Implant with close and long-range telemetry

• US 6,434,429 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biotronik SE & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Biotronik Mess-Und Therapiegeraete GmbH & Company Ingenieurbuero Berlin (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Potschadtke, Jens, Kraus, Michael, Lang, Martin, Beetz, Klemens, Neudecker, Johannes, Lang, Berhard, Nagelschmidt, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy
• Assistant Examiner(s): DROESCH, KRISTEN L
• Application Number:
  US09/599,934
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 601/30-32, 601/60, 128/903, 128/904
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

An electromedical implant (1), in particular a cardiac pacemaker, having a close-range telemetry device for data exchange with an external apparatus (2), which includes at least a close-range antenna (47) and a close-range transmitter/receiver unit with a close-range transmitter (44), a telemetry unit (45) connected thereto and an antenna interface device (46) which is connected to the telemetry unit (45) and by way of which the close-range antenna (47) is connected to the close-range transmitter/receiver unit, wherein there is provided a long-range transmitter (48) connected to the telemetry unit (45) to provide a long-range telemetry device.

Claims

1. An electromedical implant having devices for data exchange with an external apparatus, which include a close-range antenna and a close-range transmitter/receiver unit with a close-range transmitter, a telemetry unit and an antenna interface device which is connected to the telemetry unit and by way of which the close-range antenna is connected to the close-range transmitter/receiver unit, characterized in that there is provided a long-range transmitter connected to the telemetry unit to provide a long-range telemetry device.

2. An implant as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that there is provided at least one long-range antenna connected to the antenna interface device.

3. An implant as set forth in claim 2 characterized in that for switching over between close-range and long-range telemetry the close-range antenna and the long range antenna are connected to the antenna interface device by way of a switching unit.

4. An implant as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that there is provided a matching logic unit connected to the telemetry unit for adaptation of the modulation method for the respective telemetry involved.

5. An implant as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the long-range telemetry device is designed for operation at substantially the same effective data rate as the close-range telemetry device.

6. An implant as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that there is provided a separate energy supply for the long-range telemetry device and the close-range telemetry device.

7. An electromedical implant for close-range and long-range data exchange with an external apparatus, comprising:

a telemetry unit;

a close-range transmitter/receiver unit with a close-range transmitter;

a long-range transmitter/receiver unit with a long-range transmitter;

a close-range antenna;

a long-range antenna; and

an antenna interface device connected to the telemetry unit, the antenna interface device connecting the close-range antenna to the close-range transmitter/receiver unit, the antenna interface device also connecting the long-range antenna to the long-range transmitter/receiver unit.

8. An implant as set forth in claim 7, wherein the close-range antenna and the long-range antenna are connected in parallel circuits with each other.

9. An implant as set forth in claim 7, wherein the close range transmitter and the long-range transmitter are connected in parallel circuits with each other.

10. An implant as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a switching unit connected to the close-range antenna and the long-range antenna for switching over between close-range and long-range telemetry.

11. An implant as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a switching unit connected to the close-range transmitter and the long-range transmitter for switching over between close-range and long-range telemetry.

12. An implant as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a matching logic unit connected to the telemetry unit for adaptation of the modulation method for the respective telemetry involved.

13. An implant as set forth in claim 7, having long-range telemetry and close-range telemetry operating at substantially the same effective data rate.

14. An implant as set forth in claim 7, further comprising separate energy supplies for long-range telemetry and close-range telemetry.

15. A patient monitoring system with close-range and long-range telemetry, comprising:

an electrical implant; and

an external apparatus comprising a mobile portion and a base station;

the electrical implant comprising a first telemetry unit, a close-range transmitter/receiver unit with a close-range transmitter, a long-range transmitter/receiver unit with a long-range transmitter, a close-range antenna, a long-range antenna, and an antenna interface device connected to the telemetry unit, the antenna interface device connecting the close-range antenna to the close-range transmitter/receiver unit, the antenna interface device also connecting the long-range antenna to the long-range transmitter/receiver unit; and

the mobile portion having a control device, a first interface device to contact the implant and a second interface device to connect with the base station.

16. A system of claim 15, wherein the mobile portion is configured modularly, wherein one module includes a transmitting/receiving antenna and an actuating system, and another module includes a further interface device for connection to a mobile telephone.

17. A system of claim 16, wherein any of the first interface device, the second interface device and the further interface device is an infrared interface.

18. A system of claim 15, wherein the mobile portion further comprises a mobile radio device.

19. A system of claim 18, wherein the base station includes an additional antenna adapted for connection to the mobile radio device.

20. A system of claim 15, wherein the electrical implant further comprises a switching unit connected to the close-range antenna and the long-range antenna for switching over between close-range and long-range telemetry.

21. A system of claim 15, further comprising a central storage unit to store data transmitted from the external apparatus.

22. A system of claim 21, further comprising a mobile radio station to transmit data from the external apparatus to the central storage unit.

23. A system of claim 21, further comprising at least one target apparatus to receive data from the central storage unit.

24. A system of claim 15, wherein the implant and external apparatus are disposed in an interrogation region.

25. A system of claim 24, further comprising a triggering device responsive to said external apparatus upon entering the interrogation region.

26. A system of claim 15, wherein the external apparatus is fixedly installed in an interrogation region.