Patent ID: 7647108

Claim:
A method for selecting an electrode configuration for pacing, comprising: delivering one or more pacing pulses to a first heart chamber during normal pacing using a primary pacing electrode configuration; automatically triggering a first capture threshold test; selecting a first alternative pacing electrode configuration for use during the first capture threshold test; delivering one or more pacing pulses using the first alternative pacing electrode configuration during an entire duration of the first capture threshold test; collecting capture threshold data associated with the first alternative pacing electrode configuration during the first capture threshold test; after determining a capture threshold of the first alternative pacing electrode configuration, resuming normal pacing; after resuming the normal pacing, automatically triggering a second capture threshold test; selecting a second alternative pacing electrode configuration different from the first alternative electrode combination for use in the second capture threshold test; delivering one or more pacing pulses using the second alternative pacing electrode configuration during an entire duration of the second capture threshold test; collecting capture threshold data associated with the second alternative pacing electrode configuration during the second capture threshold test; determining whether a sufficient amount of alternative electrode data has been acquired; in response to a determination that a sufficient amount of alternative electrode data has been acquired, comparing the collected capture threshold data associated with the first alternative pacing electrode, the collected capture threshold data associated with the second alternative pacing electrode configuration, and capture threshold data associated with the primary pacing electrode configuration; and selecting a pacing electrode configuration based on the comparison.