Abstract: An example of a method performed by an implantable medical device (IMD) to deliver a therapy to a patient may include delivering the therapy to the patient, detecting a trigger that is controlled by the patient or a caregiver to the patient, and determining if at least one feature of the IMD for responding to a trigger is enabled. The IMD may be configured to allow the patient or the caregiver to the patient to enable the at least one feature. The method may further include, when the at least one feature is enabled, automatically implementing the at least one enabled feature in response to the detected trigger, including automatically suspending the therapy in response to the detected trigger and automatically restoring the therapy after a defined period after the detected trigger.

Abstract: Implanted electrodes can be used to deliver electrical stimulation signals to areas near blood vessels, nerves, or other internal body locations. In an example, an electrode can be implanted in a cervical location and can be used to measure dimensional changes in an artery using impedance plethysmography. Measured artery dimensional changes can be used to determine one or more physiological parameters associated with a patient's health status, such as pulse transit time, relative pulse pressure, or aterial compliance, among others. These parameters can be used to monitor a patient health status or to modulate a patient's therapy, among other uses. In some examples, an electrode configured to deliver an electrostimulation signal to nerve tissue can be used to provide non-neurostimulating electrical stimulation plethysmography signals near a blood vessel.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an indication of delivery of a neural stimulation therapy is disclosed. In an example, a method may include identifying current timing of an intermittent neural stimulation (INS) programmed in an implantable medical device (IMD) where the programmed INS includes alternating stimulation ON and stimulation OFF times and a timing for delivering stimulation bursts of a plurality of stimulation pulses during the stimulation burst ON times. An indication of the current timing of the INS may be provided using an INS indicator of an external device.

Abstract: An implantable medical device is powered by a battery to deliver one or more therapies including at least one non-life-sustaining therapy such as neural stimulation for enhancing quality of life of a patient. When the battery approaches its end of life, the implantable medical device reduces power consumption of the neural stimulation (e.g., intensity of the neural stimulation) for extending the remaining battery life while maintaining a certain amount of therapeutic benefits for the patient. In one embodiment, the intensity of the neural stimulation is reduced in a tiered manner. In one embodiment in which the implantable medical device also delivers at least one life-sustaining cardiac stimulation therapy, the neural stimulation is disabled or adjusted to reduce its power consumption (e.g., intensity) while the intensity of the cardiac stimulation therapy is maintained when the battery is near its end of life.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a therapy circuit that provides a neural stimulation current, an impedance measurement circuit that measures a value of impedance at the output of the therapy circuit, a supply voltage generating circuit that provides an adjustable supply voltage value to the therapy circuit including a first supply voltage value when in a first mode, and a control circuit communicatively coupled to the therapy circuit, the impedance measuring circuit, and the supply voltage generating circuit. The control circuit, upon receiving an indication to exit the first mode, initiates an impedance measurement by the impedance measurement circuit, determines the second supply voltage value using the impedance measurement, and initiates a change from the first supply voltage value to the second supply voltage value. The second supply voltage value is sufficient to operate the therapy circuit and to provide a specified load current value to the measured impedance.

Abstract: An implantable medical device is powered by a battery to deliver one or more therapies including at least one non-life-sustaining therapy such as neural stimulation for enhancing quality of life of a patient. When the battery approaches its end of life, the implantable medical device reduces power consumption of the neural stimulation (e.g., intensity of the neural stimulation) for extending the remaining battery life while maintaining a certain amount of therapeutic benefits for the patient. In one embodiment, the intensity of the neural stimulation is reduced in a tiered manner. In one embodiment in which the implantable medical device also delivers at least one life-sustaining cardiac stimulation therapy, the neural stimulation is disabled or adjusted to reduce its power consumption (e.g., intensity) while the intensity of the cardiac stimulation therapy is maintained when the battery is near its end of life.

Abstract: An implantable medical device is powered by a battery to deliver one or more therapies including at least one non-life-sustaining therapy such as neural stimulation for enhancing quality of life of a patient. When the battery approaches its end of life, the implantable medical device reduces power consumption of the neural stimulation (e.g., intensity of the neural stimulation) for extending the remaining battery life while maintaining a certain amount of therapeutic benefits for the patient. In one embodiment, the intensity of the neural stimulation is reduced in a tiered manner. In one embodiment in which the implantable medical device also delivers at least one life-sustaining cardiac stimulation therapy, the neural stimulation is disabled or adjusted to reduce its power consumption (e.g., intensity) while the intensity of the cardiac stimulation therapy is maintained when the battery is near its end of life.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an indication of delivery of a neural stimulation therapy is disclosed. In an example, a method may include identifying current timing of an intermittent neural stimulation (INS) programmed in an implantable medical device (IMD) where the programmed INS includes alternating stimulation ON and stimulation OFF times and a timing for delivering stimulation bursts of a plurality of stimulation pulses during the stimulation burst ON times. An indication of the current timing of the INS may be provided using an INS indicator of an external device.

Abstract: An example of a method performed by an implantable medical device (IMD) to deliver a therapy to a patient may include delivering the therapy to the patient, detecting a trigger that is controlled by the patient or a caregiver to the patient, and determining if at least one feature of the IMD for responding to a trigger is enabled. The IMD may be configured to allow the patient or the caregiver to the patient to enable the at least one feature. The method may further include, when the at least one feature is enabled, automatically implementing the at least one enabled feature in response to the detected trigger, including automatically suspending the therapy in response to the detected trigger and automatically restoring the therapy after a defined period after the detected trigger.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with an IMD and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The processor is configured to detect an error in a data unit received from the IMD, transmit a series of synchronization signals during an uninterrupted communication sequence, and receive, for each synchronization signal, a new data unit and the number of requested duplicate data units from the IMD. Each synchronization signal includes an echo code, wherein the echo code corresponds to a request for a number of duplicate data units to be sent in response to detecting the error in the data unit received during said uninterrupted communication sequence. The number of duplicate data units corresponds to a value of the echo code, and a duplicate data unit corresponds to a data unit previously transmitted by the IMD during said uninterrupted communication sequence.

Abstract: An implantable medical device is powered by a battery to deliver one or more therapies including at least one non-life-sustaining therapy such as neural stimulation for enhancing quality of life of a patient. When the battery approaches its end of life, the implantable medical device reduces power consumption of the neural stimulation (e.g., intensity of the neural stimulation) for extending the remaining battery life while maintaining a certain amount of therapeutic benefits for the patient. In one embodiment, the intensity of the neural stimulation is reduced in a tiered manner. In one embodiment in which the implantable medical device also delivers at least one life-sustaining cardiac stimulation therapy, the neural stimulation is disabled or adjusted to reduce its power consumption (e.g., intensity) while the intensity of the cardiac stimulation therapy is maintained when the battery is near its end of life.

Abstract: A method of operating a medical device comprises updating a regulatory approval status stored in at least one of the medical device or a second device operable to communicate with the medical device, and enabling or disabling the at least one function in the medical device based on the regulatory approval status. The regulatory approval status corresponds to at least one function performable by the medical device.

Abstract: Various aspects provide an implantable device. In various embodiments, the device comprises at least one port, where each port is adapted to connect a lead with an electrode to the device. The device further includes a stimulation platform, including a sensing circuit connected to the at least one port to sense an intrinsic cardiac signal and a stimulation circuit connected to the at least one port via a stimulation channel to deliver a stimulation signal through the stimulation channel to the electrode. The stimulation circuit is adapted to deliver stimulation signals through the stimulation channel for both neural stimulation therapy and CRM therapy. The sensing and stimulation circuits are adapted to perform CRM functions. The device further includes a controller connected to the sensing circuit and the stimulation circuit to control the neural stimulation therapy and the CRM therapy. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a therapy circuit that provides a neural stimulation current, an impedance measurement circuit that measures a value of impedance at the output of the therapy circuit, a supply voltage generating circuit that provides an adjustable supply voltage value to the therapy circuit including a first supply voltage value when in a first mode, and a control circuit communicatively coupled to the therapy circuit, the impedance measuring circuit, and the supply voltage generating circuit. The control circuit, upon receiving an indication to exit the first mode, initiates an impedance measurement by the impedance measurement circuit, determines the second supply voltage value using the impedance measurement, and initiates a change from the first supply voltage value to the second supply voltage value. The second supply voltage value is sufficient to operate the therapy circuit and to provide a specified load current value to the measured impedance.

Abstract: Implanted electrodes can be used to deliver electrical stimulation signals to areas near blood vessels, nerves, or other internal body locations. In an example, an electrode can be implanted in a cervical location and can be used to measure dimensional changes in an artery using impedance plethysmography. Measured artery dimensional changes can be used to determine one or more physiological parameters associated with a patient's health status, such as pulse transit time, relative pulse pressure, or aterial compliance, among others. These parameters can be used to monitor a patient health status or to modulate a patient's therapy, among other uses. In some examples, an electrode configured to deliver an electrostimulation signal to nerve tissue can be used to provide non-neurostimulating electrical stimulation plethysmography signals near a blood vessel.

Abstract: Abnormal battery depletion can be detected in an implantable medical device. Battery capacity consumed can be measured using a coulometer and using a capacity-by-voltage device, and the measurements can be blended to determine battery status. A drop in battery voltage below a specified threshold can be detected to identify a high-current depletion fault, and an alarm can be provided to indicate the fault has been detected. The specified threshold can be determined as a function of battery capacity consumed. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: A cardiac rhythm management system that includes a pacemaker configured for biventricular pacing and an external programmer with an associated display for displaying electrogram data and markers representing ventricular events. Associated with each marker are intraventricular intervals designed to relate information to a user in a manner suited for ventricular resynchronization pacing.

Abstract: Power supplied to a particular telemetry system of an implantable device having multiple telemetry systems is managed by a state machine. Power to a transceiver of a device is terminated if the particular telemetry system remains dormant or inactive for a programmable period of time and power to the transceiver is turned on if a particular signal is received by the implantable device.

Abstract: The selection of one communication channel from a plurality of available channels is determined by a state machine. In an automatic selection mode, a first telemetry system has priority over other telemetry systems. A communication session is in progress based on session initiation and termination triggers. An override function allows manual selection of a telemetry system.

Abstract: A system and method for securely authenticating a data exchange session with an implantable medical device is presented. A crypto key uniquely associated with an implantable medical device is defined to authenticate data during a data exchange session. A secure connection is established from an external source with a secure key repository securely maintaining the crypto key. Authorization to access data on the implantable medical device is authenticated by securely retrieving the crypto key from the secure key repository.