Advanced patient management system including interrogator/transceiver unit
An advanced patient management system including at least one device that is implanted in a patient, the device being configured to measure physiological attributes of the patient and provide therapy to the patient. The advanced patient management system may also include an interrogator/transceiver unit in communication with the device and a network, the unit being positioned relative to the device to facility communication between the repeater and the device. The advanced patient management system also includes a host, in communication with the device through the network, to store data from the device and to provide a predictive diagnosis of an oncoming event. The interrogator/transceiver unit may include programmable or updateable with software from a computer system or remote host.
1. An interrogator/transceiver unit in an advanced patient management system, the unit being configured to communicate with at least one device associated with a patient, and a host, the unit comprising:
a processor module to process software instructions;
an interface with a remote host; and
a memory module, wherein the memory module includes, at startup, baseline software to allow the unit to ping the device and, upon a response from the device, the unit is configured to connect through the interface to the remote host to download software into the memory module that is specific to the device;
wherein, upon reset of the unit, the unit automatically pings the device and downloads software from the remote host.
2. The unit of claim 1 , further comprising user interface means for communicating with a patient.
3. The unit of claim 1 , wherein the device is implanted.
4. The unit of claim 1 , wherein the unit automatically communicates with the remote host to download the software.
5. The unit of claim 1 , wherein the unit periodically communicates with the remote host to download updated software.
6. A method of transmitting data from a device associated with a patient to a remote host as part of an advanced patient management system, the method comprising:
providing an interrogator/transceiver unit being configured to communicate with the device;
initializing the unit;
sending a ping from the unit to the device;
responding with identification information from the device to the unit;
establishing communication between the unit and the remote host;
downloading software from the remote host associated with the device to the unit;
installing the software on the unit;
resetting the unit;
sending a second ping from the unit to a second device;
responding with identification information from the second device to the unit;
establishing communication between the unit and the remote host;
downloading software associated with the second device to the unit; and
installing the software on the unit.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein, prior to initialization of the unit, the unit includes only baseline software.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the device and the second device are identical.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the device is implanted.