Implantable medical device with antenna

• US 8,615,305 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Von Arx, Jeffrey Allen, Rawat, Prashant B., Kollman, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stice, Paula J
• Application Number:
  US12/912,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20110040159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 607 32- 35, 607/60
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence

Abstract

An implantable medical device for use in a patient management system is described including a housing, a first communications unit, and a second communications unit. The first communications unit can establish a first communications link within short range telemetry communication range of an external local device. The second communications unit can establish a second communications link over a pervasive wireless communications network with a remote computer. A pervasive wireless communications network can include a cell phone network. The device further includes an antenna that is configured to be operatively connected to both the first and second communications units.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device for use in a patient management system comprising:

a housing of an implantable medical device;

a first communications unit disposed within the housing configured to establish a first communications link within a short-range telemetry communication range of an external local device;

a second communications unit disposed within the housing configured to establish a second communications link with a remote computer over at least one pervasive wireless communications network in the group consisting of;

a wireless telephone network, a wireless wide area network, and a wireless local area network; and

a single antenna operatively configured to be operatively connected to the first communication unit and the second communications unit.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first communications unit is configured to deliver notification of one or more significant events to the external local device.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the second communications unit is configured to deliver notification of the one or more significant events to the remote computer.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising:

a sensor capable of measuring a body characteristic and generating a data signal describing the measured body characteristic; and

a processor disposed within the housing of the implantable medical device and in communication with the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the data signal the identify the one or more significant events.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna is a fractal antenna.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the first communication link is a short-range radio frequency link.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna is configured to:

receive and transmit electromagnetic radiation at frequencies from 900 MHz to 950 MHz for the first communication link;

receive and transmit electromagnetic radiation at frequencies from 800 MHz to 900 MHz for the second communication link.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first matching network operatively connected to the first communications unit and the antenna; and

a second matching network operatively connected to the second communications unit and the antenna.

9. An implantable medical device for use in a patient management system comprising:

a housing of an implantable medical device;

a first communications unit disposed within the housing configured to establish a first communications link within a short-range telemetry communication range of an external local device;

a second communications unit disposed within the housing configured to establish a second communications link with a remote computer over at least one pervasive wireless communications network in the group consisting of;

a wireless telephone network, a wireless wide area network, and a wireless local area network; and

a dual mode antenna configured to be operatively connected to the first communication unit and the second communications unit.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first communications unit is configured to deliver notification of one or more significant events to the external local device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the second communications unit is configured to deliver notification of the one or more significant events to the remote computer.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

a sensor capable of measuring a body characteristic and generating a data signal describing the measured body characteristic; and

a processor disposed within the housing of the implantable medical device and in communication with the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the data signal the identify the one or more significant events.

13. The device of claim 9 further comprising an antenna switch configured to switch operative communication of the antenna between the first communication unit and the second communication unit.

14. The device of claim 9 wherein the antenna is configured to:

receive and transmit electromagnetic radiation at a first mode having frequencies from 800 MHz to 950 MHz; and

receive and transmit electromagnetic radiation at a second mode having frequencies from 1700 MHz to 2000 MHz.

15. An implantable medical device for use in a patient management system comprising:

a housing of an implantable medical device;

a first communications unit disposed within the housing configured to establish a first communications link within a short-range telemetry communication range of an external local device;

a second communications unit disposed within the housing configured to establish a second communications link with a remote computer over at least one pervasive wireless communications network in the group consisting of;

a wireless telephone network, a wireless wide area network, and a wireless local area network; and

a single mode antenna configured to be operatively connected to the first communication unit and the second communications unit.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first communications unit is configured to deliver notification of one or more significant events to the external local device.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the second communications unit is configured to deliver notification of the one or more significant events to the remote computer.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

a sensor capable of measuring a body characteristic and generating a data signal describing the measured body characteristic; and

a processor disposed within the housing of the implantable medical device and in communication with the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the data signal the identify the one or more significant events.

19. The device of claim 15 further comprising an antenna switch configured to switch operative communication of the antenna between the first communication unit and the second communication unit.