System And Method For Securely Exchanging Sensitive Information With An Implantable Medical Device

• US 20080288029A1
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Von Arx, Jeffrey A., Healy, Scott J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,327,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• 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 1/37254 Pacemaker or defibrillator security, e.g. to prevent or inhibit programming alterations by hackers or unauthorised individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3727 characterised by the modulation technique
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/88 Medical equipments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

A system and method for securely exchanging sensitive information with an implantable medical device is presented. A crypto key stored on an implantable medical device is retrieved by a programmer via a secure short range interface. Sensitive information is encrypted as sensitive data using the crypto key. The encrypted data is stored on the implantable medical device.

Claims

1. A system for securely exchanging sensitive information with an implantable medical device, comprising:

a crypto key stored on an implantable medical device; and

a programmer configured to retrieve the crypto key from the implantable medical device via a secure short range interface, to encrypt sensitive information using the crypto key as sensitive data; and

to store the encrypted data on the implantable medical device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the programmer obtains the encrypted data from the implantable medical device via one of the secure short range interface and a non-secure long range interface and decrypts the encrypted data using the crypto key.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a key generator configured to generate the crypto key during manufacture of the implantable medical device; and

a storage module configured to store the crypto key on the implantable medical device.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an external source configured to retrieve the crypto key from the implantable medical device by an external source via inductive telemetry, further configured to obtain the encrypted sensitive information via radio frequency telemetry, and further configured to decrypt the encrypted data using the crypto key.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the encrypted data is stored on the implantable medical device via one of the secure short range interface and a non-secure long range interface.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the secure short range interface comprises inductive telemetry and the non-secure long range interface comprises radio frequency telemetry.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device dynamically generates the crypto key.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the crypto key is a symmetric crypto key.

9. A method for securely exchanging sensitive information with an implantable medical device, comprising:

retrieving by a programmer, a crypto key stored on an implantable medical device via a secure short range interface;

encrypting sensitive information using the crypto key as encrypted data; and

storing the encrypted data on the implantable medical device.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

obtaining by the programmer, the encrypted data from the implantable medical device via one of the secure short range interface and a non-secure long range interface; and

decrypting the encrypted data using the crypto key.

11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

generating the crypto key during manufacture of the implantable medical device; and

storing the crypto key on the implantable medical device.

12. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

retrieving the crypto key from the implantable medical device by an external source via inductive telemetry;

obtaining, by the external source, the encrypted sensitive information via radio frequency telemetry; and

decrypting the encrypted data using the crypto key.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the encrypted data is stored on the implantable medical device via one of the secure short range interface and a non-secure long range interface.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the secure short range interface comprises inductive telemetry and the non-secure long range interface comprises radio frequency telemetry.

15. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

dynamically generating the crypto key on the implantable medical device.

16. A method according to claim 9, wherein the crypto key is a symmetric crypto key.

17. An implantable medical device for securely providing sensitive information, comprising:

a delivery module configured to transmit a crypto key to a programmer via a secure connection;

a receiver configured to receive sensitive information encrypted on the programmer using the crypto key;

a memory configured to store the encrypted sensitive information; and

a communication interface configured to provide access to the stored sensitive information.

18. An implantable medical device according to claim 17, further comprising one or more of:

a transceiver configured to transmit the encrypted sensitive information to the programmer via radio frequency telemetry; and

a communication interface configured to transmit the encrypted sensitive information to the programmer via inductive telemetry.

19. An implantable medical device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a key repository configured to persistently store the crypto key.

20. An implantable medical device according to claim 17, wherein the crypto key is statically generated and stored during manufacture of the implantable medical device.

21. A method for securely providing sensitive information, comprising:

transmitting a crypto key from an implantable medical device to a programmer via a secure connection;

receiving sensitive information encrypted on the programmer using the crypto key;

storing the encrypted sensitive information on the implantable medical device; and

providing access to the stored sensitive information.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising one of:

transmitting the encrypted sensitive information to the programmer via radio frequency telemetry; and

transmitting the encrypted sensitive information to the programmer via inductive telemetry.

23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising:

persistently storing the crypto key.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein the crypto key is statically generated and stored during manufacture of the implantable medical device.