Pacer pulse width signaling system for telephonic communication

Claim 1

In a system for monitoring the operation of an implanted organ pacer via a telephonic communication link, means for producing an acoustically transmittable signal representing the width of pacer pulses, comprising: a pickup stage for detecting a pacer pulse and outputting an electrical pulse signal in response thereto; a current source; a first capacitor; first switching means coupled to said current source and said first capacitor and responsive to signals from said pickup stage for controlling the accumulation of charge on said first capacitor; a second capacitor; second switching means for coupling said first and said second capacitors; means for operating said second switching means subsequent to the operation of said first switching means to allow said second capacitor to charge to a potential representative of the potential on said first capacitor, and to thereafter electrically isolate said second capacitor from said first capacitor; third switching means coupled to said first capacitor; means for operating said third switching means subsequent to the operation of said second switching means to substantially discharge said first capacitor; and voltage controlled pulse generator means coupled to said second capacitor and responsive to voltage accumulated upon said second capacitor to output a train of pulses representative of the voltage accumulated upon said second capacitor.

Claim 9

A system for monitoring the operation of an organ pacer via a telephonic communication link, comprising: transducer means for detecting pacer pulses and outputting electrical pulses having a pulse width representative of the duration of the pacer pulses; a pulse splitter coupled to said transducer means and responsive to said electrical pulses to produce two trigger pulses displaced in time by substantially the duration of one of said electrical pulses; a bistable element coupled to said phase splitter and responsive to said trigger pulses for alternating state upon receipt of each pulse; a first capacitor; a gated current source coupled to said bistable element and to said first capacitor for charging said first capacitor when said bistable element is in a first state and for preventing said capacitor from charging when said bistable element is in a second state; first switching means coupled to said first capacitor for discharging said capacitor; a second capacitor; second switching means coupled to said second capacitor for periodically causing said second capacitor to be charged to and held at a potential representative of the potential of said first capacitor; a third capacitor; current generator means for charging said third capacitor at a predetermined rate; third switching means coupled to said second and said third capacitors for discharging said third capacitor when the potential on said third capacitor has attained a predetermined relationship with respect to the potential on the second capacitor; and signal generating means coupled to said third switching means for producing a telephonically transmittable signal representing the period of each cycle of said third capacitor.

Claim 10

A system for monitoring the operation of an organ pacer via a telephonic communication link, comprising: transducer means for detecting pacer pulses and outputting electrical pulses having a pulse width representative of the duration of the pacer pulses; a pulse splitter coupled to said transducer means and responsive to said electrical pulses to produce two trigger pulses displaced in time by substantially the duration of one of said electrical pulses; a bistable element coupled to said phase splitter and responsive to said trigger pulses for alternating state upon receipt of each pulse; a first capacitor; a gated current source coupled to said bistable element and to said first capacitor for charging said first capacitor when said bistable element is in a first state and for preventing said capacitor from charging when said bistable element is in a second state; first switching means coupled to said first capacitor for discharging said capacitor; a second capacitor; second switching means coupled to said second capacitor for periodically causing said second capacitor to be charged to and held at a potential representative of the potential of said first capacitor; a third capacitor; current generator means for charging said third capacitor at a predetermined rate; third switching means coupled to said second and said third capacitors for discharging said third capacitor when the potential on said third capacitor has attained a predetermined relationship with respect to the potential on the second capacitor; and signal generating means coupled to said third switching means for producing a telephonically transmittable signal representing the period of each cycle of said third capacitor.