Subcutaneous multi-electrode sensing system, method and pacer

An apparatus for monitoring cardiac signals, comprising:

• a hermetically sealed housing;
• first and second pairs of electrodes mounted to said housing;
• sensing means, located within said housing, for sensing cardiac signals;
• command means, located outside said housing, for providing command signals indicative of which of said first and second electrode pairs are to be coupled to said sensing means;
• selecting means, located within said housing and responsive to said command signals, for selectively coupling said first and second electrode pairs to said sensing means;
• means for defining operational parameters of said apparatus;
• means for processing and converting said sensed cardiac signals into a control signal;
• and
• means responsive to said control signal for altering a said operational parameter of said apparatus.

An apparatus for monitoring cardiac signals, comprising:

• a hermetically sealed housing;
• first and second pairs of electrodes mounted to said housing;
• sensing means, located within said housing, for sensing cardiac signals;
• command means, located outside said housing, for providing command signals indicative of which of said first and second electrode pairs are to be coupled to said sensing means;
• selecting means, located within said housing and responsive to said command signals, for selectively coupling said first and second electrode pairs to said sensing means;
• and
• transmitter means for transmitting said sensed cardiac signals from said housing.

An apparatus for monitoring cardiac signals, comprising:

• a hermetically sealed housing;
• first and second pairs of electrodes mounted to said housing;
• sensing means, located within said housing, for sensing cardiac signals and for generating output signals corresponding to said sensed cardiac signals;
• selecting means, located within said housing, for selectively coupling said first and second electrode pairs to said sensing means;
• means for defining a preferred cardiac signal;
• means for comparing said output signals generated when said sensing means is coupled to said first electrode pair to said output signals generated when said sensing means is coupled to said second electrode pair to determine which of said first and second electrode pairs produces said preferred cardiac signal;
• control means, responsive to said comparing means, for controlling said selecting means to couple said sensing means to the one of said first and second electrode pairs which produces said preferred cardiac signal;
• processing means, located within said housing, for processing and converting said output signals into data signals;
• and
• means for storing said data signals.

An apparatus for monitoring cardiac signals, comprising:

• a hermetically sealed housing;
• first and second pairs of electrodes mounted to said housing;
• sensing means, located within said housing, for sensing cardiac signals and for generating output signals corresponding to said sensed cardiac signals;
• selecting means, located within said housing, for selectively coupling said first and second electrode pairs to said sensing means;
• means for defining a preferred cardiac signal;
• means for comparing said output signals generated when said sensing means is coupled to said first electrode pair to said output signals generated when said sensing means is coupled to said second electrode pair to determine which of said first and second electrode pairs produces said preferred cardiac signal;
• and
• control means, responsive to said comparing means, for controlling said selecting means to couple said sensing means to the one of said first and second electrode pairs which produces said preferred cardiac signal
• means for defining operational parameters of said apparatus;
• means for processing and converting said output signals into a control signal;
• and
• means responsive to said control signal for altering a said operational parameter of said apparatus.

An apparatus for monitoring cardiac signals, comprising:

• a hermetically sealed housing;
• first and second pairs of electrodes mounted to said housing;
• sensing means, located within said housing, for sensing cardiac signals and for generating output signals corresponding to said sensed cardiac signals;
• selecting means, located within said housing, for selectively coupling said first and second electrode pairs to said sensing means;
• means for defining a preferred cardiac signal;
• means for comparing said output signals generated when said sensing means is coupled to said first electrode pair to said output signals generated when said sensing means is coupled to said second electrode pair to determine which of said first and second electrode pairs produces said preferred cardiac signal;
• control means, responsive to said comparing means, for controlling said selecting means to couple said sensing means to the one of said first and second electrode pairs which produces said preferred cardiac signal;
• and
• transmitter means for transmitting said output signals from said housing.

An apparatus for monitoring cardiac signals, comprising:

• a hermetically sealed housing;
• first and second electrode pairs mounted to said housing;
• sensing means coupled to said first and second electrode pairs for sensing cardiac signals from said first and second electrode pairs and for generating first and second output signals corresponding to cardiac signals sensed from said first and second electrode pairs, respectively;
• and
• signal processing means coupled to said sensing means for combining said first and second output signals to provide combined output signals;
• and
• means for storing said combined output signals.

An apparatus for monitoring heart signals, comprising:

• a hermetically sealed housing;
• first and second electrode pairs mounted to said housing;
• sensing means coupled to said first and second electrode pairs for sensing cardiac signals from said first and second electrode pairs and for generating first and second output signals corresponding to cardiac signals sensed from said first and second electrode pairs, respectively;
• and
• signal processing means coupled to said sensing means for combining said first and second output signals to provide combined output signals;
• means for defining operational parameters of said apparatus;
• means for processing and converting said combined output signals into a control signal;
• and
• means responsive to said control signal for altering a said operational parameter of said apparatus.

An apparatus for monitoring cardiac signals, comprising;

• a hermetically sealed housing;
• first and second electrode pairs mounted to said housing;
• sensing means coupled to said first and second electrode pairs for sensing cardiac signals from said first and second electrode pairs and for generating first and second output signals corresponding to cardiac signals sensed from said first and second electrode pairs, respectively;
• and
• signal processing means coupled to said sensing means for combining said first and second output signals to provide combined output signals;
• and
• transmitter means for transmitting said combined output signals from said housing.

A method of monitoring cardiac signals, comprising:

• implanting in a patient an apparatus comprising a hermetically sealed housing, first and second pairs of electrodes mounted to said housing, a sensing means located within said housing for sensing cardiac signals and selecting means located within said housing and responsive to command signals for selectively coupling said first and second electrode pairs to said sensing means, such that said housing and said first and second electrode pairs are located outside of said patient's heart in the subcutaneous tissue of said patient;
• transmitting a said command signal indicative of which of said first and second electrode pairs are to be coupled to said sensing means to said apparatus from outside of said housing;
• and
• subsequently employing said coupled electrode pair to monitor said cardiac signals.

A method of monitoring cardiac signals, comprising:

• defining a preferred cardiac signal;
• implanting in a patient a device comprising a hermetically sealed housing, first and second pairs of electrodes mounted to said housing, a sensing means located within said housing for sensing cardiac signals and for generating output signals corresponding to said sensed cardiac signals and selecting means located within said housing for selectively coupling said first and second electrode pairs to said sensing means;
• such that said housing and said first and second electrode pairs are located outside of said patient's heart in subcutaneous tissue of said patient;
• selectively coupling said sensing means to said first and second electrode pairs;
• comparing said output signals generated when said sensing means is coupled to said first electrode pair to said output signals generated when said sensing means is coupled to said second electrode pair to determine which of said first and second electrode pairs produces said preferred cardiac signal;
• employing said selecting means to couple said sensing means to the one of said first and second electrode pairs which produces said preferred cardiac signal;
• and
• subsequently employing said one of said first and second electrode pairs which produces said preferred cardiac signal to monitor said cardiac signals.

A method of monitoring cardiac signals, comprising:

• implanting in a patient an apparatus comprising a hermetically sealed housing, first and second electrode pairs mounted to said housing and sensing means located within said housing coupled to said first and second electrode pairs for sensing cardiac signals from said first and second electrode pairs and for generating first and second output signals corresponding to cardiac signals sensed from said first and second electrode pairs, respectively, such that said housing and said first and second electrode pairs are located outside of said patient's heart in subcutaneous tissue of said patient;
• combining said first and second output signals to provide combined output signals;
• and
• employing said combined output signals to monitor the heart activity of said patient.