MEDICAL DEVICE COMMUNICATION WITH WIRELESS TELEMETRY HEAD

• US 20150119846A1
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Joglekar, Ajinkya M., Ball, Warren W., Carlson, Timmothy S., Plante, Matthew L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,566,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/01 Remote controllers for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply

Abstract

In some examples, a method including wirelessly communicating, using an external medical device, with an implantable medical device via a telemetry head device, wherein the telemetry head device includes a power source configured to supply operational power to the telemetry head device; determining a first power level of the power source while the external medical device wirelessly communicates with the implantable medical device via the telemetry head device; suspending wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on the determined first power level. The wireless communication may be resumed, e.g., at the point communication was suspended, upon determining that the power level of the power source has been increased after the communication was suspended.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

wirelessly communicating, using an external medical device, with an implantable medical device via a telemetry head device, wherein the telemetry head device includes a power source configured to supply operational power to the telemetry head device;

determining a first power level of the power source while the external medical device wirelessly communicates with the implantable medical device via the telemetry head device;

suspending wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on the determined first power level,

subsequently determining the power source increased to a second power level greater than the first power level; and

resuming the suspended wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device via the telemetry head device based on the determined second power level of the power source, and

wherein at least one of the communicating, determining, and suspending is performed via at least one processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a first power source, wherein subsequently determining the power source increased to a second power level greater than the first power level comprises determining the first power source has been replaced with a second power source defining the second power level.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the telemetry head device comprises a first telemetry head device, wherein the second power source supplies power to a second telemetry head device, and wherein resuming the suspended wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device via the telemetry head device based on the determined second power level of the power source comprises resuming the suspended communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device via the second telemetry head device using the second power source.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein resuming the suspended wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device via the telemetry head device based on the determined second power level of the power source comprises resuming the suspended wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device via the first telemetry head device using the second power source.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the power source has been recharged from the first power level to the second power level after suspending communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on the determined first power level.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly transmitting an indication of the first power level from the telemetry head device to the external medical device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein suspending wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on the determined first power level comprises suspending wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on a determination that the first power level is below a threshold power level.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to suspending the wireless communication, presenting an indicator to a user via a user interface of the external medical device indicating the first power level of the power source to the user; and

receiving input from the user via the user interface indicating that the wireless communication should be suspended,

wherein suspending wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on the determined first power level comprises suspending wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on the input from the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the external medical device comprises a medical device programmer.

10. A system comprising:

an external medical device;

a telemetry head device, wherein the external medical device is configured to wirelessly communicate with an implantable medical device via the telemetry head device, wherein the telemetry head device includes a power source configured to supply operational power to the telemetry head device; and

at least one processor configured to determine a first power level of the power source while the external medical device wirelessly communicates with the implantable medical device via the telemetry head device, suspend wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on the determined first power level, subsequently determine the power source increased to a second power level greater than the first power level, and resume the suspended wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device via the telemetry head device based on the determined second power level of the power source.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the power source comprises a first power source, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the first power source has been replaced with a second power source defining the second power level.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the telemetry head device comprises a first telemetry head device, wherein the second power source supplies power to a second telemetry head device, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to resume the suspended communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device via the second telemetry head device using the second power source.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to resume the suspended wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device via the first telemetry head device using the second power source.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine that the power source has been recharged from the first power level to the second power level after suspending communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on the determined first power level.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the telemetry head device is configured to transmit an indication of the first power level from the telemetry head device to the external medical device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is configured to suspend the wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on a determination that the first power level is below a threshold power level.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is configured to, prior to suspending the wireless communication, present an indicator to a user via a user interface of the external medical device indicating the first power level of the power source to the user, receive input from the user via the user interface indicating that the wireless communication should be suspended, and suspend the wireless communication between the medical device and the external medical device based on the input from the user.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the external medical device comprises a medical device programmer.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor in contained within a housing of the external medical device.

20. A system comprising:

means for wirelessly communicating, using an external medical device, with an implantable medical device via a telemetry head device, wherein the telemetry head device includes a power source configured to supply operational power to the telemetry head device;

means for determining a first power level of the power source while the external medical device wirelessly communicates with the implantable medical device via the telemetry head device;

means for suspending wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on the determined first power level;

means for subsequently determining the power source increased to a second power level greater than the first power level; and

means for resuming the suspended wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device via the telemetry head device based on the determined second power level of the power source.

21. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause at least one processor to:

wirelessly communicate, using an external medical device, with an implantable medical device via a telemetry head device, wherein the telemetry head device includes a power source configured to supply operational power to the telemetry head device;

determine a first power level of the power source while the external medical device wirelessly communicates with the implantable medical device via the telemetry head device;

suspend wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device based on the determined first power level;

subsequently determine the power source increased to a second power level greater than the first power level; and

resume the suspended wireless communication between the implantable medical device and the external medical device via the telemetry head device based on the determined second power level of the power source.