US6442427B1
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Method and system for stimulating a mammalian heart
Assignee: Medtronic Inc
•
Filing: 2000-04-27
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Granted: 2002-08-27
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Expires: 2020-04-27
Abstract
Abstract A method for instantaneously stimulating a mammalian heart is provided. The mammalian heart includes a first atrium and a second atrium. A commencement signal is received. At least one additional signal is received. A plurality of intervals corresponding to the time between two successive signals is measured. An average interval is calculated. One of the plurality of intervals is compared to the average interval. Finally, a contraction signal is instantly transmitted to the second atrium when a difference between the average interval and one of the plurality of intervals is greater than a predetermined time period, instantaneously transmitting a contraction signal to the second atrium.
Inventors
- 👤 Willem Boute
- 👤 Harm H. Van Bolhuis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:42
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/36; A61N1/362; A61N1/365; A61N1/368; A61N1/38; A61N1/39; A61N1/3956
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 54
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for instantaneously stimulating a mammalian heart, the mammalian heart including a first atrium and a second atrium, comprising: receiving a commencement signal; receiving at least one additional signal; measuring a plurality of intervals corresponding to the time between two successive signals; calculating an average interval; comparing one of the plurality of intervals to the average interval; and when a difference between the average interval and one of the plurality of intervals is greater than a predetermined time period, instantaneously transmitting a contraction signal to the second atrium.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for instantaneously stimulating a mammalian heart, the mammalian heart including a first atrium and a second atrium, comprising: receiving a commencement signal; receiving at least one additional signal; measuring a plurality of intervals corresponding to the time between two successive signals; calculating an average interval; comparing one of the plurality of intervals to the average interval; and when a difference between the average interval and one of the plurality of intervals is greater than a predetermined time period, instantaneously transmitting a contraction signal to the second atrium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the commencement signal is transmitted from the first atrium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one additional signals is sent from the first atrium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the average interval is a function of at least two of the plurality of intervals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the contraction signal includes an instruction to stimulate the second atrium to contract.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammalian heart is a human heart.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the first atrium is the left atrium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the first atrium is the right atrium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the second atrium is the left atrium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the second atrium is the right atrium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time period corresponds to fifteen successive beats per minute of the mammalian heart.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the contraction signal comprises an electrical current.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
94 words
An implantable medical device, comprising: a processor; a controller operably connected to the processor; at least one sensing lead operably connected to the controller; and at least one pacing lead operably connected to the controller; wherein a signal is instantaneously sent from the controller to one of the at least one pacing leads to contract a paced atrium when at least one interval calculated from at least two signals received from a sensed atrium via one of the at least one sensing leads is less than an average interval by a predetermined time factor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
94 words
An implantable medical device, comprising: a processor; a controller operably connected to the processor; at least one sensing lead operably connected to the controller; and at least one pacing lead operably connected to the controller; wherein a signal is instantaneously sent from the controller to one of the at least one pacing leads to contract a paced atrium when at least one interval calculated from at least two signals received from a sensed atrium via one of the at least one sensing leads is less than an average interval by a predetermined time factor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein each of the at least one sensing leads has one end, the one end being positioned in the sensed atrium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein each of the at least one pacing leads has one end, the one end being positioned in the paced atrium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein the average interval corresponds to the average of at least two intervals.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein the signal includes an instruction to stimulate the paced atrium to contract.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein the paced atrium is a left atrium of a mammalian heart.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein the paced atrium is a right atrium of a mammalian heart.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein the sensed atrium is a left atrium of a mammalian heart.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein the sensed atrium is a right atrium of a mammalian heart.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined time period corresponds to fifteen successive beats per minute of a mammalian heart.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein the signal comprises an electrical current.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein each of the at least one sensing leads further includes at least one electrode disposed at the distal end of each of the at least one sensing leads.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein each of the at least one pacing leads further includes at least one electrode disposed at the distal end of each of the at least one pacing leads.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , further including an output pulse generator operably connected to the controller.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein the output pulse generator generates the signal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , further including a sense measurement unit operably connected to the controller.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
27 words
The implantable medical device of claim 13 , wherein the sense measurement unit receives each of the signals from each of the at least one sensing leads.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
104 words
An implantable medical device system for instantaneously stimulating a mammalian heart, the mammalian heart including a first atrium and a second atrium, comprising: means for receiving a commencement signal; means for receiving at least one additional signal; means for measuring a plurality of intervals corresponding to the time between two successive signals; means for calculating an average interval; means for comparing one of the plurality of intervals to the average interval; and when a difference between the average interval and one of the plurality of intervals is greater than a predetermined time period, means for instantaneously transmitting a contraction signal to the second atrium.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
104 words
An implantable medical device system for instantaneously stimulating a mammalian heart, the mammalian heart including a first atrium and a second atrium, comprising: means for receiving a commencement signal; means for receiving at least one additional signal; means for measuring a plurality of intervals corresponding to the time between two successive signals; means for calculating an average interval; means for comparing one of the plurality of intervals to the average interval; and when a difference between the average interval and one of the plurality of intervals is greater than a predetermined time period, means for instantaneously transmitting a contraction signal to the second atrium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein the commencement signal is transmitted from the first atrium.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein each of the at least one additional signals is sent from the first atrium.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
25 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein the average interval is a function of at least two of the plurality of intervals.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein the contraction signal includes an instruction to stimulate the second atrium to contract.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
17 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein the mammalian heart is a human heart.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
17 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein the first atrium is the left atrium.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein the first atrium is the right atrium.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein the second atrium is the left atrium.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
17 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein the second atrium is the right atrium.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
25 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein the predetermined time period corresponds to fifteen successive beats per minute of the mammalian heart.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
17 words
The implantable medical device system of claim 30 , wherein the contraction signal comprises an electrical current.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for instantaneously stimulating a mammalian heart, the mammalian heart including a left atrium and a right atrium, comprising: receiving a commencement signal; receiving at least one additional signal; measuring a plurality of intervals corresponding to the time between two successive signals; calculating an average interval; comparing one of the plurality of intervals to the average interval; and when a difference between the average interval and one of the plurality of intervals is greater than a predetermined time period, transmitting a contraction signal to the left atrium.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for instantaneously stimulating a mammalian heart, the mammalian heart including a left atrium and a right atrium, comprising: receiving a commencement signal; receiving at least one additional signal; measuring a plurality of intervals corresponding to the time between two successive signals; calculating an average interval; comparing one of the plurality of intervals to the average interval; and when a difference between the average interval and one of the plurality of intervals is greater than a predetermined time period, transmitting a contraction signal to the left atrium.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the commencement signal is transmitted from the right atrium.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein each of the at least one additional signals is sent from the right atrium.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the average interval is a function of at least two of the plurality of intervals.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the contraction signal includes an instruction to stimulate the left atrium to contract.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the mammalian heart is a human heart.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the predetermined time period corresponds to fifteen successive beats per minute of the mammalian heart.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the contraction signal comprises an electrical current.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the contraction signal is transmitted instantaneously.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-08-26 | 2006-02-25 | 2006-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-02-25 | 2010-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-26 | 2014-02-25 | 2014-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |