Communication system for medical devices

• US 8,428,722 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Verhoef, William D., Haubrich, Gregory J., Masoud, Javaid, Twetan, Len D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): PORTER, JR, GARY A
• Application Number:
  US12/796,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20100249887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 607/29, 607/32, 607/60, 128/903, 128/904, 705/2
• US Class Current: 607/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A communications device facilitates communication between a medical device and a wireless communications network and comprises a telemetry circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with one or more medical devices, and a computer network communication interface configured to wirelessly communicate directly with a wireless computer network. The communications device also comprises a peripheral device communication interface configured to communicate with a wireless peripheral device and a processor being in operable communication with, and configured to control operations of, the telemetry circuit, the network communication interface, and the peripheral device communication interface.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a peripheral device communication interface configured to mate with a peripheral device and communicate with the peripheral device;

a telemetry circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with one or more medical devices; and

a processor in operable communication with, and configured to control operations of, the telemetry circuit and the peripheral device communication interface;

wherein the processor is further configured to send a configuration signal to the peripheral device via the peripheral communication interface to reconfigure the peripheral device such that the peripheral device is only able to receive or initiate certain types of communications.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to send a second configuration signal to the peripheral device to turn the peripheral device on.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to send the second configuration signal to the peripheral device to turn the peripheral device on in response to receiving specified patient- or health-related data from one of the one or more medical devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power management module configured to monitor a charge state of a battery and supply charge state data representative of the charge state of the battery to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured determine whether the charge state of the battery is below a predetermined threshold charge and send the configuration signal to the peripheral device when the charge state of the battery is below the predetermined threshold charge.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the power management module is configured to monitor a charge state of a battery of the peripheral device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to send the configuration signal to reconfigure the peripheral device such that the peripheral device is limited to receive or initiate communications with predetermined contacts.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the predetermined contacts comprise emergency support contacts.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to send the configuration signal to reconfigure the peripheral device such that the peripheral device is only able to receive or initiate communication of specified health-related data from one of the one or more medical devices.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to send an override signal to the peripheral device via the peripheral device communication interface to enable the peripheral device to initiate the communication of the specified health-related data.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is implemented in a memory module format that interfaces with the peripheral device via a memory I/O of the peripheral device.

11. A system comprising:

a peripheral device that is configured to wirelessly communicate with a communication system; and

a communication interface module configured to mate with the peripheral device, the communication interface module comprising;

a peripheral device communication interface configured to mate with the peripheral device and communicate with the peripheral device;

a telemetry circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with one or more medical devices; and

a processor in operable communication with, and configured to control operations of, the telemetry circuit and the peripheral device communication interface;

wherein the processor is further configured to send a configuration signal to the peripheral device via the peripheral communication interface;

wherein the peripheral device reconfigures itself such that the peripheral device is only able to receive or initiate certain types of communications in response to receiving the configuration signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the peripheral device turns on in response to receiving a second configuration signal from the communication interface module.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to send the second configuration signal to the peripheral device in response to receiving specified patient- or health-related data from one of the one or more medical devices.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a battery, wherein the communication interface module further includes a power management module configured to monitor a charge state of the battery and supply charge state data representative of the charge state of the battery to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured determine whether the charge state of the battery is below a predetermined threshold charge and send the configuration signal to the peripheral device when the charge state of the battery is below the predetermined threshold charge.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the battery comprises a battery of the peripheral device.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the peripheral device reconfigures itself in response to receiving the configuration signal from the communication interface module such that the peripheral device is limited to receive or initiate communications with predetermined contacts.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined contacts comprise emergency support contacts.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the peripheral device reconfigures itself in response to receiving the configuration signal from the communication interface module such that the peripheral device is only able to receive or initiate communication of specified health-related data from one of the one or more medical devices.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the peripheral device reconfigures itself in response to receiving the configuration signal from the communication interface module such that the peripheral device can only initiate communications in response to an override signal from the communication interface module.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor sends the override signal to the peripheral device in response to receiving specified health-related data from one of the one or more medical devices.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is implemented in a memory module format that interfaces with the peripheral device via a memory I/O of the peripheral device.

22. The system of claim 11, wherein the peripheral device comprises one of wireless telephone, a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a personal computer (PC).