Clock Drift Management in Implantable Medical Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implantable medical devices, such as drug infusion pumps and electrical stimulators, experience clock time drift, leading to inaccuracies in therapeutic delivery schedules, which can result in significant deviations over their operational lifespan, necessitating a method to accurately update and verify the clock time without invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A computer method and apparatus that establishes communication between an external programmer and the implantable device to compare and adjust the clock time, informing the user of discrepancies and allowing for user input to determine the impact of updates, ensuring precise timing for therapeutic delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the clock time in the implantable medical device is not updated, then the device operates autonomously without external intervention, but the therapeutic delivery timing becomes increasingly inaccurate due to clock drift
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-verification by comparing the implantable device clock with the programmer clock automatically during programming sessions. The device monitors its own timing accuracy and triggers updates when drift exceeds thresholds, eliminating the need for manual timing corrections by clinicians.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements bidirectional clock comparison with feedback mechanisms. The programmer reads the implantable device clock, compares it with the programmer clock, and determines whether updates are needed based on calculated drift. This feedback loop ensures timing accuracy is maintained while minimizing unnecessary programming sessions.
2Reliability
If the clock time is frequently updated, then timing accuracy is maintained, but the number of programming sessions and patient visits increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs partial updates only when necessary. By setting drift thresholds (e.g., ±5 minutes) and only initiating updates when exceeded, the system avoids excessive programming sessions while maintaining sufficient timing accuracy for therapeutic delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs clock comparison and update decisions during routine programming sessions before therapeutic delivery occurs. By proactively checking and updating clocks during scheduled visits, the system prevents timing errors from accumulating without requiring additional patient visits.
3Measurement precision
If manual verification of clock time is performed, then timing accuracy can be checked, but the programming process becomes labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges clock verification with the existing programming workflow. The clock comparison function is integrated into the programmer's standard operations, allowing clinicians to verify and update timing information during routine programming tasks without requiring separate verification procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The implantable device automatically provides its clock information to the programmer for comparison. The device performs self-diagnosis of timing accuracy and presents update recommendations, reducing the manual effort required by clinicians to verify and correct clock drift.
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable medical device is capable of delivering the therapeutic output to the patient. A controller, programmable by a medical professional, is operatively coupled to the implantable medical device to, in part, program the therapeutic output to be delivered to the patient. The controller has an interface allowing the medical professional to select an amount of the therapeutic output to be delivered to the patient in at least one of the series of discrete timer intervals. However, the therapeutic output deliver to the patient is dependant upon the clock time to which the infusion device. In certain situations the infusion device clock time may have inaccuracies that grow over time. The clock time can be reset by the infusion programmer but a method must be in place to determine and account for resetting the infusion device clock time that controls when the therapy will be delivered.