WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS IN MEDICAL DEVICES

• US 20120232616A1
• Filed: 03/10/2011
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Van Baelen, Erika, Van den Heuvel, Koen, Meskens, Werner, Schindhelm, Adam, Long, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,042,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36036 of the outer, middle or inner ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3727 characterised by the modulation technique
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Abstract

A medical device, comprising first and second components coupled via a first wireless link; and a third component coupled to the first device via a second wireless link. The device implements a communication scheme in which transmissions via the second wireless link occur during a time period that is interleaved between periods including transmissions via the first link.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a first implantable component; and

a first external component coupled to the first implantable component via a first wireless link,

wherein the first external component is adapted to communicate with a second external component via a second wireless link, and wherein the device implements a communication scheme in which the first and second wireless links only operate during different sets of time periods.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second implantable component; and

wherein the second external component is coupled to the second implantable component via a third wireless link, wherein the device operates the first and third wireless links during the same time period in the scheme.

3. The hearing prosthesis system of claim 1, wherein the second external component comprises a remote control.

4. The hearing prosthesis system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless link is operable to transmit at least one of power and data.

5. The hearing prosthesis system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless link comprises a closely coupled magnetic link.

6. The hearing prosthesis system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless link is operable only in a first series of time periods and the second wireless link is operable only in a second series of time periods, and wherein the scheme interleaves the first and second series of time periods.

7. The hearing prosthesis system of claim 2, wherein the first and second implantable components are each configured to deliver stimulation generated based on data received via the first and third wireless links, respectively.

8. The hearing prosthesis system of claim 2, wherein the system is configured to synchronize the first and third wireless links such that the links begin transmission at substantially the same time.

9. The hearing prosthesis system of claim 8, wherein the first external component functions as a master component and the second external component functions as a slave component, and wherein the timing of the transmissions in the third wireless link are adjustable to match the timing of transmissions of the first wireless link.

10. The hearing prosthesis system of claim 8, wherein the system is configured to synchronize the first and third wireless links in response to a specific environmental signal.

11. The hearing prosthesis system of claim 10, wherein the environmental signal is a cell phone beacon.

12. The hearing prosthesis of claim 8, wherein the system is configured to synchronize the first and third wireless links in response to user input.

13. The hearing prosthesis system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless link operates a first frequency, and wherein the second wireless link operates at a second frequency that is different than the first frequency.

16. The device of claim 2, wherein the first implantable component is configured to deliver stimulation generated based on data received via the first wireless link.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the first wireless link is operable to transmit at least one of power and data.

14. A medical device, comprising:

first and second components coupled via a first wireless link; and

a third component coupled to the first component via a second wireless link, wherein the device implements a communication scheme in which transmissions via the second wireless link occur during time periods that are interleaved between periods including transmissions via the first link.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first wireless link comprises a closely coupled magnetic link.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

a fourth component coupled to the third component via a third wireless link.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the device is configured to synchronize the first and third wireless links such that the links begin transmission at substantially the same time.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the first component functions as a master component and third component functions as a slave component, and wherein the timing of the transmissions in the third wireless link are adjustable to match the timing of transmissions of the first wireless link.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the device is configured to synchronize the first and third wireless links in response to a specific environmental signal.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the third component comprises a remote control.

23. A wireless communication method in a medical device, the device including a first implantable component, and first and second external components, wherein the first external component is configured to communicate with the first implantable component via a first wireless link and to communicate with the second external component via a second wireless communications link, the method comprising:

operating the first wireless link during a first set of time periods;

operating the second wireless link during a second set of time periods; and

interleaving the first and second sets of time periods.

24. The method of 14, wherein the device includes a second implantable component coupled to the second external component via a third wireless link, and wherein the method further comprises:

operating the one or more of the first and third wireless links during the first set of time periods.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

synchronizing the first and third wireless links such that transmissions begin on the links at substantially the same time.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein synchronizing the first and third wireless links comprises:

adjusting the start time of the transmissions on the third wireless link to substantially match the start time of transmissions on the first wireless link.

27. A medical component device, comprising:

first and second components coupled via a first wireless link; and

a third component coupled to the first component via a second wireless link; and

means for interleaving the operation of the first and second wireless links such that the first wireless link is operable during only during a first set of time periods and wherein the second wireless link is operable only during a second set of time periods.

28. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

a fourth component coupled to the third component via a third wireless link; and

means for synchronizing the first and third wireless links such that the links begin transmission at substantially the same time.

29. The device of claim 28, further comprising:

means for adjusting the timing of the transmissions in the third wireless link to match the timing of transmissions of the first wireless link.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the device comprises:

means for synchronizing the first and third wireless links in response to a specific environmental signal.