Leadless implantable sensor assembly and a cardiac emergency warning alarm

Claim 2

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm for chronic subcutaneous implantation within a patient's body, comprising: a hermetically-sealed housing; an electromagnetic sensor fully enclosed within said housing, said sensor including an antenna, means for applying measuring currents to said antenna, said measuring currents having frequency components within a range of from approximately 10 kilohertz to approximately 1000 megahertz, means for controlling said measuring current applying means to limit the frequency components of the applied measuring currents to lie within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies such that the measured voltage within each subrange of frequencies corresponds to a measurement of physical motion within the patient's body relating to a particular physiological function, means for measuring voltages developed at said antenna in response to the application of said measuring currents, and means for deriving at least one physiological parameter from the measured voltage corresponding to each of said at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies; means responsive to said sensor for detecting a cardiac arrhythmia, said detecting means being fully enclosed within said housing; and said acoustic alarm within said housing responsive to said detecting means for notifying the patient of an arrhythmia condition.

Claim 3

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 1, wherein said measuring current applying means includes means for generating measuring currents in the form of short-duration, square-wave-like current pulses having pulse durations in the range from 5 nanoseconds to 20 microseconds, wherein said controlling means includes means for limiting said measuring current applying means to generate measuring current pulses having pulse durations within at least one predetermined subrange of durations, wherein said at least one derived physiological parameter is a heart motion parameter and its associated subrange of pulse durations includes durations longer than approximately 300 nanoseconds, and wherein said cardiac arrhythmia detecting means derives a heart rate measurement on the basis of said heart motion parameter and detects a physiological condition indicative of a cardiac arrhythmia when said heart rate measurement is greater than a predetermined abnormal heart rate.

Claim 4

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 2, wherein said physiological parameter deriving means derives a second physiological parameter, wherein said second physiological parameter is a respiration parameter and its associated subrange of pulse durations includes durations from approximately 25 nanoseconds to approximately 500 nanoseconds, wherein said cardiac arrhythmia detecting means derives a metabolic indicator rate on the basis of said respiration parameter and sets said predetermined abnormal heart rate as a function of said metabolic indicator rate.

Claim 5

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 1, wherein said measuring current applying means includes means for generating measuring currents in the form of sinusoidal-like oscillating currents having frequency components in the range from 10 kilohertz to 1000 megahertz, wherein said controlling means includes means for limiting said measuring current applying means to generate measuring currents having sinusoidal-like oscillating frequencies within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies, wherein said at least one derived physiological parameter is a heart motion parameter and its associated subrange of oscillating current frequencies includes frequencies lower than approximately 4 megahertz, and wherein said cardiac arrhythmia detecting means derives a heart rate measurement on the basis of said heart motion parameter and detects a physiological condition indicative of a cardiac arrhythmia when said heart rate measurement is greater than a predetermined abnormal heart rate.

Claim 6

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 4, wherein said physiological parameter deriving means derives a second physiological parameter, wherein said second physiological parameter is a respiration parameter and its associated subrange of oscillating current frequencies includes frequencies from approximately 2 megahertz to approximately 40 megahertz, wherein said cardiac arrhythmia detecting means derives a metabolic indicator rate on the basis of said respiration parameter and sets said predetermined abnormal heart rate as a function of said metabolic indicator rate.

Claim 7

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm for chronic subcutaneous implantation within a patient's body, capable of communicating with an information-receiving device, comprising: a hermetically-sealed housing; an electromagnetic sensor fully enclosed within said housing, said sensor including an antenna, means for applying measuring currents to said antenna, said measuring currents having frequency components within a range of from approximately 10 kilohertz to approximately 1000 megahertz, means for controlling said measuring current applying means to limit the frequency components of the applied measuring currents to lie within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies such that the measured voltage within each subrange of frequencies corresponds to a measurement of physical motion within the patient's body relating to a particular physiological function, means for measuring voltages developed at said antenna in response to the application of said measuring currents, and means for deriving at least one physiological parameter from the measured voltage corresponding to each of said at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies; means responsive to said sensor for determining a heart abnormality, said detecting means being fully enclosed within said housing; and a transmitter within said housing responsive to said determining means for communicating with said information-receiving device to report on the heart abnormality.

Claim 8

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm for chronic subcutaneous implantation within a patient's body, capable of communicating with an information-receiving device, comprising: a hermetically-sealed housing; an electromagnetic sensor fully enclosed within said housing, said sensor including an antenna, means for applying measuring currents to said antenna, said measuring currents having frequency components within a range of from approximately 10 kilohertz to approximately 1000 megahertz, means for controlling said measuring current applying means to limit the frequency components of the applied measuring currents to lie within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies such that the measured voltage within each subrange of frequencies corresponds to a measurement of physical motion within the patient's body relating to a particular physiological function, means for measuring voltages developed at said antenna in response to the application of said measuring currents, and means for deriving at least one physiological parameter from the measured voltage corresponding to each of said at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies; means responsive to said sensor for determining a heart abnormality, said detecting means being fully enclosed within said housing; and a transmitter within said housing responsive to said determining means for communicating with said information-receiving device to report on the heart abnormality.

Claim 9

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 6, wherein said transmitter includes means to initiate a communication with said information-receiving device independent of the operation of said information-receiving device.

Claim 10

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 7, wherein said transmitter includes means to report a heart abnormality in the form of a diagnostic message.

Claim 11

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 6, wherein said sensor, said determining means and said transmitter all include means to operate continuously, independently of external control by said information-receiving device.

Claim 12

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 6, wherein said measuring current applying means includes a circuit to generate a constant measuring current.

Claim 13

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 6, wherein said measuring current applying means includes a circuit to generate measuring current using a constant voltage.

Claim 14

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 6, wherein said measuring current applying means includes means for generating measuring currents in the form of short-duration, square-wave-like current pulses having pulse durations in the range from 5 nanoseconds to 20 microseconds, wherein said controlling means includes means for limiting said measuring current applying means to generate measuring current pulses having pulse durations within at least one predetermined subrange of durations, wherein said at least one derived physiological parameter is a heart motion parameter and its associated subrange of pulse durations includes durations longer than approximately 300 nanoseconds, and wherein said heart abnormality determining means derives a heart rate measurement on the basis of said heart motion parameter and detects a physiological condition indicative of a heart abnormality when said heart rate measurement is greater than a predetermined abnormal heart rate.

Claim 15

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 12, wherein said physiological parameter deriving means derives a second physiological parameter, wherein said second physiological parameter is a respiration parameter and its associated subrange of pulse durations includes durations from approximately 25 nanoseconds to approximately 500 nanoseconds, and wherein said heart abnormality determining means derives a metabolic indicator rate on the basis of said respiration parameter and sets said predetermined abnormal heart rate as a function of said metabolic indicator rate.

Claim 16

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 6, wherein said measuring current applying means includes means for generating measuring currents in the form of short-duration, square-wave-like current pulses, wherein said controlling means includes means for regulating said measuring current applying means to generate measuring current pulses having a predetermined pulse duration, said regulating means regulating, for each of said measuring current pulses, at least one subrange of sampling times with respect to the onset of the current pulse at which said measuring current applying means measures the voltage developed at said antenna by the current pulse, and wherein said at least one subrange of sampling times defines a sampling frequency which corresponds to a measurement of a physiological parameter.

Claim 17

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 14, wherein said at least one derived physiological parameter is a heart motion parameter and its associated subrange of sampling times includes times longer than approximately 300 nanoseconds, and wherein said heart abnormality determining means derives a heart rate measurement on the basis of said heart motion parameter and detects a physiological condition indicative of a heart abnormality when the heart rate parameter is greater that a predetermined abnormal heart rate.

Claim 18

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 15, wherein said physiological parameter deriving means derives a second physiological parameter, wherein said second physiological parameter is a respiration parameter and its associated subrange of sampling times includes times from approximately 25 nanoseconds to approximately 500 nanoseconds, and wherein said heart abnormality determining means derives a metabolic indicator rate on the basis of said respiration parameter and sets the predetermined abnormal heart rate as a function of said metabolic indicator rate.

Claim 19

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 6, wherein said measuring current applying means includes means for generating measuring currents in the form of sinusoidal-like oscillating currents having frequency components in the range from 10 kilohertz to 1000 megahertz, wherein said controlling means includes means for limiting said measuring current applying means to generate measuring currents having sinusoidal-like oscillating frequencies within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies, wherein said at least one derived physiological parameter is a heart motion parameter and its associated subrange of oscillating current frequencies includes frequencies lower than approximately 4 megahertz, and wherein said heart abnormality determining means derives a heart rate measurement on the basis of said heart motion parameter and detects a physiological condition indicative of a heart abnormality when said heart rate measurement is greater that a predetermined abnormal heart rate.

Claim 20

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 17, wherein said physiological parameter deriving means derives a second physiological parameter, wherein said second physiological parameter is a respiration parameter and its associated subrange of oscillating current frequencies includes frequencies from approximately 2 megahertz to approximately 40 megahertz, and wherein said heart abnormality determining means derives a metabolic indicator rate on the basis of said respiration parameter and sets said predetermined abnormal heart rate as a function of said metabolic indicator rate.

Claim 21

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm in accordance with claim 6, wherein said measuring current applying means includes means for generating measuring currents in the form of timed pulses of sinusoidal-like oscillating currents having timed pulses of durations of at least 5 nanoseconds and having frequency components in the range of from 10 kilohertz to 1000 megahertz, and wherein said controlling means includes means for limiting said measuring current applying means to generate measuring currents having oscillating frequencies within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies.

Claim 22

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm for chronic subcutaneous implantation within a patient's body, capable of communicating with an information-receiving device, comprising: a hermetically-sealed housing; an electromagnetic sensor fully enclosed within said housing, said sensor including an antenna, means for applying measuring currents to said antenna, said measuring currents having frequency components within a range of from approximately 10 kilohertz to approximately 1000 megahertz, means for controlling said measuring current applying means to limit the frequency components of the applied measuring currents to lie within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies such that the measured voltage within each subrange of frequencies corresponds to a measurement of physical motion within the patient's body relating to a particular physiological function, means for measuring voltages developed at said antenna in response to the application of said measuring currents, and means for deriving at least one physiological parameter from the measured voltage corresponding to each of said at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies; means responsive to said sensor for deriving cardiac information therefrom, said responsive means being fully enclosed within said housing; and means within said housing responsive to said deriving means for communicating with said information-receiving device to report on the derived cardiac information.

Claim 23

A cardiac arrhythmia alarm for chronic subcutaneous implantation within a patient's body, capable of communicating with an information-receiving device, comprising: a hermetically-sealed housing; an electromagnetic sensor fully enclosed within said housing, said sensor including an antenna, means for applying measuring currents to said antenna, said measuring currents having frequency components within a range of from approximately 10 kilohertz to approximately 1000 megahertz, means for controlling said measuring current applying means to limit the frequency components of the applied measuring currents to lie within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies such that the measured voltage within each subrange of frequencies corresponds to a measurement of physical motion within the patient's body relating to a particular physiological function, means for measuring voltages developed at said antenna in response to the application of said measuring currents, and means for deriving at least one physiological parameter from the measured voltage corresponding to each of said at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies; means responsive to said sensor for deriving cardiac information therefrom, said responsive means being fully enclosed within said housing; and means within said housing responsive to said deriving means for communicating with said information-receiving device to report on the derived cardiac information.

Claim 26

A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said impedance measuring step includes the further substep of generating said measuring currents in the form of short-duration, square-wave-like current pulses having pulse durations in the range of from 5 nanoseconds to 20 microseconds, and wherein said controlling step includes the substep of regulating said impedance measuring step to generate measuring current pulses having pulse durations within at least one predetermined subrange of durations.

Claim 27

A method in accordance with claim 22, wherein said controlling step includes the substep of regulating said impedance measuring step to generate measuring current pulses having pulse durations longer than approximately 300 nanoseconds.

Claim 28

A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein said at least one derived physiological parameter is a heart motion parameter, and wherein said analyzing step includes the substeps of determining a heart rate parameter on the basis of said heart motion parameter and detecting a physiological condition indicative of a heart abnormality when said heart rate parameter is greater than a predetermined abnormal heart rate.

Claim 29

A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein said deriving step includes the substep of driving a second physiological parameter, said second physiological parameter being a respiration parameter, and wherein said controlling step includes the further substep of regulating said impedance measuring step to also generate measuring current pulses having pulse durations from approximately 25 nanoseconds to approximately 500 nanoseconds.

Claim 30

A method in accordance with claim 25, wherein said analyzing step includes the further substeps of deriving a metabolic indicator rate on the basis of said respiration parameter and setting said predetermined abnormal heart rate as a function of said metabolic indicator rate.

Claim 31

A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein said deriving step includes the substep of deriving a second physiological parameter, said second physiological parameter being a patient motion parameter, and wherein said controlling step includes the further substep of regulating said impedance measuring step to also generate measuring current pulses having pulse durations shorter than approximately 125 nanoseconds.

Claim 32

A method in accordance with claim 27, wherein said analyzing step includes the further substeps of deriving a metabolic indicator rate on the basis of said patient motion parameter and setting said predetermined abnormal heart rate as a function of said metabolic indicator rate.

Claim 33

A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said impedance measuring step includes the further substep of generating said measuring currents in the form of oscillating measuring currents having frequency components in the range of from 10 kilohertz to 1000 megahertz, and wherein said controlling step includes the substep of limiting said impedance measuring step to generating measuring currents having oscillating current frequencies.

Claim 34

A method in accordance with claim 29, wherein said controlling step includes the substep of regulating said impedance measuring step to generate oscillating measuring currents having frequencies lower than approximately 4 megahertz.

Claim 35

A method in accordance with claim 30, wherein said at least one derived physiological parameter is a heart motion parameter, and wherein said analyzing step includes the substeps of determining a heart rate parameter on the basis of said heart motion parameter and detecting a physiological condition indicative of a heart abnormality when said heart rate parameter is greater than a predetermined abnormal heart rate.

Claim 36

A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein said deriving step includes the substep of deriving a second physiological parameter, said second physiological parameter being a respiration parameter, and wherein said controlling step includes the further substep of regulating said impedance measuring step to also generate oscillating measuring currents having frequencies from approximately 2 megahertz to approximately 40 megahertz.

Claim 37

A method in accordance with claim 32, wherein said analyzing step includes the further substeps of deriving a metabolic indicator rate on the basis of said respiration parameter and setting said predetermined abnormal heart rate as a function of said metabolic indicator rate.

Claim 38

A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein said deriving step includes the substep of deriving a second physiological parameter, said second physiological parameter being a patient motion parameter, and wherein said controlling step includes the further substep of regulating said impedance measuring step to also generate oscillating measuring currents having frequencies higher than approximately 8 megahertz.

Claim 39

A method in accordance with claim 34, wherein said analyzing step includes the further substeps of deriving a metabolic indicator rate on the basis of said patient motion parameter and setting said predetermined abnormal heart rate as a function of said metabolic indicator rate.

Claim 40

A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said impedance measuring step includes the further substep of generating measuring currents in the form of timed pulses of sinusoidal-like oscillating currents having timed pulses of durations of at least 5 nanoseconds and having frequency components in the range from 10 kilohertz to 1000 megahertz, wherein said controlling step includes the substep of limiting said impedance measuring step to generate measuring currents having oscillating current frequencies within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies, and wherein the measured voltage within each subrange of frequencies corresponds to a measurement of a physiological parameter.

Claim 41

A method in accordance with claim 21, further comprising the steps of: upon the detection of a heart abnormality, initiating communication with a non-implanted message-receiving device independent of the operation of said message-receiving device; and transmitting diagnostic messages to said message-receiving device upon initiation of communication.

Claim 42

A leadless cardiac sensor assembly for chronic subcutaneous implantation within a patient's body, comprising: a hermetically-sealed housing; and an electromagnetic sensor fully enclosed within said housing, said sensor including an antenna, means for applying excitation signals to said antenna, said excitation signals having frequency components within a range of from approximately 10 kilohertz to approximately 1000 megahertz, means for controlling said excitation signal applying means to limit the frequency components of the applied excitation signals to lie within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies such that a received signal within each subrange of frequencies corresponds to a measurement of physical motion within the patient's body relating to a particular physiological function, means for measuring received signals developed at said antenna in response to the application of said excitation signals, and means for deriving at least one physiological parameter from the received signal corresponding to each of said at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies.

Claim 43

A leadless cardiac sensor assembly for chronic subcutaneous implantation within a patient's body, comprising: a hermetically-sealed housing; and an electromagnetic sensor fully enclosed within said housing, said sensor including an antenna, means for applying excitation signals to said antenna, said excitation signals having frequency components within a range of from approximately 10 kilohertz to approximately 1000 megahertz, means for controlling said excitation signal applying means to limit the frequency components of the applied excitation signals to lie within at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies such that a received signal within each subrange of frequencies corresponds to a measurement of physical motion within the patient's body relating to a particular physiological function, means for measuring received signals developed at said antenna in response to the application of said excitation signals, and means for deriving at least one physiological parameter from the received signal corresponding to each of said at least one predetermined subrange of frequencies.

Claim 44

The leadless sensor in accordance with claim 38, wherein said excitation signal applying means includes means for generating excitation signals in the form of short-duration, square-wave-like signal pulses having pulse durations in the range from 5 nanoseconds to 20 microseconds, wherein said controlling means includes means for limiting said excitation signal applying means to generate excitation signals having pulse durations within at least one predetermined subrange of durations, and wherein said at least one derived physiological parameter is a heart motion parameter.

Claim 45

The leadless sensor in accordance with claim 39, wherein said physiological parameter deriving means derives a second physiological parameter, wherein said second physiological parameter is a respiration parameter and its associated subrange of pulse durations includes durations from approximately 25 nanoseconds to approximately 500 nanoseconds, said sensor further comprising heart rate means for deriving a heart rate on the basis of said respiration parameter.

Claim 48

The device of claim 41 wherein said physical parameter relates to the motion of said patient's heart.

Claim 49

The device of claim 41 wherein said physical parameter relates to a tissue motion within said patient.