Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100274323 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POWER MANAGEMENT - Telemetry data from an IMD are routinely extracted in order to perform a full prognosis of a patient's condition and to alter the IMD therapy programming if necessary. Typically, while the IMD is inside of the patient, it periodically or continuously collects and stores data into its memory. These stored data can then be extracted by a physician to an external device for further analysis. In addition to the stored telemetry data, the physician may also want to collect real-time telemetry data such as real-time IEGM data or other physiological data while the patient is in the physician's office. However, transmitting telemetry data can consume a high level of power and shorten the battery life of the IMD if not properly managed. Thus, it is advantageous to have built-in features to minimize the possibility the IMD is not transmitting and/or receiving data while it is not being monitored and/or used by the physician for a predetermined amount of time. | 10-28-2010 |
20100331906 | ANODAL EXCITATION OF TISSUE - A cardiac stimulation device has a plurality of electrodes that deliver therapeutic electrical stimulation to the heart. At least one electrode is designated a cathode that cathodically induces depolarization of the surrounding heart tissue. At least one electrode is designated an anode. The device is configured, through one or more of electrode size, electrode configuration, electrode arrangement, cathode/anode number and pulse delivery circuitry, to induce depolarization of the heart tissue in the area of the at least one anode electrode, thereby resulting in greater depolarization of the heart tissue with reduced power consumption. | 12-30-2010 |
20110009918 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING A POTENTIAL LEAD FAILURE IN AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - A method for detecting potential failures by a lead of an implantable medical device is provided. The method includes sensing a first signal over a first channel between a first combination of electrodes on the lead and sensing a second signal from a second channel between a second combination of electrodes on the lead. The method determines whether at least one of the first and second signals is representative of a potential failure in the lead and identifies a failure and the electrode associated with the failure based on which of the first and second sensed signals is representative of the potential failure. Optionally, when the first and second sensed signals are both representative of the potential failure, the method further includes determining whether the first and second sensed signals are correlated with one another. When the first and second sensed signals are correlated, the method declares an electrode common to both of the first and second combinations to be associated with the failure. | 01-13-2011 |
20110015693 | Enhanced Patient Programming Security for Remote Programming via Paired Communication / IMD Access via Custom Hardware - A system and method for enhanced patient programming security for remote programming via paired communication/implantable medical device access via custom hardware. The system comprises an implantable medical device capable of telemetric communication with an external device. The implantable medical device may be paired to a remote monitoring device. The implantable medical device and/or the remote monitoring device challenge other devices to provide information for authentication and/or authorization. The information may be information about the implantable medical device, information about the remote monitoring device, information about the patient, or heuristic information. The information may be stored in an electronic medical records system. | 01-20-2011 |
20110295334 | Method and System for Adjusting a Stimulation Rate of an Implantable Medical Device - An implantable medical device includes a lead, a pulse generator, a cardiac signal module, a fusion detection module and a rate modification module. The lead includes electrodes that are configured to be positioned within a heart to sense cardiac signals of the heart. The pulse generator delivers stimulus pulses to the heart through at least one of the electrodes. The cardiac signal module monitors the cardiac signals and directs the pulse generator to deliver one or more of the stimulus pulses to the heart at a stimulation rate based on the cardiac signals. The fusion detection module identifies a presence of fusion-based behavior of the heart that is associated with delivery of the one or more of the stimulus pulses. The rate modification module then adjusts the stimulation rate based on the presence of the fusion-based behavior. | 12-01-2011 |
20120109248 | BATTERY DISCHARGE MEASUREMENT DEVICE AND METHOD - A battery discharge measurement device for determining the state of discharge for a battery has a battery voltage measurement unit adapted to measure and store a battery voltage and a battery usage activity detector for detecting a predefined battery usage activity draining current from the battery and triggering a voltage recovery period. A processor unit is provided for estimating a battery voltage of the battery during the voltage recovery period based on the measured and stored battery voltage and the number of predefined battery usage activities detected since the battery voltage measurement unit measured the battery voltage of the battery. | 05-03-2012 |
20130035743 | Field Focusing and Mapping in a Visual Prosthesis - The present invention is a system for mapping a high resolution image to a lower resolution electrode array and, by applying varying stimulus to neighboring electrodes, creating a perceived image greater in resolution than the electrode array. The invention is applicable to a wide range of neural stimulation devices including artificial vision and artificial hearing. By applying a sub-threshold stimulus to two neighboring electrodes where the sum of the stimuli is above the threshold of perception, a perception is created in neural tissue between the two electrodes. By adjusting the stimulus on neighboring electrodes, the location of stimulation can be altered. Further, noise can be applied to the stimulating electrode or its neighboring electrodes to reduce the threshold of stimulation. | 02-07-2013 |
20130304156 | Automatic Fitting for a Visual Prosthesis - The invention is a method of automatically adjusting an electrode array to the neural characteristics of an individual patient. By recording neural response to a predetermined input stimulus, one can alter that input stimulus to the needs of an individual patient. A minimum input stimulus is applied to a patient, followed by recording neural response in the vicinity of the input stimulus. By alternating stimulation and recording at gradually increasing levels, one can determine the minimum input that creates a neural response, thereby identifying the threshold stimulation level. One can further determine a maximum level by increasing stimulus until a predetermined maximum neural response is obtained. | 11-14-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090132004 | Automatic Fitting for a Visual Prosthesis - The invention is a method of automatically adjusting an electrode array to the neural characteristics of an individual patient. By recording neural response to a predetermined input stimulus, one can alter that input stimulus to the needs of an individual patient. A minimum input stimulus is applied to a patient, followed by recording neural response in the vicinity of the input stimulus. By alternating stimulation and recording at gradually increasing levels, one can determine the minimum input that creates a neural response, thereby identifying the threshold stimulation level. One can further determine a maximum level by increasing stimulus until a predetermined maximum neural response is obtained. | 05-21-2009 |
20090259276 | Field Focusing and Mapping in a Visual Prosthesis - The present invention is a system for mapping a high resolution image to a lower resolution electrode array and, by applying varying stimulus to neighboring electrodes, creating a perceived image greater in resolution than the electrode array. The invention is applicable to a wide range of neural stimulation devices including artificial vision and artificial hearing. By applying a sub-threshold stimulus to two neighboring electrodes where the sum of the stimuli is above the threshold of perception, a perception is created in neural tissue between the two electrodes. By adjusting the stimulus on neighboring electrodes, the location of stimulation can be altered. Further, noise can be applied to the stimulating electrode or its neighboring electrodes to reduce the threshold of stimulation. | 10-15-2009 |
20090326623 | Variable pitch electrode array - The present invention is an implantable electrode array having electrodes with variable pitch and variable size. Electrode arrays of the prior art provide electrodes with a common spacing and size. However, this is not how the human body is arranged. As an example, the retina has closely spaced retinal receptors near the fovea. Those receptors are spaced farther apart, farther away from the fovea. Further, the amount of electrical current required to stimulate the perception of light increases with distance from the fovea. Hence, larger electrodes are required to transfer the necessary current farther away from the fovea. | 12-31-2009 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120191154 | System and Method for ATP Treatment Utilizing Multi-Electrode Left Ventricular Lead - An implantable medical device includes a lead configured to be located proximate to the left ventricle (LV) of the heart, the lead including multiple LV electrodes to sense cardiac activity at multiple LV sensing sites. The a detection module to detect an arrhythmia that represents at least one of a tachycardia and fibrillation based at least in part on the cardiac activity sensed at the multiple LV sensing sites. The ATP therapy module to identify at least one of an ATP configuration or an ATP therapy site based on the cardiac sensed activity at the LV sensing sites, the ATP therapy module to control delivery of antitachycardia pacing (ATP) therapy at the ATP therapy site. The ATP therapy module delivers a stimulus to electrodes at one or more of an LV site, right ventricular (RV) site and right atrial (RA) site, the detection module to sense evoked responses at the LV sensing sites, the ATP therapy module to designate the ATP therapy site to include at least the LV sensing site with a shortest activation time relative to the one or more LV site, RV site and RA site where the stimulus is delivered. | 07-26-2012 |
20130150913 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING A POTENTIAL LEAD FAILURE IN AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - A method for detecting potential failures by a lead of an implantable medical device is provided. The method includes sensing a first signal over a first channel between a first combination of electrodes on the lead and sensing a second signal from a second channel between a second combination of electrodes on the lead. The method determines whether at least one of the first and second signals is representative of a potential failure in the lead and identifies a failure and the electrode associated with the failure based on which of the first and second sensed signals is representative of the potential failure. Optionally, when the first and second sensed signals are both representative of the potential failure, the method further includes determining whether the first and second sensed signals are correlated with one another. When the first and second sensed signals are correlated, the method declares an electrode common to both of the first and second combinations to be associated with the failure. | 06-13-2013 |
20130253352 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING A POTENTIAL LEAD FAILURE IN AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - A method for detecting potential failures by an implantable medical lead is disclosed. The method includes sensing first, second and third signals between at least first and second combinations of electrodes, on the lead; determining whether at least one of the first, second and third signals is representative of a potential failure in the lead and identifies a failure and the electrode associated with the failure based on which of the first, second and third sensed signals is representative of the potential failure. Optionally, when the first and second sensed signals are both representative of the potential failure, the method further includes determining whether the first and second sensed signals are correlated with one another. When the first and second sensed signals are correlated, the method declares an electrode common to both of the first and second combinations to be associated with the failure. | 09-26-2013 |
20130345770 | LEADLESS INTRA-CARDIAC MEDICAL DEVICE WITH REDUCED NUMBER OF FEED-THRUS - A leadless implantable medical device (LIMD) includes a housing formed from a battery and an end cap. A proximal end of the end cap forms an LIMD proximal end and a distal end of the battery case forms an LIMD distal end. A non-conductive coupler mechanically secures a terminal end of the battery case to a mating end of the end cap, while maintaining the battery case and end cap electrically separated. A first electrode projects from the proximal end of the end cap. An intra-cardiac (IC) device extension projects from the distal end of the battery case. The extension includes a second electrode that is electrically connected to the battery case. The second electrode is located remote from the LIMD distal end. An electronics module is located within an internal cavity of the end cap and communicates with the first and second electrodes. | 12-26-2013 |
20150148868 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR ESTABLISHING A COMMUNICATION SESSION BETWEEN AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE AND AN EXTERNAL DEVICE - A method is provided for establishing a communication session with an implantable medical device (“IMD”). The method includes configuring an IMD and an external device to communicate with one another through a protocol that utilizes a dedicated advertisement channel. The IMD periodically transmitting advertisement notices over the dedicated advertisement channel according to the protocol. The advertisement notices being transmitted periodically at an advertisement period over multiple cycles. The method further includes repeatedly scanning the advertisement channel, by the external device, for select scanning intervals in search of the advertisement notices, the scanning operation being repeated periodically at a scan period over the multiple cycles. The advertisement period and the scan period are independent of one another such that the advertisement and scan periods at least partially overlap intermittently after a number of cycles. When the external device detects one of the advertisement notices, the method includes establishing a communications link between the external device and the IMD. | 05-28-2015 |