Abstract: Minimizing improper dosage of a drug admixture (including a single primary drug component and at least one second drug component). For each drug component in the drug admixture, receiving a name of the drug component along with its dosage unit, a maximum dose warning level and a maximum concentration warning level. Receiving a concentration for each of the single primary drug component and the at least one secondary drug component; and a dose setting of only the primary drug component. Automatically calculating a dose of each of the at least one secondary drug component. Generating an alert when: (i) the received dose setting of the primary drug component or calculated dose setting of the at least one secondary drug component exceeds the dose warning level; or (ii) the received concentration of the primary drug component or the at least one secondary drug component exceeds the concentration warning level.

Abstract: An implantable pump includes a base plate and a can that are parts of the pump housing. The base plate bottom divides the housing into a first electronics chamber and a second chamber. A bellows mechanism is connected to the base plate and is disposed within the second chamber. The bellow mechanism has an expandable sidewall and a bottom plate. The bellow mechanism divides the second chamber into a medicament receiving portion and a non-medicament-receiving portion. The bellow mechanism has an intermediate plate disposed within the medicament-receiving portion. A coil is disposed in a recess on the lower surface of the base plate, and the coil is spaced from an internal wall of the recess. The amount of fluid remaining in the implantable pump can be monitored by energizing the coil. A primary magnetic field is generated by the energized coil.

Abstract: An implantable medical device includes a hermetically sealed housing that contains electronic circuitry. A feedthrough is disposed on an external surface of the housing. An antenna wire is disposed around the external surface of the housing. The antenna wire has one end connected to the feedthrough so that the antenna wire is in electric communication with at least a portion of the electronic circuitry. A heat shrink tube is sealingly disposed about substantially the entire external surface of the antenna wire to prevent fluids from contacting the antenna wire and thereby detuning the antenna wire. An antenna surround is disposed about the tube.

Abstract: Optimal power switching circuitry for use in a closed system such as a TET system including an internal device separated from an external device by a boundary. The internal and external devices being powered by separate power sources. During telemetric communication from the external device to the internal device an external RF energy source is produced. If the power supplied by the external RF energy source produced during communication from the external device to the internal device exceeds that required for powering of the internal device, then the power switching circuitry cuts off power to the internal power source and instead draws power from the external RF energy source thereby conserving power consumed from the internal power source. The power switching circuitry may be implemented using either passive components (e.g., diodes) or active components (e.g., an analog switch).

Abstract: An access system for controlling access of a user to one of several unique operative modes of an electronic device used to communicate with an implantable medical device. The access system includes a portable keycard, which is held by a user. The keycard has embedded magnets arranged in a unique predetermined pattern. The electronic device has a housing that provides a slot and a channel for receiving the keycard by the user. A sensing circuit and a processing circuit are both provided. The sensing circuit includes Hall-effect transducers positioned next to the channel so that upon inserted of the keycard, certain ones of these Hall-effect transducers will reside adjacent a magnet, depending on the particular unique pattern. A magnet positioned adjacent a Hall-effect transducer will cause the transducer to send an output signal to the processor indicating the presence of a magnet at the location of the Hall-effect transducer.

Abstract: An electrical device for performing a particular function includes a system circuit for performing the function, and a dedicated power supply for providing power to the circuit. Both the system circuit and the power supply are hermetically sealed within a housing. The device within the housing is intended to be sterilized using high temperature, reaching a sterilization temperature. According to the invention, the device includes a thermal switch which is electrically connected between the system circuit and the power supply. With the present invention, the electrical components of a device are automatically protected from thermal damage during sterilization.

Abstract: An implantable pump includes a base plate and a can that are parts of the pump housing. The base plate bottom divides the housing into a first electronics chamber and a second chamber. A bellows mechanism is connected to the base plate and is disposed within the second chamber. The bellow mechanism has an expandable sidewall and a bottom plate. The bellow mechanism divides the second chamber into a medicament receiving portion and a non-medicament-receiving portion. The bellow mechanism has an intermediate plate disposed within the medicament-receiving portion. A coil is disposed in a recess on the lower surface of the base plate, and the coil is spaced from an internal wall of the recess. The amount of fluid remaining in the implantable pump can be monitored by energizing the coil. A primary magnetic field is generated by the energized coil.

Abstract: An electrical device for performing a particular function includes a system circuit for performing the function, and a dedicated power supply for providing power to the circuit. Both the system circuit and the power supply are hermetically sealed within a housing. The device within the housing is intended to be sterilized using high temperature, reaching a sterilization temperature. According to the invention, the device includes a thermal switch which is electrically connected between the system circuit and the power supply. The thermal switch is switchable between an open position wherein the system circuit is electrically isolated from the power supply and receives no power therefrom and a closed position wherein the system circuit is electrically connected to the power supply and receives power therefrom. The thermal switch switches from its closed position to its open position in response to the temperature within the housing rising to a predetermined switch-open temperature value.

Abstract: An electrical device for performing a particular function includes a system circuit for performing the function, and a dedicated power supply for providing power to the circuit. Both the system circuit and the power supply are hermetically sealed within a housing. The device within the housing is intended to be sterilized using high temperature, reaching a sterilization temperature. According to the invention, the device includes a thermal switch which is electrically connected between the system circuit and the power supply. With the present invention, the electrical components of a device are automatically protected from thermal damage during sterilization.

Abstract: A monitoring system including a reading device electrically connected to a probe via a wired interface. The probe has a physiological sensor/transducer configured as a Wheatstone resistive bridge balancing circuit. Integrated within the housing of the probe to prohibit separation during use by a user is a memory device arranged in parallel with the sensor. Communication between the reading device and the probe occurs via a wired interface utilizing a same number of electrical wires between the reading device and the Wheatstone as would be required without the memory device. Control circuitry selects between one of two modes for accessing either data detected by the sensor or the memory device.

Abstract: An absolute piezo-resistive pressure sensor system and method employing multiple pressure sensing elements operating simultaneously to detect pressure. Both pressure sensing elements being subject to a common reference pressure within a sealed cavity. The first pressure sensing element detecting an offset voltage resulting from the progressive release of mechanical stress at an assembly interface between the sensing element and a base plate on which the sensing elements are assembled. Electronic circuitry compensates the pressure measured by the second pressure sensing element based on the offset voltage detected by the first pressure sensing element.

Abstract: The formation of a bellows made up of a stack of a predetermined number of ring-convolutions and having an intermediate plate supported within said stack is achieved by supplying several thin metal rings, each having inner and outer edges. A pair of these metal rings are positioned in contiguous relationship and their adjacent inside edges are welded together to form a ring-convolution. This process is repeated until a sufficient number of ring-convolutions are made to eventually make the desired bellows. Before these separate ring-convolutions are fused to each other, an intermediate plate and a support ring are made. The intermediate plate is a disc of metal that is sized smaller than the inside diameter of the rings and is secured to the support ring. The support ring is then positioned between two formed ring-convolutions in contiguous relationship and the three abutting outside edges are welded to each other to form a support plate convolution.

Abstract: An implantable pump includes a base plate and a can that are parts of the pump housing. The base plate bottom divides the housing into a first electronics chamber and a second chamber. A bellows mechanism is connected to the base plate and is disposed within the second chamber. The bellow mechanism has an expandable sidewall and a bottom plate. The bellow mechanism divides the second chamber into a medicament receiving portion and a non-medicament-receiving portion. The bellow mechanism has an intermediate plate disposed within the medicament-receiving portion. A coil is disposed in a recess on the lower surface of the base plate, and the coil is spaced from an internal wall of the recess. The amount of fluid remaining in the implantable pump can be monitored by energizing the coil. A primary magnetic field is generated by the energized coil.

Abstract: A control unit for an implantable medical device includes a housing and electronics within the housing. The electronics control an RF emission from the control unit. An antenna is pivotably connected to the housing. The antenna is movable between a stowed position where RF emission from the antenna is prevented and a deployed position where RF emission from the antenna is permitted. To use the external control unit to effect communication between an external control unit and an implanted medical device, the user places the external control unit within electronic communication range of the implanted medical device. The control unit antenna is moved from the stowed position to a deployed position where RF emission from the antenna is permitted. RF waves are emitted from the antenna to establish communication between the external control unit and the implanted medical device.

Abstract: An electrokinetic actuator for fluid flow titration including two chambers separated from one another by a porous dielectric disposed therebetween. A plurality of electrodes are disposed about a perimeter of the first and second chambers. Polar electrolyte disposed within the actuator is able to pass through the porous dielectric between the first and second chambers upon the application of an electric field or electric potential to the plural electrodes. A mechanical valve actuation mechanism connected to the second chamber allows for fine titration of fluid flow using electro-osmosis, including full-flow and/or complete cut-off. The polar electrolyte is isolated to prohibit intermixing with a fluid being titrated such as cerebrospinal fluid.

Abstract: Improving the accuracy of the flow rate of a valve in a fluidic delivery device in which a desired flow rate may be achieved by varying the duty cycle of the valve. The flow rate of fluid delivery from the valve over its lifetime is stabilized by minimizing the voltage OPENING time of the valve to account for valve and piezoelectric actuator drift. Also, the valve OPENING time of one or more fluidic parameters that impact on the flow rate delivery by the valve and differ among fluidic delivery devices is compensated to optimize the flow rate accuracy.

Abstract: A universal external control device for use by multiple conditional access users with varying access to functionality of an implantable medical device in wireless communication therewith. Circuitry associated with the external control device is used to uniquely identify each of the conditional access users via an access device such as a key or card. Access to functionality of the implantable medical device is restricted by the universal external control device based on the conditional access user identified by the access device.

Abstract: An implantable active pressure transducer including a pressure sensing element and associated sensor circuitry together enclosed within an innermost glass packaging. The pressure sensing element is anodically bonded to the innermost packaging substantially aligned with an opening defined therein. An outermost biocornpatible metal packaging forms a cavity divided into first and second chambers by an intermediate partition. The innermost packaging is disposed within the first chamber without physically directly contacting or being fixed to the outermost packaging. A barrier plate is hermetically sealed to the intermediate partition to hermetically isolate the battery and communication circuitry from a pressure transmitting fluid. Inductive coupling is used to communicate data detected by the pressure sensing element internally within the implant.

Abstract: An electrokinetic actuator for fluid flow titration including two chambers separated from one another by a porous dielectric disposed therebetween. A plurality of electrodes are disposed about a perimeter of the first and second chambers. Polar electrolyte disposed within the actuator is able to pass through the porous dielectric between the first and second chambers upon the application of an electric field or electric potential to the plural electrodes. A mechanical valve actuation mechanism connected to the second chamber allows for fine titration of fluid flow using electro-osmosis, including full-flow and/or complete cut-off. The polar electrolyte is isolated to prohibit intermixing with a fluid being titrated (such as cerebrospinal fluid).

Abstract: Minimizing improper dosage of a drug admixture (including a single primary drug component and at least one second drug component). For each drug component in the drug admixture, receiving a name of the drug component along with its dosage unit, a maximum dose warning level and a maximum concentration warning level. Receiving a concentration for each of the single primary drug component and the at least one secondary drug component; and a dose setting of only the primary drug component. Automatically calculating a dose of each of the at least one secondary drug component. Generating an alert when: (i) the received dose setting of the primary drug component or calculated dose setting of the at least one secondary drug component exceeds the dose warning level; or (ii) the received concentration of the primary drug component or the at least one secondary drug component exceeds the concentration warning level.