AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE BLANKING PERIOD FOR IMPLANTABLE PACEMAKER

摘要

An automatically adjustable blanking circuit and method of generating an adjustable blanking interval for use with a dual channel implantable pacemaker includes means for generating a basic blanking interval for a first channel of the pacemaker each time a stimulation pulse is generated on a second channel. The basic blanking interval includes a first absolute refractory portion and a second relative refractory portion. During the absolute refractory portion, the sensing circuits of the first channel are disabled. During the relative refractory portion, the sensing circuits of the first channel are enabled and any activity sensed in the first channel is considered to be crosstalk or noise and the basic blanking interval is retriggered. Retriggering of the basic blanking interval continues for so long as activity is sensed in the first channel during the relative refractory portion of each retriggered basic blanking interval, up to a maximum blanking interval. If no activity is sensed during the relative refractory portion of the basic blanking interval, the blanking interval ends, and the sensing circuits of the first channel thereafter monitor the first channel for spontaneous cardiac activity.