System and method for resetting an implantable medical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446252-B2
Application number	US-201213593233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2012
Priority date	Oct 18, 2011
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method, of operating an implantable medical device, comprises: (i) operating reset logic within the implantable medical device that is independently operable from a processor of the implantable medical device after the implantable medical device is implanted within a patient, wherein the processor is adapted for central control of the implantable medical device; (ii) operating a magnetic field sensor in the implantable medical device; (iii) generating digital data using, at least, the magnetic field sensor; (iv) detecting, by the reset logic, a digital key in the digital data; (v) in response to (iv), asserting a reset signal on a pin of the processor by the reset logic; and (vi) conducting reset operations in the processor in response to the reset signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating an implantable medical device, comprising
(i) operating reset logic within the implantable medical device that is independently operable from a processor of the implantable medical device after the implantable medical device is implanted within a patient, wherein the processor is adapted for central control of the implantable medical device;
(ii) operating a magnetic field sensor in the implantable medical device;
(iii) generating digital data using, at least, the magnetic field sensor;
(iv) detecting, by the reset logic, a digital key in the digital data;
(v) in response to (iv), asserting a reset signal on a pin of the processor by the reset logic;
(vi) conducting reset operations in the processor in response to the reset signal; and
(v) after resetting the processor, causing the processor to enter a safe mode of operations, wherein the safe mode of operations is defined by a first set of software instructions that are different from a second set of software instructions of an application mode of operations wherein the application mode of operations controls provision of a therapy by the implantable medical device to the patient, wherein the safe mode includes execution of code for conducting wireless communications to perform a software or firmware update for the implantable medical device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: performing an integrity check of software or firmware of the implantable medical device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the reset logic is connected to the processor by a polling line.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the reset logic is operable to cause the processor to execute software instructions defining the safe mode of operation by communicating a signal on the poling line after the reset operations of (vi).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field sensor is a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the GMR sensor is a digital sensor.

Assignees

• Benson Dennis
• Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc

Inventors

• Benson Dennis

Classifications

• A61N1/37252 Primary

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• A61N1/36071

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• A61N1/0551

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