Communication module and method of operation thereof

• US 7,986,997 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biotronik SE & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Biotronik CRM Patent AG (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Lang, Martin, Elsner, Joachim, Gromotka, Bernhard, Merlin, Julian
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow; Scott M
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTON, AMANDA K
• Application Number:
  US11/219,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20060052843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,153 Days
• Field of Search: 607/16, 607/32, 607/59, 607/60
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A method of making a wireless communication connection between a patient device and an electromedical implant as communication partners is disclosed, wherein a transmitting unit of the patient device is continually switched on and off, so that the transmitting unit is alternately in an activity phase and an activity pause and during its activity pause at least once sends a recognition signal and wherein a receiving unit of the electromedical implant is continually switched on and off so that the receiving unit is alternately in an activity phase and an activity pause and during its activity phase checks whether the transmitting unit is just then in its activity phase and sends a recognition signal, wherein switching on and off of the receiving unit is so effected that an activity phase and an activity pause of the receiving unit together give an overall duration which differs from the overall duration of an activity phase and an activity pause of the transmitting unit so that within a foreseeable period of time the activity phases of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit overlap and a wireless communication connection between the two communication partners occurs.

Claims

1. A method of establishing communication between an electromedical implant and an external patient device, said method comprising:

where said implant and said patient device are not initially synchronized with each other for communication, switching between an activity phase and an activity pause of a transmitting unit of said external patient device in periodically alternating relationship;

switching, in periodically alternating relationship, between an activity phase and an activity pause of a receiving unit of said electromedical implant, wherein said activity phase of said transmitting unit of said external patient device is shorter in time duration than said activity pause of the receiving unit of the electromedical implant, ensuring that a relative temporal position of the activity phase of the implant and the activity phase of the external patient device is continually displaced relative to each other such that, within a predetermined maximum time, a temporal overlap occurs between the activity phase of the implant and the activity phase of the external patient device;

said implant receiving a recognition signal from said external patient device during said temporal overlap; and

switching off said receiving unit of said implant to enter said activity pause of said receiving unit for a defined period of time in response to receiving said recognition signal.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising switching from the activity pause of the implant to the activity phase of the implant after the elapse of the defined period of time, wherein the defined period of time indicates to said implant when a next activity phase of said patient device is to start.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising switching, in periodically alternating relationship, between the activity phase and the activity pause of the receiving unit of the implant, wherein a time duration of the activity pause of the receiving unit of the implant substantially matches a time duration of the activity pause of the patient device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said defined period of time is communicated via said recognition signal to said implant.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said implant sends an acknowledgement signal to said external patient device if said implant has received said recognition signal.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising adapting a duration of said activity phase and a duration of said activity pause of said patient device to substantially match a duration of said activity phase and a duration of said activity pause of said implant, respectively, upon said patient device receiving said acknowledgement signal.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said implant is a cardiac pacemaker or a defibrillator.

8. An electromedical implant capable of communicating with an external patient device having an activity phase and an activity pause in periodically alternating relationship said implant comprising:

where said implant and said patient device are not initially synchronized with each other for communication, means for switching, in periodically alternating relationship, between an activity phase and an activity pause of a receiving unit of said electromedical implant, wherein an activity phase of a transmitting unit of said external patient device is shorter in time duration than said activity pause of the receiving unit of the electromedical implant, ensuring that a relative temporal position of the activity phase of the implant and the activity phase of the external patient device is continually displaced relative to each other such that, within a predetermined maximum time, a temporal overlap occurs between the activity phase of the implant and the activity phase of the external patient device;

means for said implant to receive a recognition signal from said external patient device during said temporal overlap; and

means for switching off said receiving unit of said implant to enter said activity pause of said receiving unit for a defined period of time in response to receiving said recognition signal.

9. The implant of claim 8 further comprising means for switching from the activity pause of the implant to the activity phase of the implant after the elapse of the defined period of time, wherein the defined period of time indicates to said implant when a next activity phase of said patent device is to start.

10. The implant of claim 9 further comprising means for switching, in periodically alternating relationship, between the activity phase and the activity pause of the receiving unit of the implant, wherein a time duration of the activity pause of the receiving unit of the implant substantially matches a time duration of the activity pause of the patient device.

11. The implant of claim 8 further comprising means for receiving said defined period of time as communicated via said recognition signal to said implant.

12. The implant of claim 8 further comprising means for sending an acknowledgement signal from said implant to said external patient device if said implant has received said recognition signal.

13. The implant of claim 8 wherein said implant is a cardiac pacemaker or a defibrillator.

14. The implant of claim 8 further comprising means for adapting a duration of said activity phase and a duration of said activity pause of said implant to substantially match a duration of said activity phase and a duration of said activity pause of said patient device, respectively.

15. A system, said system comprising:

a patient device having a transmitting unit having at least an activity phase and an activity pause, said transmitting unit capable of transmitting at least one recognition signal; and

an electromedical implant having an activity phase and an activity pause, where said implant and said patient device are not initially synchronized with each other for communication, and wherein said electromedical implant includes;

means for switching, in periodically alternating relationship, between said activity phase and said activity pause of a receiving unit of said electromedical implant, wherein said activity phase of said transmitting unit of said external patient device is shorter in time duration than said activity pause of the receiving unit of the electromedical implant, ensuring that a relative temporal position of the activity phase of the implant and the activity phase of the external patient device is continually displaced relative to each other such that, within a predetermined maximum time, a temporal overlap occurs between the activity phase of the implant and the activity phase of the external patient device;

means for said implant to receive said at least one recognition signal from said external patient device during said temporal overlap; and

means for switching off said receiving unit of said implant to enter said activity pause of said receiving unit for a defined period of time after receiving said at least one recognition signal.

16. A system, said system comprising:

a patient device having a transmitting unit providing at least an activity phase and an activity pause, said transmitting unit capable of transmitting at least one recognition signal; and

an electromedical implant providing an activity phase and an activity pause, where said implant and said patient device are not initially synchronized with each other for communication, and wherein said electromedical implant includes;

means for switching, in periodically alternating relationship, between said activity phase and said activity pause of a receiving unit of said electromedical implant, wherein said activity phase of said transmitting unit of said external patient device is shorter in time duration than said activity pause of the receiving unit of the electromedical implant, ensuring that a relative temporal position of the activity phase of the implant and the activity phase of the external patient device is continually displaced relative to each other such that, within a predetermined maximum time, a temporal overlap occurs between the activity phase of the implant and the activity phase of the external patient device,

means for said implant to receive said at least one recognition signal from said external patient device during said temporal overlap,

means for switching off said receiving unit of said implant to enter said activity pause of said receiving unit for a defined period of time after receiving said at least one recognition signal,

means for switching from the activity pause of the implant to the activity phase of the implant after the elapse of the defined period of time, wherein the defined period of time indicates to said implant when a next activity phase of said patient device is to start and,

means for switching, in periodically alternating relationship, between the activity phase and the activity pause of the receiving unit of the implant, wherein a time duration of the activity pause of the receiving unit of the implant substantially matches a time duration of the activity pause of the patient device,

wherein said electromedical implant is a cardiac pacemaker or a defibrillator.