Claims
- 1. A computerized method of controlling one or more IMDs deployed in one or more patients, said IMDs having firmware or software, comprising the steps of:
transmitting via a network communication link historical physiologic data gathered from at least one of the IMDs to a centralized computing resource external to any patient; analyzing the physiologic data so transmitted according to a suitable physiologic model; determining instructions comprising an IMD treatment regimen based on the results of the analysis of the physiologic data; and transmitting via a network communication link the instructions to the appropriate IMD for execution by the IMD in accordance with its firmware or software.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network communication link comprises a radio frequency link.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the network communication link comprises a hybrid link.
- 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the hybrid link comprises a radio frequency link from an IMD to a routing instrument, and a secondary network link from the routing device to the central computing resource.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the secondary network link is a direct dial up connection.
- 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the secondary network link is an area network.
- 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the area network is a LAN.
- 8. The method of claim 6 wherein the area network is a WAN.
- 9. The method of claim 6 wherein the area network is one of internet, intranet, extranet or world wide web.
- 10. The method of claim 4, wherein the secondary network communication link comprises an asynchronous link.
- 11. The method of claim 4, wherein the secondary network communications link comprises a synchronous link.
- 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more IMDs comprises one or more of a pacemaker, a PCD pacemaker/cardioverter/defibrillator, an oxygen sensing device, a nerve stimulator, a muscle stimulator, a drug pump, or an implantable monitoring device.
- 13. The computerized method of claim 1, comprising the further step of transmitting from a centralized computing resource to one or more IMDs an upgrade to the IMD firmware or software.
- 14. A computerized information network system linking one or more IMDs deployed in one or more patients to a centralized external computer via a data communication network, said network comprising:
a central computing resource accessible by the network, said central computing resource capable of applying a physiologic model to patient data recorded by an IMD; at least one routing instrument capable of wireless communication with at least one IMD deployed in a patient, said routing instrument being capable of communication with the network.
- 15. The computerized network of claim 13, wherein the network comprises a direct link between the at least one routing instrument and the central computing resource.
- 16. The computerized network of claim 13, wherein the central computing resource comprises a supercomputer.
- 17. The computerized network of claim 13, wherein the central computing resource comprises a multi-processor workstation.
- 18. The computerized network of claim 13, wherein the central computing resource comprises a networked cluster of computers.
- 19. The system of claim 13, wherein the data communication is asynchronous.
- 20. The system of claim 13, where the data communication is synchronous.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/173,079, filed Dec. 24, 1999. The disclosure and drawings of the provisional application are specifically incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (10)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60173079 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
|
60172937 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
|
60173081 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
|
60173064 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
|
60173065 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
|
60173082 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
|
60173083 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
|
60173062 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
|
60173071 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
|
60173080 |
Dec 1999 |
US |