PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT AND ADAPTATION OF AN ACOUSTIC COMMUNICATION LINK

• US 20120116474A1
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey E. Stahmann, Keith R Maile, Paul J. Huelskamp
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey E. Stahmann, Keith R Maile, Paul J. Huelskamp
• Inventors: Stahmann, Jeffrey E., Maile, Keith R., Huelskamp, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,401,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3706 Pacemaker parameters stimulation threshold A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile

Abstract

Systems and methods for adapting the performance of an acoustic communication link with an implantable medical device (IMD) are disclosed. An illustrative method includes initiating an acoustic link with the IMD, measuring an initial performance of the acoustic link, determining whether the initial performance of the acoustic link is adequate, adjusting an operating parameter related to the acoustic link in the event the initial performance of the acoustic link is inadequate, measuring a performance of the acoustic link in response to the adjusted operating parameter, and setting the operating parameter to a prior setting if the measured performance of the acoustic link does not improve in response to the adjusted operating parameter.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an implantable medical device including an acoustic transducer configured to transmit and receive acoustic signals;

a communicating device in acoustic communication with the implantable medical device via an acoustic link, the communicating device including an acoustic transducer configured to transmit and receive acoustic signals;

a processor configured to;

measure at least one performance parameter of the acoustic link;

adjust at least one operating parameter of the implantable medical device or the communicating device in response to the at least one measured performance parameter;

analyze a change in the performance of the acoustic link in response to adjusting the at least one operating parameter; and

determine whether adjusting the at least one operating parameter improves a performance of the acoustic link.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, in adjusting at least one operating parameter of the implantable medical device or communicating device, the processor is configured to stepwise increase the at least one operating parameter over a range of parameter values.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

set the at least one operating parameter to a previous operating parameter setting if adjusting the operating parameter does not improve the performance of the acoustic link; and

set the at least one operating parameter to a current operating parameter setting if adjusting the operating parameter improves the performance of the acoustic link.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein operating parameter includes at least one of a transmission power parameter, a receiver sensitivity parameter, a receiver threshold parameter, a carrier frequency parameter, a transmission frequency parameter, a bit timing parameter, a sampling rate parameter, a bit word size parameter, and a modulation format parameter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device includes a therapy delivery module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the implantable medical device comprises a pacing device.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the implantable medical device comprises a drug delivery device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device further includes a sensing module.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the communicating device is an external device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the communicating device is an implantable device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the communicating device is an implantable pulse generator.

12. A wireless pacing system for delivering therapy to a body, the system comprising:

a wireless pacer configured for delivering electrical therapy to the body, the wireless pacer including an acoustic transducer configured to transmit and receive acoustic signals;

a communicating device in acoustic communication with the wireless pacer via an acoustic link, the communicating device including an acoustic transducer configured to transmit and receive acoustic signals;

a processor configured for measuring at least one performance parameter of the acoustic link and adjusting at least one operating parameter of the wireless pacer or the communicating device in response to the at least one measured performance parameter.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein, in adjusting at least one operating parameter of the implantable medical device or communicating device, the processor is configured to stepwise increase the at least one operating parameter over a range of values.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured for:

analyzing a change in the performance of the acoustic link in response to adjusting the at least one operating parameter; and

determining whether adjusting the at least one operating parameter improves a performance of the acoustic link.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

set the at least one operating parameter to a previous operating parameter setting if adjusting the operating parameter does not improve the performance of the acoustic link; and

set the at least one operating parameter to a current operating parameter setting if adjusting the operating parameter improves the performance of the acoustic link.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein operating parameter includes at least one of a transmission power parameter, a receiver sensitivity parameter, a receiver threshold parameter, a carrier frequency parameter, a transmission frequency parameter, a bit timing parameter, a sampling rate parameter, a bit word size parameter, and a modulation format parameter.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the wireless pacer further includes a sensing module.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the communicating device is an external device.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the communicating device is an implantable pulse generator.

20. A wireless pacing system for delivering therapy to a body, the system comprising:

a wireless pacer configured for delivering electrical therapy to a body, the wireless pacer including an acoustic transducer configured to transmit and receive acoustic signals;

a communicating device in acoustic communication with the wireless pacer via an acoustic link, the communicating device including an acoustic transducer configured to transmit and receive acoustic signals;

a means for measuring at least one performance parameter of the acoustic link;

a means for adjusting an operating parameter of the wireless pacer or the communicating device in response to the at least one measured performance parameter; and

a means for analyzing a change in the performance of the acoustic link in response to adjusting the operating parameter.