Automatic power control for a radio frequency transceiver of an implantable device

• US 7,539,541 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2004
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Quiles, Sylvia, Sridharan, Krishna, Vanderlinde, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, YUN HAENG NMN
• Application Number:
  US10/914,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20060030901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 607 30- 32, 607/60, 128/903, 340/539.12
• US Class Current: 607/31
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

Power supplied to a particular telemetry system of an implantable device having multiple telemetry systems is managed by a state machine. Power to a transceiver of a device is terminated if the particular telemetry system remains dormant or inactive for a programmable period of time and power to the transceiver is turned on if a particular signal is received by the implantable device.

Claims

1. An implantable apparatus comprising:

a plurality of telemetry circuits including a far field telemetry circuit and a near field telemetry circuit, each telemetry circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device;

a power controller coupled to the far field telemetry circuit and a power supply; and

a processor coupled to the power controller and configured to selectively provide a power signal to the power controller,

wherein the power controller manages power from the power supply delivered to the far field telemetry circuit as a function of the power signal, and

wherein the processor is configured to;

establish a near field link upon detecting a synchronization signal using the near field telemetry circuit;

cause the power controller to power the far field telemetry circuit upon detecting absence of a synchronization signal using the near field telemetry circuit and to place the telemetry circuits in an out-of-synchronization state, wherein the near field and far field telemetry circuits both wait to detect a synchronization signal during the absence of a synchronization signal while in the out-of-synchronization state;

transition from the out-of-synchronization state to establish a far field communication session upon detecting a synchronization signal using the far field communication circuit; and

cause the power controller to remove power to the far field telemetry circuit upon detecting absence of a synchronization signal using the far field telemetry circuit upon expiration of a predetermined period of inactivity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a clock coupled to the processor wherein the clock provides a time signal upon expiration of the predetermined period of inactivity and wherein the power signal is generated as a function of the time signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further including a memory accessible to the processor and having a value stored therein corresponding to the predetermined period of time.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the value is programmable.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the far field telemetry circuit includes a receiver having an output signal and wherein the power signal is a function of the output signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the far field telemetry circuit includes a transceiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the far field telemetry circuit includes a radio frequency circuit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

monitor for resumption of the synchronization signal using the near field telemetry circuit and commencement of a far field radio frequency synchronization signal using the far field telemetry circuit upon causing the power controller to power the far field telemetry circuit; and

to cause the power controller to remove power to the far field radio frequency telemetry circuit if resumption of the synchronization signal is not detected using the near field telemetry circuit upon the expiration of the predetermined period of inactivity.

9. A method comprising:

monitoring for an incoming signal using at least one of a plurality of telemetry circuits including a far field telemetry circuit and a near field telemetry circuit of an implantable device;

establishing a near field link upon detecting a synchronization signal using the near field telemetry circuit; and

generating a power control signal as a function of the incoming signal wherein a power delivered to the far field telemetry circuit is a function of the power control signal, and wherein the incoming signal includes a synchronization signal and further wherein the power control signal is configured to;

power the far field telemetry circuit upon detecting absence of a synchronization signal using the near field telemetry circuit and place the telemetry circuits in an out-of- synchronization state, wherein the near field and far field telemetry circuits both wait to detect a synchronization signal during the absence of a synchronization signal while in the out-of-synchronization state;

transition from the out-of-synchronization state to establish a far field communication session upon detecting a synchronization signal using the far field communication circuit; and

remove power to the far field telemetry circuit upon detecting absence of a synchronization signal using the far field telemetry circuit upon expiration of a predetermined period of inactivity.

10. The method of claim 9 further including synchronizing the implantable device based on the incoming signal.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the incoming signal includes an instruction to extinguish power to the far field telemetry circuit or an instruction to supply power to the far field telemetry circuit.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein generating the power control signal includes executing a program using a processor of the implantable device.

13. The method of claim 9 further including generating a clock signal upon expiration of the predetermined time period and wherein the power control signal is generated as a function of the clock signal.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein monitoring for an incoming signal includes monitoring using a near field telemetry receiver.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein monitoring using the near field telemetry receiver includes monitoring using an inductive telemetry circuit.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein monitoring for an incoming signal includes monitoring using a far field telemetry receiver of the far field telemetry circuit.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein monitoring using the far field telemetry receiver includes monitoring using a radio frequency telemetry circuit.

18. A system comprising:

an external transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a synchronization signal; and

an implantable device having a plurality of wireless receivers at least one of which is configured to receive the synchronization signal and including a far field receiver and including a near field receiver, each of which is coupled to an implantable processor and a power controller, the implantable processor configured to generate a control signal as a function of the synchronization signal, and further wherein the implantable processor is configured to;

establish a near field link upon detecting a synchronization signal using the near field telemetry;

cause the power controller to power the far field receiver upon detecting absence of the synchronization signal using the near field receiver and to place the telemetry circuits in an out- of-synchronization state, wherein the near field and far field telemetry circuits simultaneously wait to detect a synchronization signal during the absence of a synchronization signal while in the out-of-synchronization state;

transition from the out-of-synchronization state to establish a far field communication session upon detecting a synchronization signal using the far field communication circuit; and

cause the power controller to remove power to the far field receiver upon detecting absence of a synchronization signal using the far field wireless receiver upon expiration of a predetermined period of inactivity.

19. The system of claim 18 further including an interface coupled to the external transmitter wherein the interface is adapted to couple the external transmitter to a communication network.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the far field receiver is configured to generate an output signal as a function of the synchronization signal and wherein the control signal is generated as a function of the output signal.