programming device (20) is configured to transmit the programming instructions to the service center (40), and

c. the service center (40) is configured to transmit the received programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30).

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the programming device first interface (21) is configured to transmit the programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30) via a service center (40), the service center (40) including:

a. a service center first interface (41) configured to receive the programming instructions from the programming device first interface (21), and

b. a service center second interface (45) configured to transmit the programming instructions to the intermediary device second interface (33).

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the patient intermediary device first interface (31) and the personal device first interface (11) are configured to wirelessly communicate at a range of up to approximately 5 meters.

7. A system for the remote programming of a programmable personal medical device, in particular an implantable medical device such as a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, or the like, including:

i. a programming device (20),

ii. a service center (40)

iii. a patient intermediary device (30),

iv. a programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

),

wherein;

a. the programming device (20) accepts input of programming instructions for the programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

), and thereafter transmits the programming instructions;

b. the service center (40) receives the programming instructions from the programming device (20), and thereafter transmits the programming instructions;

c. the patient intermediary device (30) receives the programming instructions from at least one of;

(1) the service center (40), and

(2) the programming device (20),

and thereafter transmits the programming instructions to the personal medical device (10, 10′

),

d. the personal medical device (10, 10′

) includes a programmable controller (13) for controlling functions of the personal medical device (10, 10′

) in accordance with the programming instructions received from the patient intermediary device (30),

wherein;

I. the programming device (20) is configured to append an identification (53) of a prior program to the programming instructions,

II. the personal medical device (10, 10′

) includes a comparison unit (15) configured to compare the identification appended to the programming instructions to the current program of the programmable controller (13), and

III. the programmable controller (13) is configured to reject the programming instructions if comparison results are negative.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

a. the service center (40) has;

(1) a service center first interface (41) configured to connect the service center (40) in communication with the programming device (20), and

(2) a data memory (43) configured to store data associated with at least one personal medical device, and

b. wherein;

(1) the programming device (20) is configured to communicate with the service center (40),

(2) the programming device (20) is configured to request data associated with the personal medical device (10, 10′

) from the service center (40).

9. The system of claim 8 wherein:

a. the service center (40) is configured to provide communications between the service center (40) and the patient intermediary device (30),

b. the programming device (20) is configured to transmit the programming instructions to the service center (40), and

c. the service center (40) is configured to transmit the received programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30).

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the programming device (20) is configured to transmit the programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30) via the service center (40), the service center (40) including:

a. a service center first interface (41) configured to receive the programming instructions from the programming device (20), and

b. a service center second interface (45) configured to transmit the programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30).

11. The system of claim 7 wherein:

a. the programming device (20), patient intermediary device (30), and programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

) are all separate and spaced apart; and

b. the patient intermediary device (30) and the programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

) are configured to wirelessly communicate at a range of up to approximately 5 meters.

12. A system for the remote programming of a programmable personal medical device, in particular an implantable medical device such as a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, or the like, including:

i. a programming device (20),

ii. a service center (40)

iii. a patient intermediary device (30),

iv. a programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

),

wherein;

a. the programming device (20) is configured to;

(1) accept input of programming instructions for the programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

), and

(2) thereafter transmit the programming instructions;

b. the service center (40) is configured to;

(1) receive the programming instructions from the programming device (20), and

(2) thereafter transmit the programming instructions;

c. the patient intermediary device (30) is configured to receive the programming instructions from at least one of;

(1) the service center (40), and

(2) the programming device (20),

and thereafter transmit the programming instructions to the personal medical device (10, 10′

),

d. the personal medical device (10, 10′

) includes a programmable controller (13) configured to control functions of the personal medical device (10, 10′

) in accordance with;

(1) the programming instructions received from the patient intermediary device (30), and

(2) programming instructions received;

(a) from the programming device (20), and

(b) not from the patient intermediary device (30); and

and wherein programming instructions received from the programming device (20), and not from the patient intermediary device (30), have greater control over the functions of the personal medical device (10, 10′

) than programming instructions received from the patient intermediary device (30).

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

a. the service center (4) has;

(1) a service center first interface (41) configured to connect the service center (40) in communication with the programming device (20), and

(2) a data memory (43) configured to store data associated with at least one personal medical device, and

b. wherein;

(1) the programming device (20) is configured to communicate with the service center (40),

(3) the programming device (20) is configured to request data associated with the personal medical device (10, 10′

) from the service center (40).

14. The system of claim 13 wherein:

a. the service center (40) is configured to provide communications between the service center (40) and the patient intermediary device (30),

b. the programming device (20) is configured to transmit the programming instructions to the service center (40), and

c. the service center (40) is configured to transmit the received programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30).

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the programming device first interface (21) is configured to transmit the programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30) via the service center (40), the service center (40) including:

a. a service center first interface (41) configured to receive the programming instructions from the programming device (20), and

b. a service center second interface (45) configured to transmit the programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30).

16. The system of claim 12 wherein:

a. the programming device (20), patient intermediary device (30), and programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

) are all separate and spaced apart; and

b. the patient intermediary device first interface (31) and the personal device first interface (11) are configured to wirelessly communicate at a range of up to approximately 5 meters.

17. A system for the remote programming of a programmable personal medical device, in particular an implantable medical device such as a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, or the like, including:

i. a programming device (20),

ii. a patient intermediary device (30),

iii. a programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

),

the programming device (20), patient intermediary device (30), and programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

) being spaced from each other, wherein;

a. the programming device (20) includes;

(1) a programming unit (23) configured to accept input of programming instructions for the programmable personal medical device (10, 10′

);

(2) a programming device first interface (21) in communication with the patient intermediary device (30) and transmitting the programming instructions thereto;

b. the patient intermediary device (30) includes;

(1) an intermediary device second interface (33) receiving the programming instructions from the programming device (20),

(2) an intermediary device first interface (31) transmitting the programming instructions to the personal medical device (10, 10′

),

c. the personal medical device (10, 10′

) includes;

(1) a personal device first interface (11) receiving the programming instructions;

(a) from the programming unit (23) without the programming instructions being received by the patient intermediary device (30); and

(b) from the intermediary device first interface (31),

(2) a programmable controller (13) controlling functions of the personal medical device (10, 10′

) in accordance with the programming instructions received by the personal device first interface (11),

wherein any programming instructions sent by the programming device (20) to the personal medical device (10, 10′

) via the programming unit (23) include control parameters which are more limited than the control parameters of any programming instructions sent by the programming device (20) to the personal medical device (10, 10′

) other than via the programming unit (23).

18. The system of claim 17:

a. further including a service center (40) having;

(1) a service center first interface (41) configured to connect the service center (40) in communication with the programming device (20), and

(2) a data memory (43) configured to store data associated with at least one personal medical device,

b. wherein;

(1) the programming device (20) further includes a programming device second interface (29) allowing communication between the programming device (20) and the service center (40),

(2) the programming unit (23) and the input unit (25) cooperate to request data associated with the personal medical device (10, 10′

) from the service center (40).

19. The system of claim 18 wherein:

a. the service center (40) has a service center second interface (45) configured to provide communications between the service center (40) and the patient intermediary device (30),

b. the programming device (20) is configured to transmit the programming instructions to the service center (40), and

c. the service center (40) is configured to transmit the received programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30).

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the programming device first interface (21) is configured to transmit the programming instructions to the patient intermediary device (30) via a service center (40), the service center (40) including:

a. a service center first interface (41) configured to receive the programming instructions from the programming device first interface (21), and

b. a service center second interface (45) configured to transmit the programming instructions to the intermediary device second interface (33).

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the patient intermediary device first interface (31) and the personal device first interface (11) are configured to wirelessly communicate at a range of up to approximately 5 meters.