Frequency agile telemetry system for implantable medical device
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- interrogating an implantable medical device using a first frequency;
responding to the interrogating using a second frequency; and
switching to a third frequency for continuing communication with the implantable medical device;
wherein the interrogating comprises transmitting an interrogation signal and waiting a predefined time interval for a reply.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system enables high-frequency communication between an external communication device and one or more implantable medical devices. The system implements a communication protocol in which the external communication device interrogates any implantable medical devices within range to establish one-to-one communication links for purposes of exchanging data and/or programming the medical devices.
244 Citations
69 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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interrogating an implantable medical device using a first frequency;
responding to the interrogating using a second frequency; and
switching to a third frequency for continuing communication with the implantable medical device;
wherein the interrogating comprises transmitting an interrogation signal and waiting a predefined time interval for a reply.
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2. A method comprising:
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interrogating an implantable medical device using a first frequency;
responding to the interrogating using a second frequency; and
switching to a third frequency for continuing communication with the implantable medical device;
wherein the first frequency is selected from a first set of frequencies, and the interrogating comprises transmitting interrogation signals on multiple frequencies in the first set of frequencies.
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3. A method comprising:
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interrogating an implantable medical device using a first frequency;
responding to the interrogating using a second frequency; and
switching to a third frequency for continuing communication with the implantable medical device;
wherein the responding comprises transmitting a reply signal after a random time delay. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A method comprising:
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interrogating an implantable medical device using a first frequency;
responding to the interrogating using a second frequency; and
switching to a third frequency for continuing communication with the implantable medical device;
wherein the switching comprises transmitting a command to the implantable medical device, the command directing the implantable medical device to transition to the third frequency. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method comprising:
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interrogating an implantable medical device using a first frequency;
responding to the interrogating using a second frequency; and
switching to a third frequency for continuing communication with the implantable medical device; and
channel hopping among frequencies more than once during communication of information.
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9. A method comprising:
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transmitting, on a first frequency, an interrogation signal directed to an implantable medical device;
monitoring, on a second frequency, for a reply to the interrogation signal from the implantable medical device; and
assigning a third frequency for continuing communication with the implantable medical device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
monitoring, on one or more second frequencies, for any replies to the interrogation signal from one or more of the multiple implantable medical devices; and
assigning different frequencies to ones of the implantable medical devices that reply, the different frequencies being used to facilitate continuing communication with the implantable medical devices.
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20. A method comprising:
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transmitting an interrogation signal on one or more frequencies within a first set of frequencies, the interrogation signal inviting communication with one or more implantable medical devices;
monitoring, on one or more frequencies in a second set of frequencies and within a response time interval, for a reply to the interrogation signal from one or more of the implantable medical devices;
in an event that the response time interval lapses before receipt of the reply, retransmitting the interrogation signal; and
upon receipt of one or more replies from one or more implantable medical devices, assigning separate communication channels to the one or more implantable medical devices. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method for operating an implantable medical device, comprising:
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listening on a first frequency for an interrogation signal;
in response to receiving the interrogation signal, transmitting a reply at a second frequency;
switching to a third frequency for continuing communication; and
delaying for a random time period before said transmitting of the reply. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method comprising:
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transmitting, from an external device to one or more implantable medical devices, an interrogation signal on one or more frequencies within a first set of frequencies, the interrogation signal inviting communication with the one or more implantable medical devices;
upon receiving the interrogation signal at a particular implantable medical device, delaying a random time delay and then transmitting a reply from the particular implantable medical device to the external device on a second frequency within a second set of frequencies, the reply identifying the particular second implantable medical device;
monitoring, at the external device, the second set of frequencies to detect the reply from the particular implantable medical device;
upon receipt of the reply, assigning a communication channel to the particular implantable medical device; and
commanding the implantable medical device to change to the communication channel in order to facilitate communication between the external device and the particular implantable medical device. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An implantable medical device comprising:
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circuitry to monitor and/or administer therapy to a patient; and
a high-frequency transceiver configured to listen on a first frequency for an interrogation signal and to transmit on a second frequency a reply to the interrogation signal;
wherein the transceiver transmits the reply after delaying for a random time period. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. An implantable medical device comprising:
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circuitry to monitor and/or administer therapy to a patient; and
a high-frequency transceiver configured to listen on a first frequency for an interrogation signal and to transmit on a second frequency a reply to the interrogation signal;
wherein the transceiver is tunable, and further comprising a tuner to tune the transceiver to the first and second frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A network system comprising:
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an implantable medical device comprising;
circuitry to monitor and/or administer therapy to a patient; and
a high-frequency transceiver configured to a listen on a first frequency for an interrogation signal and to transmit on a second frequency a reply to the interrogation signal; and
a computing network to link one or more computing systems to the implantable medical device.
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42. An implantable medical device comprising:
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circuitry to monitor and/or administer therapy to a patient;
a transceiver to enable high-frequency communication, the transceiver being configured to listen at a first frequency for an interrogation signal that invites communication with an external device and to transmit a reply to the interrogation signal at a second frequency; and
a casing to house the circuitry and the transceiver in separate chambers to isolate the high-frequency communication from interfering with the circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A network system comprising:
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an implantable medical device comprising;
circuitry to monitor and/or administer therapy to a patient;
a transceiver to enable high-frequency communication, the transceiver being configured to listen at a first frequency for an interrogation signal that invites communication with an external device and to transmit a reply to the interrogation signal at a second frequency; and
a casing to house the circuitry and the transceiver in separate chambers to isolate the high-frequency communication from interfering with the circuitry; and
a computing network to link one or more computing systems to the implantable medical device.
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49. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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medical means for performing medicinal-related operations; and
communication means for listening at a first high frequency for an interrogation signal and in response to receiving the interrogation signal, transmitting a reply at a second high frequency;
wherein the communication means is further configured to hop to multiple other frequencies during communication of information. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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51. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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medical means for performing medicinal-related operations; and
communication means for listening at a first high frequency for an interrogation signal and in response to receiving the interrogation signal, transmitting a reply at a second high frequency; and
casing means for holding the medical means and the communication means in frequency isolation from one another so that high-frequency signals from the communication means do not interfere with the medical means.
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52. A cardiac network system comprising:
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an implantable medical device comprising;
medical means for performing medicinal-related operations; and
communication means for listening at a first high frequency for an interrogation signal and in response to receiving the interrogation signal, transmitting a reply at a second high frequency; and
a computing network to link one or more computing systems to the implantable medical device.
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53. An external communication device for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:
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a transceiver to enable high-frequency communication with the implantable medical device;
an interrogation unit to direct the transceiver to transmit an interrogation signal at a first frequency in an effort to establish a communication link with the implantable medical device; and
the interrogation unit further directing the transceiver to listen at a second frequency for a reply from the implantable medical device. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. An external communication device for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:
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transmission means for transmitting, on a first high frequency, an interrogation signal directed to an implantable medical device; and
monitoring means for monitoring, on a second high frequency, for a reply to the interrogation signal from the implantable medical device;
wherein the transmission means transmits the interrogation signal on multiple frequencies within a first set of high frequencies.
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60. An external communication device for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:
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transmission means for transmitting, on a first high frequency, an interrogation signal directed to an implantable medical device; and
monitoring means for monitoring, on a second high frequency, for a reply to the interrogation signal from the implantable medical device;
wherein the monitoring means monitors the interrogation signal on multiple frequencies within a second set of high frequencies.
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61. An external communication device for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:
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transmission means for transmitting, on a first high frequency, an interrogation signal directed to an implantable medical device;
monitoring means for monitoring, on a second high frequency, for a reply to the interrogation signal from the implantable medical device; and
channel designating means for assigning a third high frequency to the implantable medical device to facilitate continuing communication with the implantable medical device.
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62. An external communication device for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:
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transmission means for transmitting, on a first high frequency, an interrogation signal directed to an implantable medical device;
monitoring means for monitoring, on a second high frequency, for a reply to the interrogation signal from the implantable medical device; and
channel hopping means for hopping among multiple channels during communication of information.
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63. A system comprising:
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at least one implantable medical device equipped with a high-frequency transceiver; and
an external communication device to communicate with the implantable medical device via high-frequency signals;
the external communication device being configured to transmit an interrogation signal on one or more first frequencies within a first set of high frequencies;
the implantable medical device being configured to listen for the interrogation signal and upon receipt, to transmit a reply on a second frequency selected from a second set of high frequencies; and
the external communication device being further configured to monitor the second set of high frequencies for the reply. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A network system comprising:
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at least one implantable medical device equipped with a high-frequency transceiver; and
a computing network linking one or more computing systems that process data received from the implantable medical device; and
a high-frequency communication device to interface the implantable medical device with the computing network, the communication device being configured to transmit an interrogation signal on one or more first frequencies within a first set of high frequencies and to monitor a second set of high frequencies for a reply from the implantable medical device indicating receipt of the interrogation signal;
wherein the first and second set of high frequencies at least partially overlap.
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69. A network system comprising:
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at least one implantable medical device equipped with a high-frequency transceiver; and
a computing network linking one or more computing systems that process data received from the implantable medical device; and
a high-frequency communication device to interface the implantable medical device with the computing network, the communication device being configured to transmit an interrogation signal on one or more first frequencies within a first set of high frequencies and to monitor a second set of high frequencies for a reply from the implantable medical device indicating receipt of the interrogation signal;
wherein the communication device is configured to assign a third frequency to the implantable medical device to facilitate continuing communication with the implantable medical device.
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Specification