System for Seamless and Secure Networking of Implantable Medical Devices, Electronic Patch Devices and Wearable Devices

• US 20140228904A1
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IP Holdings Incorporated (IP Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: IP Holdings Incorporated (IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Rao, Raman K., Rao, Sanjay K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,561,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/362 Heart stimulators heart defibrillators A61N1/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/365 controlled by a physiological parameter, e.g. heart potential evoked response A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39 Heart defibrillators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3956 Implantable devices for applying electric shocks to the heart, e.g. for cardioversion
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/00 ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 : with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 : Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes

Abstract

A system level scheme for networking of implantable devices, electronic patch devices/sensors coupled to the body, and wearable sensors/devices with cellular telephone/mobile devices, peripheral devices and remote servers is described.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first medical device configured for implantation internally within a body, wherein the first medical device includes a first processor that is configurable;

a second medical device configured for implantation internally within the body, wherein the second medical device includes a second processor that is configurable, wherein the first medical device and the second medical device are coupled forming a network including at least the first medical device and the second medical device;

an external electronic patch medical device is configured to be wearable or affixed to the skin, wherein the electronic patch medical device includes a processor and wherein the electronic patch medical device is configured for communication, wherein the electronic patch medical device is further configured to sense one or more environmental parameters external to the body and to send information used for control of one or more of the medical devices in response to the one or more environmental parameters; and

a non-transitory computer implemented application on a remote server or a mobile device separate from the electronic patch medical device, wherein the electronic patch medical device is configured to communicate to at least the first medical device and is further configured to communicate to the remote server or mobile device, and wherein the mobile device is configured to store the human body parameter data acquired by the one or more medical devices and communicate with a display, and wherein each device has a unique identifier, and

wherein the mobile device is further configured to require authentication to access the acquired human body parameter data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic patch medical device is configured to receive one or more human body parameters and further process, measure, monitor, and/or archive the human body parameters.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the mobile device comprises multifunction communication devices, handheld computers, or cellular telephones.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the system is configured to store data received from the first medical device and second medical device on a storage component coupled to the electronic patch medical device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the electronic patch medical device is configured to store data received from the first medical device or second medical device in a memory component coupled to the electronic patch medical device and wherein the electronic patch is configured to communicate said stored data in memory to the remote server or mobile device periodically or continuously.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a device/user authentication comprises biometric authentication.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second medical device and the remote server are coupled as part of the network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second medical device and the electronic patch medical device are coupled as part of the network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the implanted medical devices is in wireless communication with one or more peripheral devices located external to the body.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more peripheral devices are selected from the group comprising of one or more of a local printer, local TV/display, local personal computer, local server, intelligent personal health management appliance, central server, escrow server, Internet global positioning server, global positioning server/time keeping server, remote facility, health care facility, doctor'"'"'s office, local server, local personal computer, cellular telephone, mobile device, mobile health appliance utilizing a selected communication protocol or combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the implanted medical devices are in communication with an external mobile device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the external mobile device comprises a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, or laptop computer or combinations thereof.

13. The system of claim 2, further comprising a dedicated server implanted within the body, wherein the dedicated server is configured to control an internal communication path of information between the first and second medical devices and with one or more external communication paths.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second implanted medical device is configured to send command instructions to a device coupled to the body.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more medical devices are coordinated to control one or more organ or bodily functions.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more medical devices is comprised of a heart pacemaker device, gastric pacemaker device, defibrillator, or RFID identification device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more medical devices are configured to communicate and coordinate with one another.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more medical devices comprises a pacemaker device configured to measure cardiac activity and to control cardiac function.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more medical devices comprises a heart pacemaker device.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the heart pacemaker device is programmed with a pacing protocol which is selectable via wired or wireless communication.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic patch medical device is configured to acquire ECG signals.

22. A method of controlling communication within a formed network, comprising:

dynamically configuring a first medical device configured for implantation internally within a body, wherein the first medical device includes a first processor; and

dynamically configuring a second medical device configured for implantation internally within the body, wherein the second medical device includes a second processor;

forming a network including at least the first medical device and the second medical device, the network comprising a coupling between the first medical device and the second medical device to one or more mobile devices or remote systems, wherein each device comprises a unique identifier such that communication between the devices is controlled via identification of the unique identifier;

sensing one or more environmental parameters external to the body via a wearable medical device configurable with a communication protocol and worn upon the body, and the wearable medical device further comprises a memory;

recording human body parameters in the memory of the wearable medical device, wherein the wearable medical device is configured to require authentication to access the acquired human body parameters; and

controlling one or more of the implanted medical devices with the wearable device in response to the sensed one or more environmental parameters.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first and second implantable devices are further configured and controlled by a mobile device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein forming a network further comprises optimizing a communication path between each of the devices such that power consumption is minimized.

25. A system comprising:

a first medical device configured for implantation internally within a body, wherein the first medical device includes a first processor that is dynamically configurable, wherein the first medical device is configured with a first communication protocol, and wherein the first medical device is further configured with a first unique identification number;

a second medical device configured for implantation internally within a body, wherein the second medical device includes a second processor that is dynamically configurable, wherein the second medical device is configured with a second communication protocol, and wherein the second medical device is further configured with a second unique identification number; and

a wearable device which is sized to be worn upon the body, wherein the wearable device is configured for communication and is further configured to receive one or more human body parameters—

and to further process, measure, monitor, archive the human body parameters or do combinations thereof, and wherein the wearable device further comprises a memory, wherein the wearable device stores human body parameter data in the memory, and wherein the wearable device is further configured to sense one or more environmental parameters external to the body and to control one or more of the implanted medical devices in response to the one or more environmental parameters,

wherein the wearable device is further configured with a communication protocol—

and is also configured to receive the one or more human body parameters from the first medical device and the second medical device upon recognition of the first and second unique identification numbers, and

wherein the wearable device is further configured to require authentication to access the acquired one or more human body parameters.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein at least one of the devices is configured with an encryption function and decryption function.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the wearable device is configured to control a power level and frequency of the first medical device and second medical device.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the wearable device stores a stream of data acquired first by the first or second implantable device.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the wearable device communicates velocity to the first medical device and to the second medical device.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the wearable device communicates ambient pressure to the first medical device and to the second medical device.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the wearable device archives blood oxygen levels from the first medical device and the second medical device.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the wearable device archives blood flow levels from the first medical device and the second medical device.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the wearable device is configured to acquire ECG signals.

34. The system of claim 25, further comprising a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is configured to display the human body parameter data and maintain security of the stored data.