Vitatron Medical B. V.

Harry B Kerver

Bernardus F Vonk

A programmable pacemaker system, having a programmer which has the capability of making software control modifications to a family of pacemakers types which can be software modified with different control functions. The programmer carries manual data relating to the manual corresponding to each pacemaker type. Whenever a new control software release is loaded into the programmer, an accompanying new manual portion is also loaded into programmer memory; the programmer can determine what manual portion or portions are superseded if the new control software is downloaded into any one of the respective different pacemaker types of the family. Whenever a programmer is used to download a new control routine into an implanted pacemaker, the programmer automatically provides the option to display and/or print a new applicable manual portion; superseded manual portions due to downloading operations; and/or the entire manual corresponding to the pacemaker as modified by the downloading operation.

Pacemaker system and method for providing manual display concurrent with

There is provided an output stage for a battery powered implantable device, such as a cardiac pacemaker, for generating biphasic or triphasic pulses, each pulse having at least a prestimulus or poststimulus pulse of a first polarity, and a stimulus pulse of opposite polarity. The output stage provides for charging of a small sized pacing capacitor from the battery through a high rate charge pump only during delivery of a prestim or poststim pulse, and for discharging the pacing capacitor during the stimulus portion of the overall pulse. A fast or high rate capacitive charge pump is used with a controllable high rate clock signal, adjustment of the clock signal being used for controlling the charging rate during the prestim or poststim pulses, thereby allowing for tuning of the parameters of the prestim or poststim pulse portions. The charge pump is enabled only during such charging pulse durations, thereby eliminating the need for a large holding capacitor, and enabling an output stage with a significantly reduced capacitor requirement.

Stimulus system with controllable switched capacitor output stage

There is provided an air core antenna, and method of production of same, suitable for use in implantable device, the antenna being used for telemetric communication with an outside programmer unit. The air core antenna is fabricated upon a hybrid substrate, which substrate is subsequently processed to contain electronic circuits for use in the implantable device. A groove is milled into the perimeter side walls of the antenna, and the coil wire is wound within the groove, the two ends of the coil then being attached to connector pads on the substrate. There is thus provided an antenna which is integrally incorporated into the substrate so that space requirements of the antenna are minimized, providing an antenna which has a sufficient loop area to provide the receiving and transmission characteristics required of a modern programmable implanted device. The production process of the air core antenna is suitable for use on an automated assembly line, eliminating separate mounting of an antenna, and minimizing manual interactions.

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Duiven, Netherlands

Harry B Kerver