ELECTRIC THERAPY SYSTEM AND THERAPY DEVICE

• US 20100076522A1
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biotronik SE & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Biotronik CRM Patent AG (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Elsner, Joachim, Gromotka, Bernhard, Hennig, Carsten
• Granted Patent: US 8,831,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• 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: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

The invention relates to a therapy system and a therapy device having at least one data communication interface which can operate in various data transmission modes and cooperates with a data communication control unit. The data communication interface can change from one data transmission mode to another without interruption of an existing data link. The change is controlled by the data communication control unit as a function of predefined selection criteria.

Claims

1. An electric therapy system including a therapy device (10) having:

a. a therapy device data communication interface (14, 16) configured to perform a wireless bidirectional data transmission establishing a data link, and

b. a therapy device data communication control unit (12) configured to;

(1) control the therapy device data communication interface (14, 16) such that a data transmission by the therapy device data communication interface (14, 16) takes place in one of at least two different data transmission modes;

(2) select one of the data transmission modes for use, the selection being based on one or more predefined selection criteria, and

(3) change from one of the data transmission modes to another upon occurrence of an event corresponding to one of the selection criteria, such that any preexisting data link is not interrupted, and rather is continued in another of the data transmission modes.

2. The electric therapy system of claim 1 wherein the data transmission modes differ from one another with regard to one or more of:

a. a packet configuration for the data transmission, and

b. a protocol for the data transmission.

3. The electric therapy system of claim 1 wherein the predefined selection criteria include one or more of:

a. timeout of at least one timer,

b. user-activated input,

c. status of the therapy device (10), and/or

d. detection of a disturbance.

4. The therapy device of claim 1 wherein the therapy device data communication control unit (12) is further configured to:

a. respond to control signals received over the therapy device data communication interface (14, 16), and

b. select one of the data transmission modes for use as a function of a received control signal.

5. The therapy device of claim 1 wherein:

a. the therapy device (10) is configured to detect the proximity of a programming head (32) emitting an alternating magnetic field, and

b. the therapy device data communication control unit (12) is configured to select one of the data transmission modes in dependence on whether the programming head (32) is in proximity to the therapy device (10).

6. The electric therapy system of claim 1 wherein the therapy device (10) has two therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16), the therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16) including:

a. an inductive therapy device data communication interface (14) configured to perform a wireless bidirectional data transmission establishing a data link via an alternating magnetic field, and

b. an electric therapy device data communication interface (16) configured to perform a wireless bidirectional data transmission establishing a data link via an alternating electric field.

7. The electric therapy system of claim 1 wherein:

a. the therapy device (10) has two therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16), the therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16) including;

(1) an inductive therapy device data communication interface (14) configured to perform a wireless bidirectional data transmission establishing a data link with an external device (20, 30) via an alternating magnetic field, and

(2) an electric therapy device data communication interface (16) configured to perform a wireless bidirectional data transmission establishing a data link with an external device (20, 30) via an alternating electric field,

b. the therapy device data communication control unit (12) is configured to control the therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16) to perform the data transmission with the external device (20, 30);

(1) ordinarily in an electric data transmission mode via the electric therapy device data communication interface (16), and

(2) otherwise in an inductive data transmission mode via the inductive therapy device data communication interface (14) when the inductive therapy device data communication interface (14) detects an alternating magnetic field emitted by a programming head (32) of the external device (20, 30).

8. The electric therapy system of claim 1 wherein:

a. the therapy device (10) has two therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16), the therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16) including;

(1) an inductive therapy device data communication interface (14) configured to perform a wireless bidirectional data transmission establishing a data link with an external device (20, 30) via an alternating magnetic field, and

(2) an electric therapy device data communication interface (16) configured to perform a wireless bidirectional data transmission establishing a data link with an external device (20, 30) via an alternating electric field,

b. the therapy device data communication control unit (12) is configured to control the therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16) to perform the data transmission with the external device (20, 30);

(1) in an inductive data transmission mode via the inductive therapy device data communication interface (14) if the inductive therapy device data communication interface (14) detects an alternating magnetic field emitted by a programming head (32) of the external device (20, 30);

(2) in an electric data transmission mode via the electric therapy device data communication interface (16) if the inductive therapy device data communication interface (14) receives an instruction from the external device (20, 30), while in the inductive data transmission mode, that data transmission via an alternating electric field is desired.

9. The electric therapy system of claim 8 wherein the electric data transmission mode:

a. has a data transmission rate which is decreased, and/or

b. has a data transmission channel which is changed,

if data transmission with the external device (20, 30) is unsuccessful.

10. The electric therapy system of claim 8 wherein the electric data transmission mode:

a. attempts to perform the data transmission with the external device (20, 30) at a first data transmission rate; and

b. attempts to perform the data transmission with the external device (20, 30) at a second data transmission rate lower than the first data transmission rate, if the data transmission at the first data transmission rate is unsuccessful.

11. The electric therapy system of claim 10 wherein the therapy device data communication interface (16) attempts to locate a channel allowing performance of the data transmission with the external device (20, 30) if the data transmission at the second data transmission rate is unsuccessful.

12. The electric therapy system of claim 1 wherein:

a. the therapy device (10) has two therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16) which differ from one another; and

a. the data communication control unit (12) of the therapy device (10) is configured to;

(1) select one of the two therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16), and

(2) turn off the other when the one is selected.

13. The electric therapy system of claim 1 wherein:

a. the therapy device (10) has two therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16) which differ from one another; and

b. when selecting one of the data transmission modes, the therapy device data communication control unit (12) selects;

(1) one of the therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16), or

(2) both of the therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16).

14. The electric therapy system of claim 1 wherein:

a. the therapy device (10) has two therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16) which differ from one another;

a. at least one of the therapy device data communication interface (14, 16) has multiple interface components, each of which may assume different operating states, and

b. different ones of the data transmission modes use different ones of the operating states of the interface components.

15. The electric therapy system of claim 14 wherein the operating states include:

a. a deactivated state, and

b. one or more activated states.

16. The electric therapy system of claim 1 further including an external device (20, 30) having:

a. an external device data communication interface (22, 32, 39) configured to perform a bidirectional wireless data transmission establishing the data link with the therapy device data communication interface (14, 16), and

b. an external device data communication control unit (24, 34) configured to control the external device data communication interface (22, 32, 39) such that the data transmission by the external device data communication interface (22, 32, 39) takes place in a chosen one of the different data transmission modes.

17. An electric therapy system including

I. a therapy device (10) having:

A. a therapy device data communication interface (14, 16) configured to perform a wireless bidirectional data transmission establishing a data link, and

B. a therapy device data communication control unit (12) configured to control the therapy device data communication interface (14, 16),

II. an external device (20, 30) having;

A. an external device data communication interface (22, 32, 39) configured to perform a bidirectional wireless data transmission establishing a data link, and

B. an external device data communication control unit (34) configured to control the external device data communication interface (22, 32, 39),

wherein;

a. the data communication control units (12, 34) control the data communication interfaces (14;

16;

22;

32;

39) such that a data transmission takes place in one of at least two different data transmission modes, and

b. at least one of the two data communication control units (12, 34) is configured to

(1) select one of the data transmission modes for use, the selection being based on;

i. one or more predefined selection criteria, and

ii. on occurrence of an event corresponding to one of the selection criteria,

(2) change from one of the data transmission modes to another such that any preexisting data link is not interrupted, and rather is continued in another of the data transmission modes.

18. The electric therapy system of claim 17 wherein the data transmission modes differ from one another with regard to one or more of:

a. the packet configuration, and

b. the protocol,

for the data transmission.

19. The electric therapy system of claim 17 wherein the predefined selection criteria include one or more of:

a. timeout of at least one timer,

b. user-activated input,

c. status of the therapy device (10), and/or

d. detection of a disturbance.

20. The electric therapy system of claim 17 wherein:

a. the therapy device (10) has two therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16) which differ from one another; and

b. different ones of the data transmission modes use different ones of the therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16).

21. The electric therapy system of claim 20 wherein the data communication control unit (12) of the therapy device (10) is configured to:

a. select one of the two therapy device data communication interfaces (14, 16), and

b. turn off the other when the one is selected.

22. The electric therapy system of claim 17 wherein:

a. at least one therapy device data communication interface (14, 16) has multiple interface components, each of which may assume different operating states, and

b. different ones of the data transmission modes use different ones of the operating states of the interface components.

23. The electric therapy system of claim 22 wherein the operating states include:

a. a deactivated state, and

b. one or more activated states.