System and method for enabling relayed communications by implantable medical devices

• US 20070100396A1
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Freeberg, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,704 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 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network

Abstract

A telemetry system is presented for enabling radio-frequency (RF) communications between implantable medical devices and an external device in a manner which increases the effective range over which such communications may take place. Devices are configured to relay communications from one device to another.

Claims

1. A telemetry system for enabling radio-frequency (RF) communications between implantable medical devices (IMD'"'"'s) and an external device (ED), comprising:

an antenna, an RF transmitter, an RF receiver, and a programmable controller incorporated into each IMD and the ED;

wherein a first IMD is programmed to;

establish a communications session with a second IMD upon receipt of a relay request from the ED specifying the second IMD as the ultimate recipient; and

,

relay communications between the ED and the second IMD.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first IMD is programmed to:

upon receiving a relay request from the ED, attempt to establish a communications session with a second IMD and transmit an indication back to the ED whether or not the attempted communications session was successful; and

,

relay communications between the ED and the second IMD if a communications session was successfully established with the second IMD.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the IMD'"'"'s are programmed to transmit a device identification code to the ED upon receipt of a universal identification command from the ED, wherein the transmitted identification codes serve to identify all IMD'"'"'s within communications range of the ED.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first IMD is programmed to:

upon receiving a request from the ED to identify other IMD'"'"'s in communications range of the first IMD, transmit a universal identification command and receive identification codes from all IMD'"'"'s within communications range of the first IMD; and

,

transmit the received identification codes to the ED.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the ED is programmed to establish a communications session with the second IMD by:

attempting to establish direct communications with the second IMD with a handshaking protocol that includes an identification code for the third IMD; and

,

if direct communications with the second IMD is not possible, transmitting a relay request to the first IMD to establish a relay communications session between the ED and the second IMD.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the ED and the IMD'"'"'s are programmed such that a communications session between first and second of either type of devices comprises one or more communications transactions effected by:

the first device transmitting an RTS frame containing an identification code for the second device;

the second device transmitting a CTS frame in response to the RTS frame;

the first device transmitting a data segment to the second device; and

,

the second device transmitting an ACK frame to end the session.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the relay request is contained in a data segment of a communications session established between the ED and the first IMD and includes the identification code of the second IMD.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein, upon receiving a relay request, the first MD is programmed to:

establish a communications session with the second IMD and transmit data contained in the relay request to the second IMD;

receive data intended for the ED from the second MD in a communications session established by the second IMD; and

,

establish a communications session with the ED to transmit data intended for the ED from the second IMD.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the second IMD is programmed to respond to data relayed by the first IMD from the ED by establishing a communications session with the first IMD and transmitting a relay request to the first IMD specifying the ED as the ultimate recipient.

10. An implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:

an antenna, an RF transmitter, an RF receiver, and a programmable controller;

wherein the controller is programmed to;

establish a communications session with a second device upon receipt of a relay request from a first device specifying the second device as the ultimate recipient; and

,

relay communications between the first device and the second device.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the first device is an ED and the second device is an IMD.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein first device is an MD and the second device is an ED.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein the controller is programmed to:

upon receiving a relay request from a first device specifying the second device as the ultimate recipient, attempt to establish a communications session with the second device and transmit an indication back to the first device whether or not the attempted communications session was successful; and

,

relay communications between the first device and the second device if a communications session was successfully established with the second device.

14. The device of claim 10 wherein the controller is programmed to transmit a device identification code upon receipt of a universal identification command from an IMD or ED, wherein the transmitted identification code serves to identify the implantable device.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein the controller is programmed to:

upon receiving a request from a third device to identify other devices in communications range, transmit a universal identification command and receive identification codes from devices within communications range; and

,

transmit the received identification codes to the third device.

16. The device of claim 10 wherein a communications session comprises one or more communications transactions and further wherein the controller is programmed to act as either a sending or a receiving device such that a communications transaction is effected by:

the sending device transmitting an RTS frame containing an identification code for the receiving device;

the receiving device transmitting a CTS frame in response to the RTS frame;

the sending device transmitting a data segment to the receiving device; and

,

the receiving device transmitting an ACK frame to end the session.

17. The device of claim 10 wherein the controller is programmed such that the relay request is contained in a data segment of a communications session established with the first device and includes the identification code of the second device.

18. The device of claim 10 wherein, upon receiving a relay request from the first device, the controller is programmed to:

establish a communications session with the second device and transmit data contained in the relay request to the second device;

receive data intended for the first device from the second device in a communications session established by the second device; and

,

establish a communications session with the first device to transmit data intended for the first device from the second device.