TRANSCEIVER DUTY CYCLED OPERATIONAL MODE

• US 20100198280A1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kivi, Gary P., Corndorf, Eric D., Wine, Nicholas C., Kirkwood, Matthew D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,345,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

This disclosure describes an operational mode of a telemetry module. A device, such as a programming device, operating in accordance with the techniques of this disclosure determines that a transceiver of an implantable medical device is operating in a duty cycled operational mode that includes at least one interval during which the transceiver is powered down interleaved with intervals during which the transceiver is powered up, e.g., for transmitting or receiving communications over an established communication session. The programming device is configured to transmit information during the at least one interval in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down. Doing so ensures that the channel over which the programmer and implantable medical device communicate will not be usurped by another device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an implantable medical device that includes a telemetry module configured to operate in a duty cycled operational mode that includes at least one interval during which a transceiver of the telemetry module is powered down interleaved with intervals during which the transceiver is powered up for transmitting or receiving communications over an established communication session, wherein the telemetry module maintains information regarding the established communication session during the at least one interval in which the transceiver is powered down; and

a programming device that communicates with the implantable medical device, wherein the programming device transmits information during the at least one interval in which the transceiver is powered down.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein

the programming device transmits a communication to the implantable medical device instructing the implantable medical device to configure the telemetry module to operate in the duty cycled operational mode;

and

the implantable medical device configures the telemetry module to operate in the duty cycled telemetry mode in response to the communication.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device monitors performance of a power source of the implantable medical device and configures the telemetry module to operate in the duty cycled operational mode in response to detecting one of a level of the power source falling below a threshold power level and a current drawn from the power source exceeding a peak threshold current.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the implantable medical device transmits a communication to the programming device indicating that the telemetry module of the implantable medical device is operating in the duty cycled operational mode.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein

the telemetry module comprises a first component, and

the implantable medical device further comprises at least one other component, the implantable medical device allocating power from a power source of the implantable medical device to the at least one other component during the at least one interval in which the transceiver is powered down.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one other component comprises a therapy delivery module.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the implantable medical device allocates the power from the power source to perform at least one of generating an electrical stimulation, delivering an electrical stimulation, operating a pump to deliver a drug or therapeutic agent, and operating one or more sensing components.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the implantable medical device reallocates power from the at least one other component to the telemetry module during the intervals in which the transceiver is powered up for transmitting or receiving communications over the established communication session.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device reconfigures the telemetry module from the duty cycled operational mode to an operational mode that does not include intervals during which the transceiver is powered down and communicates over the previously established communication session in accordance with the second operational mode.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device reconfigures the telemetry module in response to one of a communication from the programming device and a monitored condition of a power source of the implantable medical device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one interval during which the transceiver is powered down comprises a plurality of intervals that occur at a periodic rate.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the programming device transmits one of unintelligible information and a previously transmitted communication during the at least one interval in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the implantable medical device does not receive the information transmitted by the programming device during the at least one interval in which the transceiver is powered down;

the programming device transmits information during the at least one interval in which the transceiver is powered up; and

the implantable medical device receives the information transmitted by the programming device during the at least one interval in which the transceiver is powered up.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the programming device and the implantable medical device communicate in accordance with one of the Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) band regulation or the Medical External Data Service (MEDS) band regulation.

15. A programming device comprising:

a telemetry module that exchanges communications with an implantable medical device; and

a processor that controls operation of the telemetry module, wherein the processor;

determines that a transceiver of the implantable medical device is operating in a duty cycled operational mode that includes at least one interval during which a transceiver of the telemetry module is powered down interleaved with intervals during which the transceiver is powered up for transmitting or receiving communications over an established communication session, and

controls the telemetry module to transmit information during the at least one interval in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the processor controls the telemetry module to transmit a communication to the implantable medical device instructing the implantable medical device to configure the transceiver of the implantable medical device to operate in the duty cycled operational mode.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the processor receives a communication from the implantable medical device via the telemetry module, the communication indicating that the transceiver of the implantable medical device is operating in the duty cycled operational mode.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the processor controls the telemetry module to transmit a communication to the implantable medical device instructing the implantable medical device to reconfigure the transceiver of the implantable medical device from operating in the duty cycled operational mode to an operational mode that does not include intervals during which the transceiver is powered down.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the programming device transmits one of unintelligible information and a previously transmitted communication during the at least one interval in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the programming device operates in accordance with one of he Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) band regulation or the Medical External Data Service (MEDS) band regulation.

21. A method comprising:

determining that a transceiver of an implantable medical device is operating in a duty cycled operational mode that includes at least one interval during which the transceiver is powered down interleaved with intervals during which the transceiver is powered up for transmitting or receiving communications over an established communication session, and

transmitting information during the at least one interval in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting a communication to the implantable medical device instructing the implantable medical device to configure the transceiver of the implantable medical device to operate in the duty cycled operational mode.

23. The method of claim 21, determining that the transceiver of an implantable medical device is operating in the duty cycled operational mode comprises receiving a communication from the implantable medical device indicating that the transceiver of the implantable medical device is operating in the duty cycled operational mode.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting a communication to the implantable medical device instructing the implantable medical device to reconfigure the transceiver from the duty cycled operational mode to an operational mode that does not include any intervals during which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein transmitting information during the at least one interval in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down comprises transmitting one of unintelligible information and a previously transmitted communication during the at least one interval in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down.

26. A device comprising:

means for determining that a transceiver of an implantable medical device is operating in a duty cycled operational mode that includes at least one interval during which the transceiver is powered down interleaved with intervals during which the transceiver is powered up for transmitting or receiving communications over an established communication session, and

means for transmitting information during the at least one intervale in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein

the transmitting means transmit a communication to the implantable medical device instructing the implantable medical device to configure the transceiver of the implantable medical device to operate in the duty cycled operational mode;

and

the determining means determine that the transceiver of an implantable medical device is operating in the duty cycled operational mode in response to transmitting the communication.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein the determining means determine that the transceiver of an implantable medical device is operating in the duty cycled operational mode in response to receiving a communication from the implantable medical device indicating that the transceiver of the implantable medical device is operating in the duty cycled operational mode.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein the transmitting means transmit a communication to the implantable medical device instructing the implantable medical device to reconfigure the transceiver from the duty cycled operational mode to an operational mode that does not include any intervals during which the transceiver is powered down.

30. The device of claim 26, wherein the transmitting means transmit one of unintelligible information and a previously transmitted communication during the at least one interval in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down.

31. The device of claim 26, wherein the device operates in accordance with one of the Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) band regulation or the Medical External Data Service (MEDS) band regulation.

32. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed cause a device to:

determine that a transceiver of an implantable medical device is operating in a duty cycled operational mode that includes at least one interval during which the transceiver is powered down interleaved with intervals during which the transceiver is powered up for transmitting or receiving communications over an established communication session, and

transmit information during the at least one interval in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein instructions to transmit information comprise instructions to transmit one of unintelligible information and a previously transmitted communication during the at least one interval in which the transceiver of the implantable medical device is powered down.