Patent ID: 8738111

Claim:
An apparatus including an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device (IMD) comprising: a receiver circuit, configured to be electrically coupled to a conductor comprising a portion of an implantable lead, the receiver circuit configured to receive a response of the conductor of the implantable lead to an excitation signal applied to excite the conductor of the implantable lead, the response based on the excitation signal and modulated according to a change in an electrical characteristic of the conductor itself, to obtain information about the excited conductor itself that is indicative of a movement of the implantable lead due at least in part to a motion of a heart; and a processor circuit configured to determine one or more of (1) whether a cardiac mechanical contraction occurred during a specified interval included in the obtained information indicative of the movement of the implantable lead, or (2) information about the cardiac mechanical contraction using the obtained information indicative of the movement of the implantable lead.