SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING COMMUNICATIONS WITH IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES
First Claim
1. A method by which an external device communicates with an implantable medical device, comprising:
- transmitting a data segment containing a repeating sequence of special wakeup characters and a device ID from the external device in order to establish a communications session with the implantable device, wherein the implantable device powers up its transmitter and receiver for a specified time window at periodic intervals and waits for receipt of one of the special wakeup characters transmitted by the external device;
wherein the implantable device suspends operation of the timed duty cycle and wakeup timer, maintains its transmitter and receiver in a powered-up state upon receipt of a special character prior to receipt of the device ID and prior to establishment of a communications session and for as long as consecutive special wakeup characters continue to be received, transmits an acknowledge signal to the external device if the device ID matches its own ID, and then waits a specified period of time for a response from the external device; and
,establishing the communications session when a response to the acknowledge signal is received by the implantable device.
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Abstract
A method is presented for enabling radio-frequency (RF) communications between an implantable medical device and an external device in a manner which reduces the power requirements of the implantable device by duty cycling its RF circuitry. A wakeup scheme for the implantable device is provided in which the external device transmits a data segment containing a repeating sequence of special wakeup characters and a device ID in order to establish a communications session with the implantable device. The wakeup scheme may be designed to operate using multiple communications channels.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method by which an external device communicates with an implantable medical device, comprising:
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transmitting a data segment containing a repeating sequence of special wakeup characters and a device ID from the external device in order to establish a communications session with the implantable device, wherein the implantable device powers up its transmitter and receiver for a specified time window at periodic intervals and waits for receipt of one of the special wakeup characters transmitted by the external device; wherein the implantable device suspends operation of the timed duty cycle and wakeup timer, maintains its transmitter and receiver in a powered-up state upon receipt of a special character prior to receipt of the device ID and prior to establishment of a communications session and for as long as consecutive special wakeup characters continue to be received, transmits an acknowledge signal to the external device if the device ID matches its own ID, and then waits a specified period of time for a response from the external device; and
,establishing the communications session when a response to the acknowledge signal is received by the implantable device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An implantable medical device comprising:
an antenna, an RF transmitter, an RF receiver, a controller, and a wakeup timer, wherein the controller is interfaced to the transmitter and receiver and configured to; enable the transmitter and receiver to be powered up and down; operate the transmitter and receiver according to a timed duty cycle that powers up the transmitter and receiver for a specified time window at periodic intervals defined by the wakeup timer to wait for receipt of a special wakeup character repeated in a data segment and a device ID transmitted by an external device; suspend operation of the timed duty cycle and wakeup timer, and maintain the transmitter and receiver in a powered-up state upon receipt of the special wakeup character prior to receipt of the device ID and prior to establishment of a communications session and for as long as consecutive special wakeup characters continue to be received; transmit an acknowledge signal to establish a communications session when the received device ID matches an ID of the implantable device; and wait a specified period of time for a response to the acknowledge signal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
Specification