Method and apparatus of acoustic communication for implantable medical device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An implantable medical device adapted to be communicatively coupled to a second medical device, the implantable medical device comprising:
- a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device;
an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the CRM device, the acoustic communication circuit including at least one of a data transmitter adapted to transmit an outgoing acoustic signal to the second medical device and a data receiver adapted to receive an incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device;
an acoustic transducer coupled to the acoustic communication circuit, the acoustic transducer configured to be an acoustic coupler for acoustic communication including transmitting the outgoing acoustic signal to the second medical device and receiving the incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device;
an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber to contain the CRM device and the acoustic communication circuit; and
a diaphragm connected to the wall and configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to a carrier frequency used in the acoustic communication,wherein the wall of the implantable housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber, and wherein the diaphragm is connected to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, and wherein the acoustic transducer is connected to the diaphragm within the cavity.
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Abstract
An implantable medical device includes an acoustic transducer for intra-body communication with another medical device via an acoustic couple. The acoustic transducer includes one or more piezoelectric transducers. In one embodiment, an implantable medical device housing contains a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device and an acoustic communication circuit. The acoustic transducer is electrically connected to the acoustic communication circuit to function as an acoustic coupler and physically fastened to a wall of the implantable housing, directly or via a supporting structure.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. An implantable medical device adapted to be communicatively coupled to a second medical device, the implantable medical device comprising:
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a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device; an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the CRM device, the acoustic communication circuit including at least one of a data transmitter adapted to transmit an outgoing acoustic signal to the second medical device and a data receiver adapted to receive an incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device; an acoustic transducer coupled to the acoustic communication circuit, the acoustic transducer configured to be an acoustic coupler for acoustic communication including transmitting the outgoing acoustic signal to the second medical device and receiving the incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device; an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber to contain the CRM device and the acoustic communication circuit; and a diaphragm connected to the wall and configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to a carrier frequency used in the acoustic communication, wherein the wall of the implantable housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber, and wherein the diaphragm is connected to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, and wherein the acoustic transducer is connected to the diaphragm within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An implantable medical device adapted to be communicatively coupled to a second medical device, the implantable medical device comprising:
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one or more of a sensing circuit to sense one or more physiologic signals and a therapy delivery circuit; a plurality of acoustic transducers configured to be an acoustic coupler for acoustic communication including transmitting an outgoing acoustic signal to the second medical device and receiving an incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device; an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the one or more of the sensing circuit and the therapy delivery circuit, the acoustic communication circuit including a transducer interface circuit coupled to the plurality of acoustic transducers, the acoustic communication circuit adapted to transmit the outgoing acoustic signal to the second medical device and receive the incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device using the acoustic coupler; an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber to contain the one or more of the sensing circuit and the therapy delivery circuit and the acoustic communication circuit; and a metal diaphragm connected to the wall and configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to a carrier frequency used in the acoustic communication, wherein the wall of the implantable housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber, and wherein the diaphragm is connected to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, and wherein the plurality of acoustic transducers are fastened to the diaphragm within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An implantable medical device adapted to be communicatively coupled to a second medical device, the implantable medical device comprising:
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a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device; an acoustic transducer configured to be an acoustic coupler for acoustic communication between the implantable medical device and the second medical device; an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the CRM device, the acoustic communication circuit including a data receiver circuit coupled to the acoustic transducer, the data receiver circuit adapted to receive an incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device using the acoustic transducer, the incoming acoustic signal including a first carrier signal modulated by incoming data; and an implantable housing configured to contain the CRM device and the acoustic communication circuit, the implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber to contain the CRM device and the acoustic communication circuit and a diaphragm connected to the wall, the diaphragm thinner than the wall and configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to a carrier frequency used in the acoustic communication, wherein the wall of the implantable housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber, and wherein the diaphragm is connected to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, and wherein the acoustic transducer is fastened to the diaphragm within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system, comprising:
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a first implantable medical device including; a CRM device; an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the CRM device; an acoustic transducer coupled to the acoustic communication circuit, the acoustic transducer configured to be an acoustic coupler for an acoustic couple adapted for data communication; and an implantable housing including a wall and a diaphragm connected to the wall, the wall forming a chamber to contain the CRM device and the acoustic communication circuit, the diaphragm configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to a carrier frequency used in the acoustic communication, wherein the wall of the implantable housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber, and wherein the diaphragm is connected to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, and wherein the acoustic transducer is connected to the diaphragm within the cavity; and a second medical device communicatively coupled to the first implantable medical device via the acoustic couple, wherein the acoustic communication circuit is adapted to transmit an outgoing acoustic signal to the second medical device and receive an incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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at least one of a monitoring device to sense one or more physiologic signals and a therapy delivery device; an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the at least one of the monitoring device and the therapy delivery device; an acoustic transducer coupled to the acoustic communication circuit, the acoustic transducer configured to be an acoustic coupler for acoustic communication; and an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber to contain the at least one of the monitoring device and the therapy delivery device and the acoustic communication circuit, the wall including an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber; a diaphragm connected to the wall to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface of the wall, wherein the acoustic transducer is fastened to the exterior surface of the wall within the cavity, wherein the implantable housing and the diaphragm are made of a first type metal. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. An implantable medical device adapted to be communicatively coupled to a second medical device, the implantable medical device comprising:
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at least one of a monitoring device to sense one or more physiologic signals and a therapy delivery device; an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the at least one of the monitoring device and the therapy delivery device, the acoustic communication circuit adapted to transmit an outgoing acoustic signal to the second medical device and receive an incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device; an acoustic transducer coupled to the acoustic communication circuit, the acoustic transducer configured to be an acoustic coupler for acoustic communication including transmitting the outgoing acoustic signal to the second medical device and receiving the incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device; an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber to contain the at least one of the monitoring device and the therapy delivery device and the acoustic communication circuit; and a diaphragm connected to the wall of the implantable housing and configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to a carrier frequency used in the acoustic communication, wherein the wall of the implantable housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber, and wherein the diaphragm is connected to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, and wherein the acoustic transducer is fastened to the diaphragm within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for making an implantable medical device, the method comprising:
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providing an cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device with a communication circuit for acoustic communication between the implantable medical device and a second medical device, the acoustic communication including transmitting an outgoing acoustic signal to the second medical device and receiving an incoming acoustic signal from the second medical device; connecting an acoustic transducer to the communication circuit, the acoustic transducer functioning as an acoustic coupler for the acoustic communication; providing an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber; providing a diaphragm connected to the wall, the diaphragm configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to a carrier frequency used in the acoustic communication; connecting an acoustic coupler assembly including the acoustic transducer to the diaphragm; and encapsulating the CRM device and the communications circuit in the chamber;
wherein the wall of the implantable housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber, and wherein connecting the diaphragm to the wall further comprises connecting the diaphragm to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, and wherein fastening the acoustic transducer to the diaphragm further comprises fastening the acoustic transducer to a surface of the diaphragm within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device; an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the CRM device, the acoustic communication circuit including at least one of a data transmitter and a data receiver; an acoustic transducer coupled to the acoustic communication circuit, the acoustic transducer configured to be an acoustic coupler for acoustic communication; and an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber to contain the CRM device and the acoustic communication circuit, the wall including an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber; and a diaphragm connected to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, the cavity filled with fluid, wherein the acoustic transducer is fastened to the exterior surface and is within the cavity, and wherein the implantable housing and the diaphragm are both made of titanium.
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59. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device; an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the CRM device, the acoustic communication circuit including at least one of a data transmitter and a data receiver; an acoustic transducer coupled to the acoustic communication circuit, the acoustic transducer configured to be an acoustic coupler for acoustic communication; and an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber to contain the CRM device and the acoustic communication circuit, the wall including an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber; and a diaphragm connected to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, wherein the acoustic transducer is fastened to the diaphragm and is within the cavity, and wherein the implantable housing and the diaphragm are made of a first type metal.
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60. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device; an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the CRM device, the acoustic communication circuit including at least one of a data transmitter and a data receiver; an acoustic transducer coupled to the acoustic communication circuit, the acoustic transducer configured to be an acoustic coupler for acoustic communication; an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber to contain the CRM device and the acoustic communication circuit; a diaphragm connected to the wall of the implantable housing, the diaphragm configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to a carrier frequency used in the acoustic communication; and a material having a predetermined stiffness coated onto the diaphragm to provide the diaphragm with the resonant frequency, wherein the wall of the implantable housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber, and wherein the diaphragm is connected to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, and wherein the acoustic transducer is fastened to the diaphragm within the cavity.
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61. A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system, comprising:
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a CRM device; an acoustic transducer configured to be an acoustic coupler for acoustic communication; an acoustic communication circuit coupled to the CRM device, the acoustic communication circuit including a data receiver circuit and a data transmitter circuit each coupled to the acoustic transducer, the data receiver circuit adapted to receive, using the acoustic transducer, an incoming acoustic signal including a first carrier signal modulated by incoming data, the data transmitter circuit adapted to transmit, using the acoustic transducer, an outgoing acoustic signal including a second carrier signal modulated by outgoing data, the data receiver circuit including; an amplitude-shift keying (ASK) demodulator; and an error detector, coupled to the ASK demodulator, to detect an error rate of the demodulated incoming acoustic signal, the data transmitter circuit including; an acoustic carrier generator to generate the second carrier signal, the acoustic carrier generator being a variable-frequency waveform generator programmable for two or more carrier frequencies for the second carrier signal; and an ASK modulator, coupled to the carrier generator and the acoustic transducer, to modulate the second carrier signal with the outgoing data; and an implantable housing configured to contain the CRM device and the acoustic communication circuit, wherein the acoustic transducer is fastened to the implantable housing, and the acoustic communication circuit further comprises a frequency selection circuit to select a carrier frequency from the two or more carrier frequencies for the second carrier signal based on the detected error rate.
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62. A method for making an implantable medical device, the method comprising:
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providing a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device with a communication circuit; providing an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber, the wall including an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber; connecting an acoustic transducer functioning as an acoustic coupler to the communication circuit; connecting an acoustic coupler assembly including the acoustic transducer to the wall; encapsulating the CRM device and the communications circuit in the chamber; connecting a diaphragm to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, the diaphragm and the implantable housing both made of titanium; and filling the cavity with fluid, wherein connecting the acoustic coupler assembly to the wall includes fastening the acoustic transducer to the exterior surface within the cavity.
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63. A method for making an implantable medical device, the method comprising:
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providing a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device with a communication circuit; providing an implantable housing made of a first type metal and including a wall forming a chamber, the wall including an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber; connecting an acoustic transducer functioning as an acoustic coupler to the communication circuit; coupling an acoustic coupler assembly including the acoustic transducer to the wall; encapsulating the CRM device and the communications circuit in the chamber; and connecting a diaphragm made of the first type metal to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, wherein coupling the acoustic coupler assembly to the wall includes fastening the acoustic transducer to a surface of the diaphragm within the cavity.
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64. A method for making an implantable medical device, the method comprising:
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providing a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device with a communication circuit configured to perform acoustic communication; providing an implantable housing including a wall forming a chamber; connecting an acoustic transducer functioning as an acoustic coupler to the communication circuit, the acoustic transducer including a piezoelectric transducer array including two or more piezoelectric transducers; providing programmable interconnections for the two or more piezoelectric transducers; connecting a metal diaphragm to the wall, the diaphragm configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to a carrier frequency used in the acoustic communication; connecting an acoustic coupler assembly including the acoustic transducer to the diaphragm; encapsulating the CRM device and the communications circuit in the chamber; and providing a transducer interface circuit to control a directionality and an effective orientation of the acoustic transducer functioning as the acoustic coupler;
wherein the wall of the implantable housing comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface facing the chamber, and wherein connecting the metal diaphragm to the wall further comprises connecting the diaphragm to the exterior surface to form a cavity between the diaphragm and the exterior surface, and wherein fastening the acoustic coupler assembly including the acoustic transducer to the diaphragm further comprises fastening the acoustic transducer to a surface of the diaphragm within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (65)
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Specification