Hewlett-Packard Company

Inovise Medical, Inc.

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Viscardia, Inc.

Other

Innovise Medical, Inc.

Patricia A Arand

Peter T Bauer

Jonathan Neal Andrews

Nancy H Forman

David Lynn Burton

Gregory Dean Brink

Martin G Rockwell

William L Post

John M Kent

Kenneth S Rucker

Daniel J Powers

Marco Dalla Gasperina

Timothy K Wheeler

Alex Tremain Nelson

Jay Snell

Edward Chinchoy

Robert A Warner

Alfred D Forbes

Peter M Galen

Tim LaCroix

Daniel J Power

A controller delivers electrical stimulation therapy to a diaphragm through the one or more electrodes, and obtains a signal indicative of a pressure within an intrathoracic cavity from a pressure measurement source. The electrical stimulation therapy is defined by stimulation parameters. The controller obtains at least one additional signal indicative of a pressure within an intrathoracic cavity by changing at least one of the stimulation parameters, and delivering an electrical stimulation therapy to the diaphragm in accordance with the changed one of the plurality of stimulation parameters. The controller repeats the process of obtaining additional signals indicative of pressure based on a changing stimulation parameter by scanning through a range of values for the changing stimulation parameter. The controller derives a measure of interest from each of the obtained signals, and selects as an optimal stimulation therapy, the electrical stimulation therapy that results in a most acceptable measure of interest.

Implantable medical devices, systems, and methods for selection of optimal diaphragmatic stimulation parameters to affect pressures within the intrathoracic cavity

A method utilizing computer processing for detecting, within a cardiac cycle, the earliest onset of global, Q-onset, ventricular depolarization in the presence of an operating pacemaker. The method, in general terms, features (a) gathering a plurality of ECG-obtained QRS heart-cycles waveforms, (b) identifying and categorizing of evidences and specific timings therein of intrinsic Q-onset and pacemaker spike events, (c) looking in a single, selected QRS waveform, between specific, defined first and second time marks, for the most significant slope change appearing in that waveform, and (d) designating to be the correct Q-onset that event which immediately precedes that slope change.

Q-onset ventricular depolarization detection in the presence of a pacemaker

A vector method for monitoring a subject's sleep-disordered breathing utilizing a single, anatomy-attached (anatomically outside or implanted inside), three-orthogonal-axis accelerometer(s), including the steps of (1) collecting from a sleeping subject three-orthogonal-axis data relating to at least one of sound data, subject posture, subject activity, snoring, and respiration, and (2) following such collecting, processing and analyzing collected data to detect associated, disordered breathing including assessing the presence of at least one of (a) sleep-disordered breathing generally, (b) sleep apnea specifically, and (c) differentiation between central and obstructive sleep apnea. Further involved is the acquiring of ECG data, and that the mentioned processing and analyzing include recognition of such acquired ECG data.

Detection and differentiation of sleep disordered breathing

A computer-based detection method employable with a sleeping subject for aiding in the differential-character diagnosis and treatments of apneic events includes gathering heart-sound data, including Sdata and Sdata. A combined time-frequency-intensity (TFI) analysis, of the gathered data is performed, in a continuous manner, over a selected time period. Based on the performing and the performed TFI analysis, an output is produced which is indicative of the presence and character of any detected apneic event.

Differential apneic detection in aid of diagnosis and treatment

A vector method for monitoring a subject's hemodynamic condition including (a) utilizing at least one, external or internal, anatomy-attached, three-axis accelerometer, collecting from the subject, during a selected cardiac cycle, related, three-orthogonal-axes accelerometer signal data, (b) following such collecting, processing collected signal data to obtain associated, signal vector, magnitude and directionality information, and (c) analyzing such obtained vector information for assessment of the subject's heart hemodynamic condition. ECG and signal time-frequency data is also collected and used in certain manners and implementations of the invention.

Multi-axial heart sounds and murmur detection for hemodynamic-condition assessment

Combining, to a singularity, from a plurality of anatomical sites, and over a plurality of heart cycles a collection of selected heart-functionality parameter measurements, such as EMAT, LVST, PADT, and AAFT measurements, including (a) collecting ECG and heart-sound data from plural anatomical sites, (b) computer processing such data to acquire plural, per-site, per-heart-cycle, nominal values for the selected parameter, (c) utilizing arithmetic mean and selected variance calculations related to such nominal values processing, and determined weight coefficients, computing weighted nominal values, (d) computing a weighted, nominal-value average of all of the nominal values by summing all of the weighted values and dividing that sum by the sum of all of the weight coefficients, and (e) presenting the computed weighted average as the combined, singularity value of the selected heart-functionality parameter.

Combining to a singularity plural-anatomical-site, heart-functionality measurements

A method for gathering, creating and utilizing signal-processed ECG and acoustic signals for assessing, via presenting a highly intuitive, multi-component, common-time-base, real-time output display of selected (1) timing, (2) relative timing, and (3) other significant heart-behavioral elements relevant to such an assessment, a pacemaker patient's hemodynamic condition. The method offers an important option and capability for automatic, and/or manual, medical-treatment and/or pacemaker-control feedback, in real time, to improve a pacemaker patient's hemodynamic status, with such a patient's resulting hemodynamic-behavioral/status changes caused by such feedback being viewable immediately in the invention's produced output display.

Pacemaker-patient hemodynamic assessment/adjustment methodology

A method and a system for monitoring and characterizing a person's heart condition for various medically related purposes. The method includes the steps of (a) acquiring a selected person's acoustic heart signature, (b) acquiring, substantially simultaneously, that same person's electrical heart signature, (c) choosing elements of determined interest from these two acquired signatures and selectively processing and inter- and/or cross-relating such elements, and (d) employing the results of the relating step to create a heart-condition fingerprint useful in the characterization of that person's heart condition. From a systemic point of view, that system includes (a) acoustic and electrical data-gathering devices employable to collect acoustic and electrical data from a person, and (b) processing structure operatively connected to these devices, operable to process and inter- and/or cross-relate data gathered by the devices for the purpose of generating a reportable heart-condition fingerprint of a person from whom such data has been collected.

Method and system relating to monitoring and characterizing heart condition

A method and system for automatically detecting heart sounds. The sound system receives sound data corresponding to beats of the heart. The sound system analyzes the sound data to detect the presence of a heart sound within the beats. The sound system then outputs an indication of the heart sounds that were detected. The sound system may use ECG data to identify various locations (e.g., R peak) within a beat and use those locations to assist in the detection of heart sounds.

Method and system for detection of heart sounds

A defibrillator having infrared communication capability is provided. The wireless communications capability is implemented using infrared light or RF communications and standardized communications protocols such as the IRDA protocol to allow for ready communication between defibrillators such as during handoffs of patient along the Chain of Survival. The wireless communications network also allows for communications between a defibrillator and a host computer such as a palmtop for incident report generation after each handoff. Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a defibrillator having an infrared mode switch to allow for restricted access to advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) features of the defibrillator. A further embodiment of the present invention provides for a defibrillator having a remote training mode that is implemented via wireless communications. Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a defibrillator test system that is implemented via wireless communications. A further embodiment of the present invention provides for a live ECG telemetry data link using the wireless communications system.

Defibrillator with wireless communications

A defibrillator having infrared communication capability is provided. The wireless communications capability is implemented using infrared light or RF communications and standardized communications protocols such as the IrDA protocol to allow for ready communication between defibrillators such as during handoffs of patient along the Chain of Survival. The wireless communications network also allows for communications between a defibrillator and a host computer such as a palmtop for incident report generation after each handoff. Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a defibrillator having an infrared mode switch to allow for restricted access to advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) features of the defibrillator. A further embodiment of the present invention provides for a defibrillator having a remote training mode that is implemented via wireless communications. Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a defibrillator test system that is implemented via wireless communications. A further embodiment of the present invention provides for a live ECG telemetry data link using the wireless communications system.

Growing community of inventors

McMinnville, OR, United States of America

Patricia A Arand