Patent · US Expired

Low cost implantable medical device

US5292342A · kind A · utility

112Cited by
8References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 1, 1992
Grant dateMar 8, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 1, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/37217
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A low cost, limited-function implantable medical device. The device's synchronous circuits are driven by an ultra-slow master clock signal produced without utilization of a crystal oscillator. The device is non-invasively programmable by means of an externally applied programming magnet, which is detected by a solid state magnetic sensor (MAGFET) circuit in the implanted device. The MAGFET circuit is capable of discriminating between two polarity orientations of the programming magnet, so that one polarity is associated with increasing programmable parameters and the opposite polarity is associated with decreasing programmable parameters. Upon initial placement and detection of the programming magnet, the disclosed device performs a threshold margin test comprising three asynchronous stimulating pulses at the current pulse width and pulse amplitude settings. After the threshold margin test is performed, each subsequent removal-and-replacement cycle of the programming magnet cause the disclosed device to enter a different programming mode, in which mode a particular operational parameter of the device may be adjusted up or down. Programmable values are retained in the implanted devi…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.