Claims
- 1. A medical system, comprising:
a) an ambulatory medical device (MD) comprising MD electronic control circuitry that further comprises at least one MD telemetry system and at least one MD processor that controls, at least in part, operation of the MD telemetry system and operation of the medical device, wherein the medical device is configured to provide a treatment to a body of a patient or to monitor a selected state of the body; and b) a communication device (CD) comprising CD electronic control circuitry that further comprises at least one CD telemetry system and at least one CD processor that controls, at least in part, operation of the CD telemetry system and operation of the communication device, wherein the CD telemetry system sends messages to or receives messages from the MD telemetry system, wherein at least one MD processor comprises an application specific integrated circuit, and the application specific integrated circuit is configured to monitor an electrical activity of a first component or module.
- 2. The system of claim 1 wherein a first portion of the MD telemetry system is incorporated into the MD processor and a second portion of the MD telemetry system is external to the MD processor, or wherein a first portion of the CD telemetry system is incorporated into the CD processor and a second portion of the CD telemetry system is external to the CD processor.
- 3. The system of claim 2 wherein (1) the MD electronic control circuitry comprises at least one external MD functional module, other than the second portion of the MD telemetry system, that is external to the MD processor, (2) the CD electronic control circuitry comprises at least one external CD functional module, other than the second portion of the CD telemetry system, that is external to the CD processor, (3) the MD processor comprises an internal MD CPU and at least one other internal MD functional module, or (4) the CD processor comprises an internal CD CPU and at least one other internal CD functional module.
- 4. The system of claim 1 wherein a first portion of the MD telemetry system is incorporated into the MD processor and a second portion of the MD telemetry system is external to the MD processor, or wherein a first portion of the CD telemetry system is incorporated into the CD processor and a second portion of the CD telemetry system is external to the CD processor.
- 5. The system of claim 4 wherein the MD electronic control circuitry comprises at least one external MD functional module, other than the second portion of the MD telemetry system, that is external to the MD processor, and wherein the CD electronic control circuitry comprises at least one external CD functional module, other than the second portion of the MD telemetry system, that is external to the CD processor.
- 6. The system of claim 6 wherein the MD processor comprises an MD central processing unit and at least one other MD functional module, and wherein the CD processor comprises a CD central processing unit and at least one other CD functional module.
- 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the medical device comprises at least one of (1) an implantable infusion pump for selectively dispensing a selected drug, (2) an implantable infusion pump for selectively dispensing insulin, (3) an iimplantable sensor for sensing a selected state of the body, (4) an implantable sensor for sensing glucose level, or (5) an implantable electrode for selectively stimulating a portion of the body of the patient.
- 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrical activity being monitored is a voltage on the first component or module.
- 9. The system of claim 7 wherein the first component is a firing circuit for the infusion pump and wherein the electrical activity being monitored is a voltage.
- 10. The system of claim 9 wherein the voltage is monitored during a charging cycle.
- 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the voltage is also monitored after firing the infusion pump.
- 12. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrical activity being monitored is a current used by the first component or module.
- 13. The system of claim 7 wherein the first component is the sensor and wherein the electrical activity being monitored is a current being drawn by the sensor.
- 14. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrical activity being monitored is a power consumed by the first component or module.
- 15. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrical activity being monitored is a shape of a waveform.
- 16. The system of claim 1 wherein the monitored electrical activity is compared to a predefined value, range of values, or waveform.
- 17. The system of claim 16 wherein the comparison is used to ensure that the first component or module is operating under acceptable conditions.
- 18. The system of claim 1 wherein the comparison is used in modifying the operation of the first component or module.
- 19. The system of claim 1 wherein the first component or module is located within the application specific integrated circuit.
- 20. The system of claim 1 wherein the first component or module is located external to the application specific integrated circuit.
- 21. A medical system, comprising:
a) an ambulatory medical device (MD) comprising MD electronic control circuitry that further comprises at least one MD telemetry system and at least one MD processor that controls, at least in part, operation of the MD telemetry system and operation of the medical device, wherein the medical device is configured to provide a treatment to a body of a patient or to monitor a selected state of the body; and b) a communication device (CD) comprising CD electronic control circuitry that further comprises at least one CD telemetry system and at least one CD processor that controls, at least in part, operation of the CD telemetry system and operation of the communication device, wherein the CD telemetry system sends messages to or receives messages from the MD telemetry system, wherein the medical device includes a component that requires activation to perform an intended function and wherein the activation state for the component is monitored, at least during preselected periods, by a monitoring circuit.
- 22. The system of claim 21 wherein a first portion of the MD telemetry system is incorporated into the MD processor and a second portion of the MD telemetry system is external to the MD processor, or wherein a first portion of the CD telemetry system is incorporated into the CD processor and a second portion of the CD telemetry system is external to the CD processor.
- 23. The system of claim 22 wherein (1) the MD electronic control circuitry comprises at least one external MD functional module, other than the second portion of the MD telemetry system, that is external to the MD processor, (2) the CD electronic control circuitry comprises at least one external CD functional module, other than the second portion of the CD telemetry system, that is external to the CD processor, (3) the MD processor comprises an internal MD CPU and at least one other internal MD functional module, or (4) the CD processor comprises an internal CD CPU and at least one other internal CD functional module.
- 24. The system of claim 21 wherein a first portion of the MD telemetry system is incorporated into the MD processor and a second portion of the MD telemetry system is external to the MD processor, or wherein a first portion of the CD telemetry system is incorporated into the CD processor and a second portion of the CD telemetry system is external to the CD processor.
- 25. The system of claim 24 wherein the MD electronic control circuitry comprises at least one external MD functional module, other than the second portion of the MD telemetry system, that is external to the MD processor, and wherein the CD electronic control circuitry comprises at least one external CD functional module, other than the second portion of the MD telemetry system, that is external to the CD processor.
- 26. The system of claim 25 wherein the MD processor comprises an MD central processing unit and at least one other MD functional module, and wherein the CD processor comprises a CD central processing unit and at least one other CD functional module.
- 27. The system of claim 21 wherein the medical device comprises at least one of (1) an implantable infusion pump for selectively dispensing a selected drug, (2) an implantable infusion pump for selectively dispensing insulin, (3) an implantable sensor for sensing a selected state of the body, (4) an implantable sensor for sensing glucose level, or (5) an implantable electrode for selectively stimulating a portion of the body of the patient.
- 28. The system of claim 21 wherein the medical device comprises an in implantable infusion pump and the component is a drive circuit for a pumping mechanism.
- 29. The system of claim 28 wherein the activation occurs by supplying energy to the drive circuit.
- 30. The system of claim 29 wherein the activation state is measured by a voltage level.
- 31. The system of claim 30 wherein the activation state is monitored to ensure that the drive circuit is not allowed to power the pump until the voltage on the drive circuit has a predefined relationship with preset voltage.
- 32. The system of claim 31 additionally comprising:
a) a memory device for storing an estimated charge time for bringing the drive circuit to a voltage equal to or exceeding the preset voltage; b) a control circuit for supplying energy to the drive circuit for the estimated time; c) an analog-to-digital converter for measuring the voltage level on the drive circuit; d) circuit elements or a program running in an MD processor configured to compare the measured voltage to the preset voltage, to determine whether the estimated charge time should be modified, to determine whether the drive circuit is sufficiently activated to allow the drive circuit to power the pump, and to determine whether the drive circuit should be further activated prior to allowing activation of the pump.
- 33. The system of claim 32 wherein the circuit elements or the program determine that (1) the estimated charge time should be decreased if the measured voltage is greater than an upper range limit, (2) the estimated charge time should be increased if the measured voltage is less than a lower range limit, and (3) the estimated charge time should not be changed if the measured voltage is between the lower range limit and the upper range limit.
- 34. The system of claim 33 wherein a determination that the estimated charge time should be varied causes the estimated charge time to vary by a predefined amount of time.
- 35. The system of claim 34 wherein the predefined amount of time is less than 5% of the estimated charge time.
- 36. The system of claim 21 wherein circuitry or a processor running a program is provided that causes an estimated activation time, for the component, to move incrementally closer to an optimal activation time based on a comparison between a desired activation level and an activation level resulting from activating the component for the estimated activation time.
- 37. The system of claim 21 wherein the activation state is monitored by monitoring at least one of voltage, current, charge supplied, energy supplied, or power supplied for a given period of time.
- 38. The system of claim 21 wherein the component is activated at least in part by charging a capacitor and the activation state is measured as voltage and wherein a preset voltage amount is determined, at least in part, based on a capacitance of the capacitor that is being charged.
- 39. The system of claim 28 wherein the activation state of the component is determined after the component is allowed to actuate the pump mechanism.
- 40. The system of claim 39 wherein the at least one MD processor monitors the determined activation state and declares an error condition if the activation state is determined to exceed a predefined limit.
- 41. The system of claim 21 wherein excessive leaks in the component are determined by activating the component and then monitoring activation state as a function of time.
- 42. The system of claim 41 wherein the component includes at least one capacitor.
- 43. The system of claim 21 wherein excess leakage of the component is determined by monitoring activation time and filtering out charge time variations associated with battery drainage.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of prior filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/177,414; filed Jan. 21, 2000, by Ronald J. Lebel, et al., and entitled “Medical Apparatus and Method Including an Implantable Device and an External Communication Device”. The entirety of this provisional application is hereby incorporated herein by this reference, including appendices filed therewith and any references incorporated therein by reference, as if set forth in full herein.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60177414 |
Jan 2000 |
US |