Implantable growth tissue stimulator and method of operation

US5766231A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Neomedics, Inc. · US

Inventors

• John H. Erickson · Plano, US
• John C. Tepper · Dallas, US
• Ike C. Thacker · Galveston, US
• Gregg Turi · Hackettstown, US
• Anthony J. Varrichio · Austin, US
• Arthur A. Pilla · Oakland, US
• Mark A. Bettin · Plano, US
• William C. Brosche · Carrollton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 11, 1996
• Grant date: Jun 16, 1998
• Expiry date: Oct 11, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S128/903
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A hand-held programmer/monitor (500) for programming and monitoring an implantable tissue growth stimulator (10) is provided. The stimulator (10) includes circuitry (46) for implementing selected operations in response to a down-link signal transmitted by the programmer/monitor (500). The stimulator (10) also includes circuitry (14) for transmitting up-link signals to the programmer/monitor (500). The programmer/monitor (500) includes a control circuit (518) for generating the down-link signal. The control circuit (518) also processes the up-link signal to monitor the status of the implantable tissue growth stimulator (10). The programmer/monitor (500) also includes a transmit/receive circuit (514) for transmitting the down-link signal to and for receiving the up-link signal from the implantable tissue growth stimulator (10). The transmit/receive circuit (514) also couples the up-link signal to the control circuit (518).