Transmission of power source usage information over a network

• US 9,180,303 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Goetz, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kahelin, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, MINH DUC GIA
• Application Number:
  US12/738,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20100222847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,598 Days
• Field of Search: 607/29, 607 32- 33, 607 60- 61
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8212 with means or measures taken for minimising energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• 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

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to transmitting power source usage information regarding a power source of an implantable medical device (IMD) to a remote networking device via a network. The IMD operates on power supplied by a power source, such as a battery, within the housing of the IMD. The use of the power source may be monitored remotely in order to maintain therapy. Power source usage information may include power source recharge patterns such as frequency of recharging events, length of recharging events, period between recharging events, discharge state of the power source, and degree of coupling between primary and secondary coils during recharging. The IMD, or an external device used with the IMD, may generate, store, and transmit the power source usage information to the remote networking device. Action requests may be transmitted from the remote networking device via the network based upon the power source usage information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating, by at least one of an external device or an implantable medical device, power source usage information related to recharging of a rechargeable power source within the implantable medical device, wherein the power source usage information describes a plurality of previous recharging events of the rechargeable power source;

analyzing, by at least one of the external device, the implantable medical device, or a remote networking device, the plurality of previous recharging events to identify a plurality of recharge patterns of the plurality of previous recharging events;

detecting, by at least one of the external device, the implantable medical device, or the remote networking device, at least one improper recharge pattern of the plurality of recharge patterns based on at least some previous recharging events of the plurality of previous recharging events,

wherein the at least one improper recharge pattern comprises at least one of infrequent recharging events, frequent short recharging events, a long period between recharging events, or a low degree of coupling between primary and secondary coils during transcutaneous energy transfer to the rechargeable power source; and

receiving, by at least one of the external device or the implantable medical device, an action request from the remote networking device via a network in response to the detection of the at least one improper recharge pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power source usage information further indicates at least one of frequency of recharging events, duration of recharging events, period between recharging events, or degree of coupling between primary and secondary coils during transcutaneous energy transfer to the power source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the action request comprises a patient instruction regarding a power source recharging technique.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device analyzes the plurality of previous recharging events to identify the plurality of recharge patterns, and wherein the implantable medical device detects the at least one improper recharge pattern, the method further comprising, prior to receiving the action request:

in response to detection of the at least one improper recharge pattern, transmitting, by at least one of the external device or the implantable medical device, the power source usage information to the remote networking device via the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the external device analyzes the plurality of previous recharging events to identify the plurality of recharge patterns, and wherein the external device detects the at least one improper recharge pattern, the method further comprising, prior to receiving the action request:

in response to detection of the at least one improper recharge pattern, transmitting, by at least one of the external device or the implantable medical device, the power source usage information to the remote networking device via the network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to analyzing the plurality of previous recharging events to identify the plurality of recharge patterns:

transmitting, by at least one of the external device or the implantable medical device, the power source usage information to the remote networking device via the network,

wherein the remote networking device analyzes the plurality of previous recharging events to identify the plurality of recharge patterns of the plurality of previous recharging events, and wherein the remote networking device detects the at least one improper recharge pattern of the plurality of recharge patterns based on at least some previous recharging events of the plurality of previous recharging events.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the power source usage information is transmitted to the remote networking device by at least one of the external device or the implantable medical device at a predetermined time, according to scheduled intervals, or after a recharging event.

8. A device comprising:

a processor configured to;

generate power source usage information related to recharging of a rechargeable power source within an implantable medical device, wherein the power source usage information describes a plurality of previous recharging events of the rechargeable power source;

analyze the plurality of previous recharging events to identify a plurality of recharge patterns of the plurality of previous recharging events; and

detect at least one improper recharge pattern of the plurality of recharge patterns based on at least some previous recharging events of the plurality of previous recharging events, wherein the at least one improper recharge pattern comprises at least one of infrequent recharging events, frequent short recharging events, a long period between recharging events, or a low degree of coupling between primary and secondary coils during transcutaneous energy transfer to the rechargeable power source; and

a communication circuit configured to;

transmit, in response to the detection of the at least one improper recharge pattern, the power source usage information to a remote networking device via a network; and

receive an action request from the remote networking device via the network in response to transmission of the power source usage information.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the device comprises the implantable medical device.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the device comprises an external device configured to at least one of communicate with or recharge an implantable medical device.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the action request comprises a patient instruction regarding a power source recharging technique.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, at a remote networking device via a network, power source usage information related to recharging of a rechargeable power source within an implantable medical device, wherein the power source usage information describes a plurality of previous recharging events of the rechargeable power source;

generating, by the remote networking device, an action request based upon identification of a plurality of recharge patterns in the plurality of previous recharging events and detection of at least one improper recharge pattern of the plurality of recharge patterns based on at least some previous recharging events, wherein the at least one improper recharge pattern comprises at least one of infrequent recharging events, frequent short recharging events, a long period between recharging events, or a low degree of coupling between primary and secondary coils during transcutaneous energy transfer to the rechargeable power source; and

transmitting, via the network, the action request from the remote networking device to at least one of an external device or the implantable medical device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising presenting the power source usage information to a user in conjunction with therapy parameters that were used by the implantable medical device to deliver therapy when the power source usage information was generated.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the action request comprises a command that unlocks the power source for use from a disabled state due to an overdischarged battery.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the action request comprises a patient instruction regarding a power source recharging technique.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating, by the at least one of the external device or the implantable medical device, the power source usage information;

transmitting, by the at least one of the external device or the implantable medical device, the power source usage information to the remote networking device via the network; and

receiving, by the at least one of the external device or the implantable medical device, the action request from the remote networking device via the network in response to transmission of the power source usage information.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising, after receiving the power source usage information and before generating the action request:

analyzing, by the remote networking device, the plurality of previous recharging events described by the power source usage information to identify the plurality of recharge patterns of the plurality of previous recharging events; and

detecting, by the remote networking device, at least one improper recharge pattern of the plurality of recharge patterns based on at least some previous recharging events of the plurality of previous recharging events,

wherein the at least one improper recharge pattern comprises at least one of infrequent recharging events, frequent short recharging events, the long period between recharging events, or the low degree of coupling between primary and secondary coils during transcutaneous energy transfer to the rechargeable power source.

18. A system comprising:

a remote networking device comprising;

a communication circuit configured to receive, via a network, power source usage information related to recharging of a rechargeable power source within an implantable medical device, wherein the power source usage information describes a plurality of previous recharging events of the rechargeable power source; and

a processor configured to;

generate an action request based upon identification of a plurality of recharge patterns in the plurality of previous recharging events and detection of at least one improper recharge pattern of the plurality of recharge patterns based on at least some previous recharging events of the plurality of previous recharging events, wherein the at least one improper recharge pattern comprises at least one of infrequent recharging events, frequent short recharging events, a long period between recharging events, or a low degree of coupling between primary and secondary coils during transcutaneous energy transfer to the rechargeable power source; and

control the communication circuit to transmit, via the network, the action request from the remote networking device to at least one of an external device or the implantable medical device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the remote networking device further comprises a user interface, wherein the processor of the remote networking device is configured to present, via the user interface, the power source usage information to a user in conjunction with therapy parameters that were used by the implantable medical device to deliver therapy when the power source usage information was generated.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the action request comprises a patient instruction regarding a power source recharging technique.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one of the external device or the implantable medical device comprises:

a processor configured to generate the power source usage information; and

a communication circuit configured to transmit the power source usage information to the remote networking device via the network and receive the action request from the remote networking device via the network in response to transmission of the power source usage information.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the device comprises the implantable medical device.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the device comprises the external device, and the external device is configured to at least one of communicate with or recharge the implantable medical device.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the communication circuit of the at least one of the external device or the implantable medical device is configured to transmit the power source usage information at a predetermined time, according to scheduled intervals, or after a recharging event.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor of the remote networking device is further configured to, prior to generation of the action request:

analyze the plurality of previous recharging events to identify the plurality of recharge patterns of the plurality of previous recharging events; and

detect at least one improper recharge pattern of the plurality of recharge patterns based on at least some previous recharging events of the plurality of previous recharging events, wherein the at least one improper recharge pattern comprises at least one of infrequent recharging events, frequent short recharging events, the long period between recharging events, or the low degree of coupling between primary and secondary coils during transcutaneous energy transfer to the rechargeable power source.

26. A system comprising:

a first device configured to;

generate power source usage information related to recharging of a rechargeable power source within the implantable medical device, wherein the power source usage information describes a plurality of previous recharging events of the rechargeable power source;

analyze the plurality of previous recharging events to identify a plurality of recharge patterns of the plurality of previous recharging events;

detect at least one improper recharge pattern of the plurality of recharge patterns based on at least some previous recharging events of the plurality of previous recharging events, wherein the at least one improper recharge pattern comprises at least one of infrequent recharging events, frequent short recharging events, a long period between recharging events, or a low degree of coupling between primary and secondary coils during transcutaneous energy transfer to the power source; and

transmit, in response to the detection of the at least one improper recharge pattern, the power source usage information via a network; and

a second device configured to;

receive the power source usage information via the network;

generate an action request based upon the detection of the at least one improper recharge pattern; and

transmit the action request to the first device via the network,

wherein the first device is further configured to receive the action request from the second device via the network in response to transmission of the power usage information.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein:

the first device comprises the implantable medical device, and

the second device comprises a remote networking device.