Medical accessory proximity testing, detection, and alerting system
Inventors
Keenan, David • John, Michael Sasha
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9326696-B2
Publication Date
2016-05-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed is a system having an implanted component and external component which are configured to provide a test of wireless communication in order to assess the success or failure of such communication and to store attributes related to such test in a memory log. To provide the communication test the implantable and external components can attempt wireless communication according to communication test parameters which relate to number of times to retry communication, duration of sending communication test signals, durations of waiting for communication test signals and the schedule of the communication tests. The schedule of tests may be period or may change over time in order to become more or less frequency according to a programmable schedule that may also decrease if the communication tests are successful and indicate patient compliance in keeping the external components close by. The communication tests can assist in determining if the patient is maintaining external components within a suggested proximity (e.g. 6 feet) of the patient and may assist to determine if transmission or reception difficulties are the source of communication failure. A physician programmer can provide for programming, conducting, summarizing and assessing the results of communication tests.
Core Innovation
The invention describes a medical monitoring system that includes an implanted medical device and an external device. The external device includes a transceiver, random access memory, and a processor coupled to the transceiver and the random access memory, and the processor periodically activates wireless communication circuitry to attempt to receive proximity test signals from the implanted medical device.
For each activation, the processor determines whether a proximity signal has been received within a certain time after the activation, thereby generating proximity test receipt results. A test is applied to the plurality of proximity test receipt results to determine whether a proximity failure condition exists, and when a proximity failure condition exists, information regarding the proximity failure is stored in the random access memory, including proximity test failures stored for further processing.
When the proximity test failures meet a selected first proximity test criterion, the system sends a proximity test failure condition notification to the patient, and the notification can also include remote/central station notification in dependence on one or more selected proximity test criteria. The system records proximity test receipt results with timestamps and event data in proximity test logs, enabling classification of out of range or communication-related failure conditions.
The described system can further adapt a proximity test schedule over time based on success or failure. A physician programmer downloads and analyzes proximity test logs and diagnostic profiles, including graphical display of the proximity test results, and the diagnostic profile is used to identify whether proximity failures stem from proximity, transmission, or reception issues.
Claims Coverage
The identified independent claims cover a medical device system that periodically performs wireless proximity tests between an implanted medical device and an external device, determines proximity failure conditions from proximity test receipt results, stores failure information, and conditionally notifies the patient or a remote station. The independent claims also support programmer download and graphical presentation of proximity test logs and diagnostic profiles, and refine the implanted/external roles in generating and recording proximity test receipt results and failures.
Periodically activating wireless communication for proximity tests and generating receipt results
A medical device system with an implanted medical device and an external device in which the processor periodically activates wireless communication circuitry to attempt to receive a plurality of proximity test signals, determines whether a proximity signal has been received within a certain time after each activation to generate a plurality of proximity test receipt results, and applies a test to the plurality of proximity test receipt results to determine whether a proximity failure condition exists.
Storing proximity failure information and notifying the patient based on a selected criterion
When a proximity failure condition exists, store information regarding the proximity failure in random access memory and store proximity test failures in random access memory, determine that the proximity failures meet a selected first proximity test criterion, and send a proximity test failure condition notification to the patient when the proximity test failures meet the selected first proximity test criterion.
Notification to a remote station based on a selected second proximity test criterion
A processor sends a notification to a remote station when proximity failures in random access memory meet a selected second proximity test criterion.
Programmer downloading and graphical presentation of proximity test receipt results
A programmer device downloads proximity test receipt results from the implanted device and graphically presents the test results to a user.
Implanted device performing the proximity test and deriving and storing receipt results
An implanted medical device configured to perform a proximity test with the external device and to derive and store the proximity test receipt results.
Overall, the independent claim coverage centers on periodic wireless proximity testing using proximity test receipt results, the determination of proximity failure conditions, storage of proximity failure information in random access memory, and conditional notifications based on selected proximity test criteria, with further refinements for remote-station notification and programmer-based downloading and graphical presentation of the stored proximity test logs and results.
Stated Advantages
Improves patient compliance through a proximity test schedule that can be adaptive over time based on success/failure.
Enables physician/programmer analysis and graphical display of proximity test results using proximity test logs and diagnostic profiles to identify whether failures stem from proximity, transmission, or reception issues.
Provides conditional notification to the patient when proximity test failures meet a selected criterion.
Provides notification to a remote/central station based on selected proximity test criteria.
Documented Applications
Medical monitoring of a patient using an implanted medical device and an external device that perform scheduled wireless proximity and communication proximity tests and generate proximity test receipt results.
Patient alerting and remote/central station notification when proximity failures meet selected criteria.
Physician programming for downloading, analyzing, and graphically displaying proximity test logs and diagnostic profiles to support identifying communication and proximity failure origins.
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