System and method for unscheduled wireless communication with a medical device

• US 20070060976A1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Rosar, George, Denzene, Quentin
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

Data is communicated from a transmitter of an external unit to a receiver of an implantable medical device. The receiver of the implantable medical device operates in a wide band receiver mode to detect the transmission from the external unit and operates in a narrow band receiver mode to receive the data.

Claims

1. A medical device for receiving a transmission including data, the medical device comprising:

device circuitry controlling the operation of the medical device and processing data; and

a receiver operating in a wide band receiver mode to detect transmission and receiving the data in a narrow band receiver mode.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the receiver, when operating in the wide band receiver mode, detects the transmission on any one of multiple communication channels;

and wherein the receiver, when operating in the narrow band receiver mode, receives the transmission of data on a single channel.

3. The medical device of claim 2, wherein the transmission further comprises embedded channel data, and the receiver decodes the embedded channel data and adjusts from the wide band receiver mode to the narrow band receiver mode at a channel identified by the channel data.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the receiver alternates between operating in the wide band receiver mode and operating in the narrow band receiver mode to detect the transmission.

5. The medical device of claim 4, wherein the receiver detects the transmission while operating in the narrow band receiver mode.

6. The medical device of claim 4, wherein the receiver turns off for a period of time after operating in the narrow band receiver mode.

7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the medical device is an implantable medical device.

8. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the receiver, when operating in the wide band receiver mode, is configured to receive frequencies from 402 MHz to 405 MHz.

9. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a super regenerative receiver for operating in the wide band receiver mode.

10. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the receiver receives only one channel when operating in the narrow band receiver mode.

11. A method of operating a medical device having a receiver to receive a transmission including data, the method comprising:

operating the receiver in a wide band receiver mode to detect a transmission; and

adjusting the receiver to a narrow band receiver mode to receive the data.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

decoding channel data embedded within the transmission that identifies a communication channel to be used for receiving data in the narrow band receiver mode.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting a transmission comprises:

detecting energy that exceeds a threshold value; and

verifying a modulation pattern of the transmission.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving channel data embedded within a preamble of the transmission, wherein adjustment of the receiver to the narrow band receiver mode is in response to the received channel data.

15. The method of claim 11, and further comprising:

alternating between the wide band receiver mode and a narrow band receiver mode to detect the transmission.

16. The method of claim 15, and further comprising:

turning off the receiver for a period of time after operating in the narrow band receiver mode.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each time the receiver is operated in the narrow band receiver mode, the receiver samples a different communication channel in a communication band.

18. A communication system comprising:

an external unit having a transmitter for transmitting a transmission signal having a modulation pattern and data; and

an implantable medical device having a receiver for operating in a wide band receiver mode to detect the transmission signal and verify the modulation pattern, and for operating in a narrow band receiver mode to receive the data.

19. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the receiver comprises a super regenerative receiver for operating in the wide band receiver mode.

20. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the receiver alternates between the wide band receiver mode and the narrow band receiver mode.