Patent · US Expired

Diagnostic test protocol in an implantable medical device

US5873894A · kind A · utility

114Cited by
2References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 17, 1998
Grant dateFeb 23, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 17, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/3704
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An implantable medical device electrically stimulates the heart to beat and senses electrical activity in the heart. The medical device generally includes a processor, a plurality of electrodes, and a sense amplifier. The medical device is capable of performing a variety of diagnostic tests, such as a sensing test in which a suitable sensitivity setting is computed for the sense amplifier. An external programmer is also provided to initiate the diagnostic tests. The programmer transmits a start signal to the implantable medical device and the medical device's processor initiates the diagnostic test specified by the programmer via the start signal. The implantable device is capable of completing the diagnostic test without further communication from the programmer or may initiate communication with the programmer during a refractory period in which signals from the programmer will not interfere with the diagnostic test. In the latter case, the programmer responds before the refractory period ends.

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