Cross-band communications in an implantable device

• US 8,301,254 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2008
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mosesov, Oleg F., Mills, Perry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US12/172,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20080275312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/32, 607/60
• US Class Current: 607/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

An ambulatory monitoring device includes a sensor to monitor a physiological signal and a battery power source. The device also includes a wireless receiver adapted to monitor a first frequency band having frequencies below 1 MHz and configured to detect and receive, using less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery power source when operating, wireless communications within the first frequency band from a remote device at least one meter away. The device further includes a wireless transmitter adapted to transmit—after receipt from the remote device of a first wireless communication within the first frequency band that includes an invitation for further communication—a second wireless communication in a second frequency band having frequencies above 10 MHz, the second wireless communication comprising data indicative of the physiological signal as sensed by the sensor.

Claims

1. An ambulatory monitoring device, comprising:

a) a battery power source;

b) a sensor powered by the battery and configured for monitoring a physiological signal of a subject;

c) a wireless receiver that uses less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery power source when operating and is configured to receive wireless communications from a remote device within a first frequency band of a range of frequencies below 1 MHz when the monitoring device is at least 1 meter from the remote device; and

d) a wireless transmitter powered by the battery and that is separate from the receiver,

e) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the remote device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a second wireless communication in a second frequency band of a range of frequencies above 10 MHz, and wherein the second wireless communication is of the physiological signal sensed by the sensor.

2. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver is configured to duty-cycle as it monitors for the first frequency band at some predetermined fraction of continuous time to conserve battery power.

3. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to monitor the first frequency band for 50 ms each second.

4. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver is configured to continuously monitor the first frequency band.

5. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the first frequency band is from about 125 kHz to about 134 kHz.

6. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the second frequency band is from about 402 MHz to about 405 MHz.

7. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the second frequency band is from about 902 MHz to about 928 MHz.

8. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication within the first frequency band includes a selection of a channel within the second frequency band, and wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the second wireless communication at a frequency corresponding to the channel.

9. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1, wherein following the wireless transmitter'"'"'s transmission of the second wireless communication within the second frequency band, the wireless receiver is configured to receive a third wireless communication from a remote device, wherein receipt of the third wireless communication within the first frequency band indicates to the ambulatory monitoring device that the remote device received the second wireless communication.

10. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is programmed to periodically receive the first wireless communication within the first frequency band.

11. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the receiver is programmed to receive the first wireless communication within the first frequency band at least once per day.

12. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the wireless receiver is configured to use less than 3 micro-amps of current from the battery power source when continuously operating.

13. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver is configured to receive wireless communications within the first frequency band from a remote device when the monitoring device is at least 2 meters from the remote device.

14. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the wireless transmitter draws a sufficient amount of current from the battery to transmit the second wireless communication in the second frequency band above 10 MHz to a receiver located in an external device.

15. A system for monitoring an ambulatory subject, the system comprising:

a) a remote device capable of wireless communication; and

b) an implantable medical device for implantation in the ambulatory subject, the implantable medical device comprising;

i) a battery power source;

ii) a sensor powered by the battery and configured for monitoring a physiological signal of the subject;

iii) a wireless receiver that uses less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery power source when operating and is configured to detect and receive wireless communications from the remote device within a first frequency band of a range of frequencies below 1 MHz when the monitoring device is at least one meter from the remote device; and

iv) a wireless transmitter powered by the battery and that is separate from the receiver,

v) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the remote device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a second wireless communication in a second frequency band of a range of frequencies above 10 MHz, and wherein the second wireless communication is of the physiological signal sensed by the sensor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless receiver is configured to duty-cycle as it monitors the first frequency band at some predetermined fraction of continuous time.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless receiver is configured to continuously monitor the first frequency band.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote device is configured to determine an appropriate channel within the second frequency band for communication with the implantable medical device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first wireless communication within the first frequency band includes an indication of the appropriate channel within the second frequency band, and wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the second wireless communication at a frequency corresponding to the appropriate channel.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein following the wireless transmitter'"'"'s transmission of the second wireless communication within the second frequency band, the wireless receiver is configured to receive a third wireless communication from the remote device, wherein receipt of the third wireless communication in the first frequency band indicates to the ambulatory monitoring device that the remote device received the second wireless communication.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein the wireless transmitter draws a sufficient amount of current from the battery to transmit the second wireless communication in the second frequency band above 10 MHz to a receiver located in an external device.

22. An ambulatory monitoring device, comprising:

a) a battery power source;

b) a sensor powered by the battery and configured for monitoring a physiological signal of a subject;

c) a wireless receiver that uses less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery power source when operating and is configured to detect and receive wireless communications from a remote device within a first frequency band of from about 125 kHz to about 134 kHz; and

d) a wireless transmitter powered by the battery and that is separate from the receiver,

e) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the remote device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a second wireless communication in a second frequency band having frequencies of from about 402 MHz to about 405 MHz, and wherein the second wireless communication is of the physiological signal sensed by the sensor.

23. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 22 wherein the receiver is configured to receive the first wireless communication that includes an invitation for further communication.

24. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 22 wherein the wireless transmitter draws a sufficient amount of current from the battery to transmit the second wireless communication in the second frequency band above 10 MHz to a receiver located in an external device.

25. An ambulatory monitoring device, comprising:

a) a battery power source;

b) a sensor powered by the battery and configured for monitoring a physiological signal of a subject;

c) a wireless receiver that is configured to detect and receive wireless communications from a remote device within a first frequency band of from about 125 kHz to about 134 kHz; and

d) a wireless transmitter that is separate from the receiver and uses less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery power source when operating,

e) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the remote device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a second wireless communication in a second frequency band having frequencies of from about 902 MHz to about 928 MHz, and wherein the second wireless communication is of the physiological signal sensed by the sensor.

26. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 25 wherein the receiver is configured to receive the first wireless communication that includes an invitation for further communication.

27. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 25 wherein the wireless transmitter draws a sufficient amount of current from the battery to transmit the second wireless communication in the second frequency band above 10 MHz to a receiver located in an external device.

28. An ambulatory monitoring device, comprising:

a) a battery power source;

b) a sensor powered by the battery and configured for monitoring a physiological signal of a subject;

c) a wireless receiver that uses less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery power source when operating and is configured to detect and receive wireless communications from a remote device within a first frequency band below 1 MHz; and

d) a wireless transmitter powered by the battery and that is separate from the receiver,

e) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the remote device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a second wireless communication in a second frequency band having frequencies above 10 MHz, and wherein the second wireless communication is of the physiological signal sensed by the sensor.

29. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 28 wherein the wireless receiver is configured to communicate with a remote device when the ambulatory monitoring device is at least one meter from the remote device.

30. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 28 wherein the wireless transmitter draws a sufficient amount of current from the battery to transmit the second wireless communication in the second frequency band above 10 MHz to a receiver located in an external device.

31. An ambulatory monitoring device, comprising:

a) a battery power source;

b) a sensor powered by the battery and configured for monitoring a physiological signal of a subject;

c) a wireless receiver that uses less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery power source when operating and is configured to receive wireless communications from a remote device within a first frequency band of a range of frequencies below 1 MHz; and

d) a wireless transmitter powered by the battery and that is separate from the receiver,

e) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the remote device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a second wireless communication in a second frequency band of a range of frequencies above 10 MHz, and wherein the second wireless communication is of the physiological signal sensed by the sensor.

32. The ambulatory monitoring device of claim 31 wherein the wireless transmitter draws a sufficient amount of current from the battery to transmit the second wireless communication in the second frequency band above 10 MHz to a receiver located in an external device.

33. An ambulatory monitoring device, comprising:

a) a battery power source;

b) a sensor powered by the battery and configured for monitoring a physiological signal of a subject;

c) a wireless receiver that uses less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery power source when operating and is configured to receive wireless communications from a remote device within a first frequency band of a range of frequencies below 1 MHz when the monitoring device is at least 1 meter from the remote device; and

d) a wireless transmitter that is separate from the wireless receiver,

e) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the remote device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a second wireless communication in a second frequency band of a range of frequencies above 10 MHz, and wherein the second wireless communication is of the physiological signal sensed by the sensor.