Implantable medical device with variable incoming communication signal discrimination, and method for operating same
First Claim
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1. An implantable medical device comprising:
- circuitry requiring activation by an activation signal in order to operate;
a telemetry communication unit adapted for bi-directional communication with an external device, said telemetry communication unit including a receiver adapted to receive communication signals, including said activation signal, from the external device, said communication signals each having a signal strength, and a discriminator preceding said receiver and having a variable discriminator threshold, said discriminator allowing said activation signal to proceed to said receiver only if the signal strength of said activation signal exceeds said discriminator threshold; and
a control unit connected to said discriminator which emits control signals to said discriminator to set said discriminator threshold to a selected level.
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Abstract
An implantable medical device communication unit bi-directionally communicates with an external device. The communication unit includes a receiver arranged to receive communication signals, having a signal strength, from the external device. The receiver includes a discriminator that is provided with a discriminator threshold such that the receiver means only accepts received signals having a signal strength higher than said discriminator threshold to activate the medical device. The discriminator threshold is adapted to be adjusted in response to control signals from a control unit in the medical device.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An implantable medical device comprising:
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circuitry requiring activation by an activation signal in order to operate;
a telemetry communication unit adapted for bi-directional communication with an external device, said telemetry communication unit including a receiver adapted to receive communication signals, including said activation signal, from the external device, said communication signals each having a signal strength, and a discriminator preceding said receiver and having a variable discriminator threshold, said discriminator allowing said activation signal to proceed to said receiver only if the signal strength of said activation signal exceeds said discriminator threshold; and
a control unit connected to said discriminator which emits control signals to said discriminator to set said discriminator threshold to a selected level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12)
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9. An implantable medical device as claimed in 1 wherein said telemetry communication unit is adapted for bi-directional radio frequency communication with the external device.
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10. An implantable medical device as claimed in 1 wherein said telemetry communication unit is adapted for bi-directional inductive communication with the external device.
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11. An implantable medical device as claimed in 1 wherein said telemetry communication unit is adapted for bi-directional optical communication with the external device.
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13. A method for activating circuitry in an implanted medical device requiring an activation signal in order to operate, comprising the steps of:
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placing an external device in proximity to said implanted medical device and transmitting said activation signal from said external device to said implanted medical device, said activation signal having a signal strength;
in said implantable medical device, comparing the signal strength of the activation signal to a variable discriminator threshold and allowing said activation signal to proceed to said circuitry, to activate said circuitry, only if said signal strength of said activation signal exceeds said discriminator threshold; and
in said implantable medical device, setting said variable discriminator threshold to a selected level dependent on a usage status of said implantable medical device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for operating a medical communications system including an external device and an implanted medical device, said implanted medical device containing circuitry requiring an activation signal in order to operate, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing communication between said external device and said implanted medical device;
executing a computer program routine in said external device having a threshold level seek loop;
while executing said computer program routine, continuously transmitting from said external device a training message at a maximum output energy level and waiting at said external device for a response from said implanted medical device;
in said implantable medical device, gradually changing a discrimination threshold in successive steps until a change in detection of said training message signal occurs; and
storing a highest discrimination threshold in said implanted medical device at which said training message was detected, and using the stored discrimination threshold for receiving subsequent communications signals from said external device; and
terminating said threshold level seek loop in said external device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A medical communication system comprising:
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an external device having a transmitting antenna and a signal generating circuit which generates communication signals, including an activation signal;
an implanted medical device containing circuitry requiring activation by said activation signal in order to operate;
said implanted medical device further containing a telemetry communication unit for receiving said communication signals from said antenna of said external device, said communication signals, including said activation signal, having a signal strength;
a discriminator in said telemetry communication unit having a variable discrimination threshold, said discriminator comparing said signal strength of said activation signal to said discrimination threshold and allowing said activation signal to proceed to said circuitry requiring activation only if the signal strength of the activation signal exceeds said discrimination threshold; and
a control unit is said implantable medical device connected to said discriminator which emits control signals to said discriminator to set said discrimination threshold to a selected level. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification