SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING WITH AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20150265843A1
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wu, Yongjian, Yang, Jun, Young, Chao-Wen, Shahandeh, Reza, Tieu, Thanh, Yang, Min, Amely-Velez, Jorge N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,289,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3727 characterised by the modulation technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry

Abstract

A method for operating an implantable medical device (IMD) implanted within a patient may include scanning for a wakeup request signal from an external programmer over a first frequency band at a first power level, switching to communication over a second frequency band at a second power level after the IMD detects the wakeup request signal, wherein the switching operation initiates an initial data exchange session during a common connected time period between the IMD and the external programmer, and cycling between the first and second power levels during the common connected time period based on whether data is being exchanged between the external programmer and the IMD.

Claims

1. A method for operating an implantable medical device (IMD) implanted within a patient, the method comprising:

scanning by the IMD for a wakeup request signal from an external programmer over a first frequency band at a first power level;

switching to communication over a second frequency band at a second power level after the IMD detects the wakeup request signal, wherein the switching operation initiates an initial data exchange session during a common connected time period between the IMD and the external programmer; and

cycling between the first and second power levels during the common connected time period based on whether data is being exchanged between the external programmer and the IMD.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cycling operation comprises:

operating at the first power level during the common connected time period when no data is being exchanged between the external programmer and the IMD, and

operating at the second power level during the initial data exchange session or one or more subsequent data exchange sessions within the common connected time period when data is being exchanged between the external programmer and the IMD.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second power level exceeds the first power level.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that no data is being exchanged during the common connected time period;

switching to the first power level during the common connected time period after the determining operation;

activating a re-wakeup timer after the determining operation during the common connected time period; and

switching to the second power level at the end of the re-wakeup timer to determine whether the external programmer is attempting to exchange data with the IMD.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cycling operation comprises communicating with the external programmer at the second frequency band at the second power level during the initial data exchange session or one or more subsequent data exchange sessions within the common connected time period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frequency band includes a 2.45 GHz band, and wherein the second frequency band includes a Medical Implant Communication Service (MICS) band.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a data cessation signal from the external programmer; and

switching back to the scanning operation upon the receiving operation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the IMD comprises a neurostimulator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial data exchange session includes one or more data packets, wherein the one or more data packets comprises a header, a packet management field, a data field, and a code redundancy check.

10. A system for conserving power during a common connected time period, the system comprising:

an external programmer configured to transmit a wakeup request signal; and

an implantable medical device (IMD) configured to be implanted within a patient and communicate with the external programmer, wherein the IMD is configured to scan for the wakeup request signal transmitted by the external programmer over a first frequency band at a first power level, and switch to a second frequency band at a second power level after the IMD detects the wakeup request signal to initiate an initial data exchange session during the common connected time period, wherein the IMD is configured to cycle between the first and second power levels during the common connected time period based on whether data is being exchanged between the external programmer and the IMD.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the IMD is configured to operate at the first power level during the common connected time period when no data is being exchanged between the external programmer and the IMD, and wherein the IMD is configured to operate at the second power level during the initial data exchange session or one or more subsequent data exchange sessions within the common connected period when data is being exchanged between the external programmer and the IMD.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the second power level exceeds the first power level.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the IMD comprises a re-wakeup timer that is configured to be activated after one or both of the external programmer and the IMD determine that no data is being exchanged during the common connected time period, wherein the IMD is configured to switch to the second power level at the end of the re-wakeup timer to determine whether the external programmer is attempting to exchange data with the IMD.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the IMD is configured to communicate with the external programmer at the second frequency band at the second power level during the initial data exchange session or one or more subsequent data exchange sessions within the common connected time period.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the first frequency band includes a 2.45 GHz band, and wherein the second frequency band includes a Medical Implant Communication Service (MICS) band.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the IMD comprises a wakeup detection module configured to scan for the wakeup request signal from the external programmer over the first frequency band at the first power level.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein one or both of the external programmer and the IMD comprises a data exchange detection module configured to detect whether data is being exchanged between the external programmer and the IMD.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein one or both of the external programmer and the IMD comprises a power setting adjustment module configured to cycle the IMD between the first and second power levels during the common connected time period based on whether data is being exchanged between the external programmer and the IMD.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein, after receiving a data cessation signal from the external programmer, the IMD is configured to switch back to scanning for the wakeup request signal from the external programmer over the first frequency band at the first power level.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the IMD comprises a neurostimulator.