Methods and apparatuses for implantable medical device telemetry power management

• US 7,668,596 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Von Arx, Jeffrey A., Harris, Thomas J., Mazar, Scott T., Yonce, David J., Lent, Karen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinga; Roland
• Application Number:
  US11/244,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/32, 607/60, 607/33, 607/61, 128/903
• US Class Current: 607/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• 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: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39622 Pacing therapy
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An implantable medical device includes a radio-frequency (RF) telemetry circuit connected to an energy source through a power connection module to obtain power when a user initiates an RF telemetry session. After the session is completed, the power connection module shuts off the at least one portion of the RF telemetry circuit. Power-on examples include a wireless telemetry activation signal received by a low power radio receiver in the implantable device, a physical motion detected by an activity sensor therein, an activation of an inductive telemetry circuit therein, a magnetic field detected by a magnetic field detector therein, and/or a telemetry activation signal detected by a sensing circuit included therein. Power-off examples include a wireless termination signal received by the implantable device, a delay timeout after the session, and/or a signal received by an inductive telemetry circuit in the implantable device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device including;

a far-field radio-frequency (RF) first telemetry circuit;

a power connection module, coupled to the first telemetry circuit, the power connection module including a first conductivity state to connect power to at least a portion of the first telemetry circuit and a second conductivity state to disconnect the power; and

a wireless signal detector including a near-field inductive second telemetry circuit coupled to the power connection module, to control the conductivity state of the power connection module according to information detected in a wireless near-field inductive signal.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the second telemetry circuit includes a receiver adapted to receive the predetermined wireless signal, and in which the predetermined wireless signal includes a command for changing the conductivity state of the power connection module.

3. The system of claim 1, in which the second telemetry circuit includes a receiver adapted to detect a near-field inductive signal having a predetermined frequency and to change the conductivity state of the power connection module when the near-field inductive signal is detected.

4. The system of claim 1, in which the second telemetry circuit includes a receiver adapted to detect a near-field inductive telemetry communication and to change the conductivity state of the power connection module when the near-field inductive telemetry communication is detected.

5. The system of claim 1, further including:

a first remote device, electromagnetically coupled to the first telemetry circuit, the first remote device including a far-field RF third telemetry circuit to provide communication with the implantable medical device for at least a six-foot range; and

a second remote device, inductively coupled to the second telemetry circuit, the second remote device including a near-field inductive fourth telemetry circuit to provide near-field communication with the implantable medical device.

6. The system of claim 5, in which the first and second remote devices are physically integrated.

7. A system comprising:

an implantable medical device, the implantable medical device including;

a far-field radio-frequency (RF) first telemetry circuit;

a power connection module, coupled to the first telemetry circuit, the power connection module including a first conductivity state to connect power to at least a portion of the first telemetry circuit and a second conductivity state to disconnect the power; and

a wireless signal detector including a low power radio detector adapted to detect information included in a predetermined telemetry activation signal to determine a conductivity state of the first telemetry circuit.

8. The system of claim 7, in which the predetermined telemetry activation signal includes an RF burst and a digital key adapted to identify a particular implantable medical device.

9. The system of claim 7, further including a remote device including a telemetry activation signal generator configured to be electromagnetically coupled to the low power radio detector.