Communication system and method with preamble encoding for an implantable medical device

• US 20070060978A1
• 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: Masoud, Javaid, Rosar, George, Haubrich, Gregory, Spital, Glenn, Denzene, Quentin
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals

Abstract

Medical data is communicated from a transmitter of an external unit to a receiver of an implantable medical device. The transmitter generates a preamble signal having encoded configuration data that informs the receiver of configuration settings to be used in receiving the medical data. The receiver detects the preamble and validates a modulation pattern of the preamble. Configuration data is decoded from the preamble signal and the receiver configuration is adjusted to receive the medical data.

Claims

1. A medical device for validating and receiving a preamble signal and for receiving a transmission of medical data, the medical device comprising:

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

a receiver for validating a modulation pattern of the preamble signal, extracting configuration data embedded within the preamble signal, and adjusting a configuration of the receiver according to the configuration data to receive the transmission of medical data.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the extracting configuration data comprises decoding pulse-width encoded data.

3. The medical device of claim 2, wherein the receiver interprets a longer pulse width followed by a shorter pulse width as a binary 1, and interprets a shorter pulse width followed by a longer pulse width as a binary 0.

4. The medical device of claim 2, wherein the receiver adjusts to a channel identified in the configuration data to receive the transmission of medical data.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein extracting configuration data comprises decoding frequency-shift encoded data.

6. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the receiver interprets a higher frequency pulse as a binary 1, and interprets a lower frequency pulse as a binary 0.

7. The medical device of claim 2, wherein the receiver adjusts to a communication mode identified in the configuration data to receive the transmission of medical data.

8. A device for transmitting a preamble signal and medical data to an implantable medical device, the device comprising:

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

a transmitter for transmitting a preamble signal having a detectable modulation pattern, wherein the preamble signal contains embedded configuration data relating to the transmission of the medical data.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the embedded configuration data identifies the channel in which transmission of the medical data will occur.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the embedded configuration data is encoded by adjusting a pulse width of the preamble signal.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the embedded configuration data identifies the communication mode in which transmission of the medical data will occur.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the embedded configuration data is encoded by a frequency shift in the preamble signal.

13. A system for communicating medical data from an external device to an implantable medical device, the system comprising:

a transmitter, associated with the external device, for transmitting a preamble signal and medical data, the preamble signal having encoded configuration data relating to the transmission of the medical data;

a receiver, associated with the implantable medical device, for detecting and validating a modulation pattern of the preamble signal and decoding configuration data embedded within the preamble signal to adjust a configuration of the receiver to receive the medical data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the receiver decodes channel data embedded within the preamble signal and adjusts to a channel identified by the channel data to receive the medical data.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the receiver detects a ready segment of the preamble segment, decodes communication mode data embedded within the ready segment, and adjusts a communication mode of the receiver to receive the medical data.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the configuration data includes channel data and communication mode data, and wherein the receiver adjusts to a channel and a mode identified in the configuration data.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmitter transmits encoded configuration data by adjusting a pulse width of the preamble signal.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmitter transmits encoded configuration data by adjusting a frequency of the preamble signal.