Cross-band communications in an implantable device

• US 8,391,981 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mosesov, Oleg
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US13/186,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20110275911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/32, 607/60
• US Class Current: 607/32
• 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 implantable medical device, comprising:

a) a battery;

b) at least one sensor that is powered by the battery and configured to monitor a physiological condition of the body of a patient;

c) sensor electronics configured to process a signal received from the at least one sensor;

d) a wireless receiver that is configured to continuously draw less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery when implanted, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a first wireless communication from an external device in a first frequency band of a range of frequencies less than 1 MHz; and

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

f) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the external device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to draw power from the battery and send at least one second wireless communication related to at least one physiological signal sensed by the at least one sensor to the external device using a second frequency in a range of frequencies above 10 MHz.

2. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the receiver is configured to use a current of about 3 microamps, or less.

3. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor comprises an ECG sensors.

4. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the first frequency band is an RFID frequency in the range of about 125 to 134 kHz.

5. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the second frequency band is a MICS band in the range of 402-405 MHz.

6. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the second frequency band is in the range of about902 to about 928 MHz.

7. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the first wireless communication received by the receiver from the external device comprises a selection of a frequency in a MICS band for the transmitter to send the at least one second communication to the external device.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the at least one second communication received by the receiver from the external device comprises set up information that determines how transmissions from the implantable device will be done.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 8 wherein the set up information comprises a selection of a frequency in a MICS band for the transmitter to send the at least one second communication to the external device.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the receiver is configured to receive the first wireless communication from an external device in the first frequency band at a receiving range of at least about two meters.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to send two or more second wireless communications related to physiological signals sensed by the at least one sensor to the external device using the second frequency.

12. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a) a battery;

b) at least one sensor that is powered by the battery and configured to monitor a physiological condition of the body of a patient;

c) sensor electronics configured to process a signal received from the at least one sensor;

d) a wireless receiver that is configured to continuously draw less than 10 micro-amps of current from the battery when implanted, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a first wireless communication from an external device in a first frequency band; and

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

f) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the external device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to draw power from the battery and send at least one second wireless communication related to at least one physiological signal sensed by the at least one sensor to the external device using a second frequency band that is different than the first frequency band.

13. The implantable medical device of claim 12 wherein the first frequency band is an RFID frequency in the range of about 125 kHz to about 134 kHz.

14. The implantable medical device of claim 12 wherein the second frequency hand is higher than about 200 MHz.

15. The implantable medical device of claim 12 wherein the receiver is configured to receive the first wireless communication from an external device in the first frequency band at a receiving range of at least about two meters.

16. A method for communicating with an implantable medical device to be implanted into a body of a patient, wherein the implantable medical device includes at least one sensor that is configured to monitor at least one physiological condition of the body of the patient and sensor electronics configured to process at least one signal received from the at least one sensor, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a first wireless communication from an external device by a receiver in the implantable medical device within a first frequency band of frequencies less than 1 MHz, wherein the receiver continuously draws less than 10 micro-amps of current from a battery as a power source for the medical device; and

b) sending at least one second wireless communication within a second frequency band. that is different from the first frequency band and is above 10 MHz from a transmitter that is configured to draw power from the battery of the implantable medical device.

17. The method of claim 16 including configuring the receiver to use a current of about 3 microamps, or less.

18. The method of claim 16 including sensing ECG signals in the body of the patient.

19. The method of claim 16 including providing the first frequency band being an RFID frequency in the range of about 125 to about 134 kHz.

20. The method. of claim 16 including providing the second frequency band being a MICS band in the range of 402-405 MHz.

21. The method of claim 16 including providing the second frequency band being in the range of about 902 to about 928 MHz.

22. The method of claim 16 including the first communication received by the receiver from the external device being or a frequency in a MICS band for the transmitter to send the at least one second communication to the external device.

23. The method of claim 16 including the first communication received by the receiver from the external device comprising set up information that determines how the at least one second communication from the transmitter will be transmitted.

24. The method of claim 23 including providing the set up information comprising a selection of a frequency in a MICS band for the transmitter to the at least one second communication to the external device.

25. The method of claim 16 including configuring the receiver to receive the first wireless communication from an external device in the first frequency band at a receiving range of at least about two meters.

26. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a) a battery;

b) at least one sensor that is powered by the battery and configured to monitor a physiological, condition of the body of a patient;

c) sensor electronics configured to process a signal received from the at least one sensor;

d) a wireless receiver that is configured to continuously draw current from the battery when implanted, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a first wireless communication from an external device in a first frequency hand of a range of frequencies less than 1MHz; and

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

f) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the external device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to draw power from the battery and send at least one second wireless communication related to at least one physiological signal sensed by the at least one sensor to the external device using a second frequency in a range of frequencies above 10 MHz.

27. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a) a battery;

b) at least one sensor that is powered by the battery and configured to monitor a physiological condition of the body of a patient;

c) sensor electronics configured to process a signal received from the at least one sensor;

d) a wireless receiver that is configured to continuously draw current from the battery when implanted, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a first wireless communication from an external device in a first frequency band; and

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

f) wherein after receipt by the receiver of a first wireless communication from the external device at the first frequency band, the wireless transmitter is configured to draw power from the battery and send at least one second wireless communication related to at least one physiological signal sensed by the at least one sensor to the external device using a second frequency band that is different than the first frequency band.

28. A method for communicating with an implantable medical device to be implanted into a body of a patient, wherein the implantable medical device includes at least one sensor that is configured to monitor at least one physiological condition of the body of the patient and sensor electronics configured to process at least one signal received from the at least one sensor, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a first wireless communication from an external device by a receiver in the implantable medical device within a first frequency band of frequencies less than 1 MHz, wherein the receiver continuously draws current from a battery as a power source for the medical device; and

b) sending at least one second wireless communication within a second frequency band that is different from the first frequency band and is above 10 MHz from a transmitter that is configured to draw power from the battery of the implantable medical device.