Telemetry switchover state machine with firmware priority control

• US 20060030902A1
• Filed: 08/09/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Quiles, Sylvia, Harris, Thomas J., Katoozi, Mehdi, Koshiol, Allan T., Sridharan, Krishna, Vanderlinde, Scott, Cowan, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 7,881,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling

Abstract

The selection of one communication channel from a plurality of available channels is determined by a state machine. In an automatic selection mode, a first telemetry system has priority over other telemetry systems. A communication session is in progress based on session initiation and termination triggers. An override function allows manual selection of a telemetry system.

Claims

1. An implantable device comprising:

at least two transceiver circuits including a first transceiver circuit and a second transceiver circuit, each transceiver circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device; and

a controller coupled to each transceiver circuit, the controller configured to select one of the at least two transceiver circuits based on a synchronization signal received from the external device, wherein data telemetry is enabled for the selected transceiver circuit when the selected transceiver circuit operates in a synchronized state after receiving the synchronization signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the selected transceiver circuit is configured to operate in the synchronized state after receiving a periodic synchronization signal.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to enable data telemetry using the first transceiver circuit when the second transceiver circuit is not enabled.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver circuit is continuously powered.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver circuit and the second transceiver circuit are configured to simultaneously monitor for the synchronization signal.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver circuit and the second transceiver circuit are configured to sequentially monitor for the synchronization signal.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a processor configured to execute a set of instructions or a multiplexer.

8. The device of claim 1, further including a clock coupled to the controller to provide a time signal after a predetermined period of time following a loss of the synchronization signal.

9. The device of claim 1, further wherein the controller is configured to enable monitoring of both the first transceiver circuit and the second transceiver circuit upon losing the synchronization signal for a predetermined period of time.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the predetermined period of time is remotely selectable.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to select the first transceiver circuit and deselect the second transceiver circuit upon receiving an instruction from the external device.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver circuit includes at least one of a near field transceiver circuit and a far field transceiver circuit.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver circuit includes an inductive antenna.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver circuit includes a radio frequency antenna.

15. A method comprising:

monitoring for a synchronization signal from an external device using at least one of a plurality of transceiver circuits of an implantable device, the plurality of transceiver circuits including a first wireless transceiver circuit and a second wireless transceiver circuit; and

enabling data telemetry using a selected transceiver circuit of the pluralilty of transceiver circuits when the selected transceiver circuit is in a synchronized state based on a signal from a controller coupled to each of the plurality of transceiver circuits and wherein the selected transceiver circuit operates in the synchronized state after receiving the synchronization signal and not in the synchronized state thereafter.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring includes monitoring using the first telemetry circuit simultaneously with monitoring using the second telemetry circuit.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring for the synchronization signal includes detecting a lost synchronization signal.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein enabling data telemetry using the first transceiver circuit includes communicating using a near field transceiver circuit of the plurality of transceiver circuits.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein enabling data telemetry using the first transceiver circuit includes communicating using a far field transceiver circuit of the plurality of transceiver circuits.

20. The method of claim 15, further including enabling data telemetry using a second transceiver circuit of the plurality of wireless transceiver circuits when the first transceiver circuit is not in the synchronized state.

21. The method of claim 15, further including enabling data telemetry using the first transceiver circuit upon receiving a selection signal at the controller.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving a selection signal includes receiving an instruction using at least one of the plurality of transceiver circuits.

23. A system comprising:

an external device having at least one external transceiver circuit configured to transmit a synchronization signal; and

an implantable device having at least two implantable transceiver circuits and a controller coupled to each of the at least two implantable transceiver circuits, the controller configured to synchronize with the external device after receiving the synchronization signal and to enable data telemetry with the external device using an implantable transceiver circuit selected from the at least two implantable transceiver circuits, the selected implantable transceiver circuit determined based on the synchronization signal.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least two implantable transceiver circuits includes a far field transceiver circuit and a near field transceiver circuit.

25. The system of claim 24, further wherein the controller is configured to enable monitoring of both the near field transceiver circuit and the far field transceiver circuit upon losing the synchronization signal for a predetermined period of time.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the predetermined period of time is programmable.

27. The system of claim 24, further wherein the controller is configured to enable the far field transceiver circuit upon losing the synchronization signal using the near field transceiver circuit followed by receiving the synchronization signal using the far field transceiver circuit.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to enable simultaneous monitoring using each of the at least two implantable transceiver circuits.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to enable sequential monitoring using each of the at least two implantable transceiver circuits.