Claims
- 1. A method for synchronizing a plurality of clocks wherein at least one of the clocks is associated with a medical device system, the plurality of clocks comprising a first clock and a second clock, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a selected time associated with the second clock, the selected time different than a reference time that is associated with the first clock, wherein at least the first clock or the second clock is associated with the medical device system; and (b) setting the second clock to the selected time, in response to step (a).
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second clock is not associated with the medical device system.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first clock is associated with the medical device system.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the step of:
(i) setting the second clock by a component of the medical device system that is coupled to the second clock.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of clocks comprises a third clock, further comprising the steps of:
(c) receiving the selected time that is associated with the third clock; and (d) setting the third clock to the selected time, in response to step (c).
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical device system provides monitoring or treatment for a nervous system disorder.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the nervous system disorder is selected from the group consisting of a disorder of a central nervous system, a disorder of a peripheral nervous system, a mental health disorder, and a psychiatric disorder.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the nervous system disorder is selected from the group consisting of epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, multiple sclerosis (MS), anxiety, a mood disorder, a sleep disorder, obesity, and anorexia.
- 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the nervous system disorder is epilepsy.
- 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
(c) sending a command that is associated with the first clock; (d) determining a delay time between executing step (c) and step (a); and (e) adjusting the selected time using the delay time.
- 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
(c) sending a command that is associated with the first clock; (d) determining a delay time between executing step (a) and step (b); and (e) storing the delay time.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected time is greater than the reference time.
- 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
(c) disabling a commencement of a run mode operation in order to prevent a discrepancy between two recordings of a same event time by the first clock and the second clock; (d) receiving a command to enable the run mode operation, the command being indicative that the selected time approximately equals the reference clock; and (e) enabling the run mode operation by the second clock
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical device system is selected from the group consisting of an external system, a hybrid system, and an implanted system.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first clock is associated with a monitoring equipment that monitors the patient.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the second clock is associated with a bedside device that is coupled to a medical implanted device.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the step of:
determining that the reference time approximately equals the selected time by utilizing a Global Positioning System (GPS) clock reference.
- 18. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the step of:
determining that the reference time approximately equals the selected time by utilizing an atomic clock reference.
- 19. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the step of:
determining that the reference time approximately equals the selected time by utilizing a time reference through a wireless communications connection.
- 20. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the step of:
determining that the reference time approximately equals the selected time by utilizing a time reference through an Internet connection.
- 21. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the step of:
receiving an indication from a user that the reference time approximately equals the selected time.
- 22. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
(c) receiving a current time from the second clock; (d) subtracting the current time from the reference time in order to determine a time difference; and (e) if the time difference is greater than a first predetermined amount, resynchronizing the first and second clocks.
- 23. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
(c) determining to resynchronize the first and second clocks based upon a periodic time criterion; (d) receiving a subsequent selected time associated with the second clock, wherein the subsequent selected time is different than the reference time that is associated with the first clock; and (e) setting the second clock to the subsequent selected time, in response to step (b).
- 24. The method of claim 1, wherein the first clock and the second clock are located in different time zones.
- 25. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
(c) adjusting the second clock in accordance with a time transition between standard time and daylight savings time.
- 26. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1.
- 27. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 10.
- 28. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 11.
- 29. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 13.
- 30. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 22.
- 31. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 23.
- 32. A method for calibrating a plurality of clocks wherein at least one of the clocks is associated with a medical device system, the plurality of clocks comprising a first clock and a second clock, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) reading a current time from the second clock; (b) obtaining the reference time; (c) subtracting the current time from the reference time in order to determine a drift time; and (d) storing a drift time into a memory.
- 33. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of:
(e) if the drift time is greater than a predetermined amount, resynchronizing the first and second clocks.
- 34. The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of:
(e) notifying a user to calibrate the first and second clocks; (f) receiving a selected time, the selected time being different than the reference time; (g) receiving an indication that the selected time approximately equals the reference time; (h) obtaining the current time from the second clock; (i) subtracting the current time from the selected time in order to determine a drift time; and (j) storing the drift time into a memory.
- 35. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 30.
- 36. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 31.
- 37. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 32.
- 38. A method for synchronizing a plurality of clocks wherein at least one of the clocks is associated with a medical device system, the plurality of clocks comprising a first slave clock and a master clock, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) determining whether to synchronize the first slave clock to the master clock; (b) in response to step (a), sending a reference time by the master clock; and (c) setting the first slave clock to the reference time.
- 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the master clock and the first slave clock communicate through a communications channel selected from the group consisting of a wireless channel, an Intranet connection, and an Internet connection.
- 40. The method of claim 38, the method further comprising the step of:
(d) setting another slave clock to the reference time, wherein the plurality of clocks further comprises the other slave clock.
- 41. The method of claim 38, wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:
(i) receiving a current time of the first slave clock; (ii) determining a difference between the current time and the reference time; and (iii) if the difference is greater than a predetermined amount, determining whether to synchronize the first slave clock with the master clock.
- 42. An apparatus method for synchronizing a plurality of clocks in a medical device system, the medical device system providing treatment to a patient with a nervous system disorder, the plurality of clocks comprising a first clock and a second clock, the apparatus comprising:
a user interface; a communications interface that is coupled to the second clock; a memory; a processor that is connected to the user interface in order to receive an instruction from a user, that is connected to the memory and that instructs the second clock through the communications interface, the processor configured to perform the steps of:
(a) receiving a selected time associated with the second clock, the selected time different than a reference time that is associated with the first clock, wherein at least the first clock or the second clock is associated with the medical device system; and (b) setting the second clock to the selected time, in response to step (a).
- 43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) clock reference, and wherein the processor is configured to perform the further step of:
(c) determining that the reference time approximately equals the first selected time by utilizing the Global Positioning System (GPS) clock reference.
- 44. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising an atomic clock reference, and wherein the processor is configured to perform the further step of:
(c) determining whether the reference time approximately equals the first selected time by utilizing the atomic clock reference.
- 45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processor is configured to perform the further step of:
(c) receiving an indication from the user through the user interface that the reference time approximately equals the selected time.
- 46. An apparatus method for calibrating a plurality of clocks in a medical device system, the medical device system providing treatment to a patient with a nervous system disorder, the plurality of clocks comprising a first clock and a second clock, the apparatus comprising:
a user interface; a communications interface that is coupled to the second clock; a memory; a processor that is connected to the user interface in order to receive an instruction from a user, that is connected to the memory, and that instructs the second clock through the communications interface, the processor configured to perform the steps of:
(a) receiving a current time from the second clock; (b) subtracting the current time from the reference time in order to determine a time difference; and (c) if the time difference is greater than a predetermined amount, resynchronizing the first and second clocks.
- 47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the processor is configured to perform the further steps of:
(d) reading the current time from the second clock; (e) obtaining the reference time; (f) subtracting the current time from the reference time in order to determine a drift time; and (g) storing a drift time into the memory.
- 48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the processor is configured to perform the further step of:
(h) if the drift time is greater than the predetermined amount, resynchronizing the first and second clocks.
- 49. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the processor is configured to perform the further steps of:
(d) notifying a user to calibrate the first and second clocks; (e) receiving a selected time, the selected time being greater than the reference time; (f) receiving an indication that the selected time approximately equals the reference time; (g) obtaining the current time from the second clock; (h) subtracting the current time from the selected time in order to determine a drift time; and (i) storing the drift time into a memory.
- 50. The method of claim 17, wherein step (b) is performed if a time difference between the first clock and the second clock exceeds a predetermined limit.
- 51. The method of claim 18, wherein step (b) is performed if a time difference between the first clock and the second clock exceeds a predetermined limit.
- 52. The method of claim 17, wherein step b) is performed periodically at a prespecified interval.
- 53. The method of claim 18, wherein step (b) is performed periodically at a prespecified interval.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US03/32941 |
Oct 2003 |
WO |
|
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/418,446 filed Oct. 15, 2002 and No. 60/503,795 filed Sep. 19, 2003, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60503795 |
Sep 2003 |
US |
|
60418446 |
Oct 2002 |
US |