The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 06, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 08, 1999
Kenneth R. McNeil, II, Scottsdale, AZ (US);
Balakrishnan Shankar, Valencia, CA (US);
Alan B. Vogel, Saugus, CA (US);
Scott Gibson, Granada Hills, CA (US);
Pacesetter, Inc., Sylmar, CA (US);
Abstract
An implantable cardiac stimulation device including an activity/position sensor that incorporates a magnetoresistive sensor and a magnet that are positioned so as to move relative to each other in response to activity and the body position of the patient when the device is implanted in the body of the patient. In one embodiment, the sensor includes a magnetoresistive sensor that is made from giant magnetoresistive (GMR) materials. Preferably, a magnet is positioned on a flexible cantilevered beam so as to be positioned adjacent the magnetoresistive sensor. Movement of the patient results in relative movement of the magnet with respect to the magnetoresistive sensor and generates a signal having an AC component corresponding to a patient's activity and a DC component corresponding to the patient's body position. The signal can be used by the implantable cardiac stimulation device's processor for adjusting the delivery of therapeutic electrical stimulation such as by adjusting the pacing rate of pacing pulses being delivered to the patient's heart.