Indication of coupling between medical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9821166-B2
Application number	US-12740408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2008
Priority date	May 27, 2008
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

Techniques for providing an indication of coupling between medical devices are disclosed. For example, when a programming device and a telemetry module are coupled, the telemetry module provides a first indication, and the programming device provides a second indication substantially similar to the first indication. The indications may be, for example, colors, and different indications may signify communication with different implantable medical devices, programming different therapies, or use of different applications of the programming device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
an external telemetry module that is configured to transcutaneously communicate with a plurality of implantable medical devices (IMDs); and
an external programming device that is configured to:
communicate with the telemetry module and with each of the plurality of IMDs through the telemetry module;
present, via a user interface, a plurality of indication schemes; and
receive, via the user interface, a selection of an indication scheme from the plurality of indication schemes,

wherein the external telemetry module is configured to provide a first plurality of different indications of coupling, each of the first plurality of indications associated with a respective one of the plurality of IMDs, and wherein, in response to transcutaneously communicating with one of the plurality of IMDs, the external telemetry module is configured to:
select one of the first plurality of indications associated with the one of the plurality of IMDs; and
provide the selected one of the first plurality of indications,

wherein the external programming device is configured to provide a second plurality of different indications of coupling, each of the second plurality of indications associated with the respective one of the plurality of IMDs and substantially similar to a corresponding one of the first plurality of indications, and wherein, in response to communicating with the one of the plurality of IMDs though the telemetry module, the external programming device is configured to:
select one of the second plurality of indications associated with the one of the plurality of IMDs based on the selected indication scheme from the plurality of indication schemes; and
provide the selected one of the second plurality of indications,

wherein the selected one of the second plurality of indications is substantially similar to the selected one of the first plurality of indications.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of indications and the second plurality of indications comprise first and second sets of colors that are at least substantially similar, wherein the selected one of the first plurality of indications comprises a selected one of the first set of colors and the selected one of the second plurality of indications comprises a selected one of the second set of colors, and wherein the selected ones of the first and second sets of colors comprise substantially similar colors.

3. The system of claim 2 ,
wherein the telemetry module comprises at least one light that provides a selected one of the first plurality of colors, and
wherein the programming device comprises a display that provides a selected one of the second plurality of colors that is at least substantially similar to the selected one of the first plurality of colors.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the display presents at least one of a background, an application window, or an icon in the selected one of the second plurality of colors.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of indications and the second plurality of indications comprise audible indications that are at least substantially similar.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of indications and the second plurality of indications comprise patterns that are at least substantially similar, wherein the patterns are at least one of spatial or temporal and comprise light.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the external telemetry module and the external programming device provide the first plurality of indications and the second plurality of indications substantially continuously throughout a session in which the external telemetry module and the external programming device communicate.

8. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein at least some of the first plurality of indications and the second plurality of indications are associated with respective ones of a plurality of therapies, and
wherein the external telemetry module and the external programming device respectively select one of the first plurality of indications and one of the second plurality of indications based on a therapy delivered by the one of the plurality of IMDs.

9. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein at least some of the first plurality of indications and the second plurality of indications are associated with respective ones of a plurality of applications executable by the external programming device for communication with the plurality of IMDs, and
wherein the external telemetry module and the external programming device respectively select one of the first plurality of indications and one of the second plurality of indications based on which application of the plurality of applications is currently selected.

10. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein at least two IMDs of the plurality of IMDs are implanted within a patient,
wherein the first plurality of indications comprises visual indications, and
wherein the external telemetry module is configured to provide the first plurality of indications at a plurality of locations on or within the external telemetry module, each of the plurality of locations on or within the external telemetry module corresponding to a location of a respective one of the at least two IMDs within the patient, to indicate with which of the at least two IMDs the external telemetry module is coupled.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the external telemetry module is wirelessly coupled to the external programming device.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an IMD of the plurality of IMDs,
wherein, when coupled to at least one of the external telemetry module or the external programming device, the IMD provides a third indication of coupling.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the third indication is substantially similar to the selected one of the first plurality of indications and the selected one of the second plurality of indications.

14. A method for indicating coupling between an external telemetry module that is configured to transcutaneously communicate with a plurality of implantable medical devices (IMDs) and an external programming device that is configured to communicate with the telemetry module and with each of the plurality of IMDs through the telemetry module, the method comprising:
presenting, via a user interface of the external programming device, a plurality of indication schemes;
receiving, via the user interface, a selection of an indication scheme from the plurality of indication schemes;
in response to transcutaneously communicating, by the external telemetry module, with one of the plurality of IMDs:
selecting, by the external telemetry module and based on the selected indication scheme from the plurality of indication schemes, one of a first plurality of different indications of coupling, wherein each of the first plurality of indications is associated with a respective one of the plurality of IMDs; and
providing, by the external telemetry module and to the user, the selected one of the first plurality of indications; and

in response to communicating, by the external programming device, with the one of the plurality of IMDs though the telemetry module:
selecting, by the external programming device, one of a second plurality of indications of coupling, wherein each of the second plurality of indications is associated with a respective one of the plurality of IMDs; and
providing, by the external programming device and to the user, the selected one of the second plurality of indications, wherein the selected one of the second plurality of indications is substantially similar to the selected one of the

Assignees

• Nolan Joseph J
• Houchins Andrew H
• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Nolan Joseph J
• Houchins Andrew H

Classifications

• A61N1/08

  Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating {(for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925)} · CPC title

• A61N1/37211 Primary

  Means for communicating with stimulators · CPC title