Telemetry system for an implantable cardiac device

A system which monitors activity of a human heart, or provides therapy to the human heart, or both, said system comprising:

• an implantable cardiac device, said implantable cardiac device including at least one electrode for sensing activity of the heart, or providing therapy to the heart, said implantable cardiac device further including circuit means coupled to said at least one electrode for providing therapy or monitoring the activity of the heart sensed by said at least one electrode, said circuit means including data generating means for generating data indicative of said monitored activity or therapeutic activity in accordance with received command transmissions;
• a non-implantable external device:
• and
• telemetry means for establishing communication between said non-implantable external device and said implantable cardiac device, said telemetry means including
• a receiver within said non-implantable external device;
• a transmitter within said non-implantable external device;
• receiving means within said cardiac device for receiving said command transmissions from said transmitter, said command transmissions conforming to a first protocol and said command transmissions being selectively transmitted at two or more rates in accordance with said first protocol;
• and
• transmitting means within said cardiac device for transmitting information including said data to said receiver in accordance with a second protocol, said information being selectively transmitted at one or more rates in accordance with said second protocol;
• said first protocol being different from said second protocol;
• said transmitter including command transmitting means for selectively transmitting said command transmissions at a first rate or at a second rate in accordance with said first protocol.

A cardiac device which monitors activity of a human heart, or provides therapy to a human heart, or both, said cardiac device being fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient and comprising:

• at least one electrode for sensing activity of the heart or providing therapy to the heart;
• circuit means coupled to said at least one electrode for providing therapy or monitoring activity of the heart sensed by said at least one electrode in accordance with received command transmissions transmitted from a non-implanted transmitter external to the skin of said patient;
• receiving means for receiving said command transmissions from said non-implanted transmitter;
• and
• activation means for enabling said receiving means to receive said command transmissions at intervals in time of controlled duration separated by intervals in time during which said activation means disables said receiving means from receiving said command transmissions.

A system including a cardiac device which monitors activity of a human heart, or provides therapy to a human heart, or both, said cardiac device being fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient, the system comprising;

• a non-implantable transmitter and receiver external to the skin of a patient;
• at least one electrode for sensing activity of the heart or providing therapy to the heart;
• circuit means within said cardiac device coupled to said at least one electrode for providing therapy or monitoring activity of the heart sensed by said at least one electrode in accordance with received command transmissions transmitted from said non-implantable transmitter, said circuit means generating data indicative of monitored activity of the heart;
• receiving means within said cardiac device for receiving
• said command transmissions from said non-implantable transmitter;
• transmitting means within said cardiac device for transmitting information including said data to said non-implantable receiver responsive to said receiving means receiving an initiation command from said non-implantable transmitter;
• and
• activation means within said cardiac device for enabling said receiving means to receive said command transmissions at intervals in time of controlled duration separated by intervals in time during which said activation means disables said receiving means from receiving said command transmissions.

A cardiac device for monitoring the physiology of the human heart and delivering therapy to the heart, or both, said device being fully implantable beneath the skin of a patient and comprising:

• a hermetically sealed enclosure, said enclosure including a perimeter, and an electrically insulating header sealingly engaging a portion of said perimeter;
• at least one electrode for sensing activity of the heart;
• circuit means within said enclosure and coupled to said at least one electrode for providing therapy or monitoring the activity of the heart sensed by said at least one electrode and for generating data indicative of the monitored activity of the heart responsive to command transmissions received from an external programmer;
• and
• one or more antennas disposed within said header for transmitting said data to a non-implanted external receiver and for receiving said command transmissions.

A method of communicating in a cardiac monitoring or therapeutic device, said method comprising the steps of:

• sensing activity of the heart or providing therapy to the heart;
• generating data indicative of said activity in accordance with received command transmissions;
• providing a receiver and receiving from a non-implanted transmitter said command transmissions, said command transmissions conforming to a first protocol;
• and
• transmitting information including said data to a non-implanted receiver in accordance with a second protocol, said second protocol being different from said first protocol.

A method of communicating in a cardiac monitoring or therapeutic device, said method comprising the steps of:

• sensing activity of the heart or providing therapy to the heart;
• providing therapy to the heart or monitoring the activity of the heart in accordance with received command transmissions transmitted from a non-implanted transmitter and generating data indicative of said monitored activity;
• providing a receiver to receive said command transmissions from said non-implanted transmitter;
• and
• enabling said receiver to receive said command transmissions at intervals in time of controlled duration, separated by intervals in time during which said receiver is disabled from receiving said command transmissions.

A method for monitoring activity of a human heart or providing therapy to the heart of a patient comprising the steps of:

• providing a receiver for receiving program transmissions transmitted from external to the skin of the patient;
• providing therapy or monitoring activity of the heart responsive to said program transmissions;
• transmitting information including locating signals;
• and
• providing a movable programming unit for transmitting said command transmissions, receiving said information and indicating a received signal strength of said locating signals.