Communication device for communicating with a bio-medical unit

• US 8,923,967 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Primary Examiner(s): DIETRICH, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US12/787,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/32, 607/33, 607/60, 607/61
• US Class Current: 607/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/002 in combination with another treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A bio-medical communication system includes a bio-medical unit and a communication device. The bio-medical unit is implantable in and/or affixable to a host body and includes a power harvesting module, a communication module, and a functional module. The communication device is operable to: set-up a communication with the bio-medical unit; wirelessly communicate the at least one of upstream data signal and downstream data signal with the bio-medical unit; convert the upstream data signal into an upstream wide area network (WAN) signal and/or a downstream WAN signal into the downstream data signal; and transmit or receive at least one of the upstream and downstream WAN signals.

Claims

1. A bio-medical communication system comprises:

a bio-medical unit implantable in, or affixable to, a host body, the bio-medical communication system comprising;

a bio-medical unit comprising;

a power harvesting module operable to produce a supply voltage from a received electromagnetic power signal generated by an electromagnetic device;

a communication module powered by the supply voltage, wherein the communication module is operable to wirelessly communicate at least one of an upstream data signal and a downstream data signal; and

a functional module operable to;

perform a bio-medical function to produce upstream data of the upstream data signal; and

process downstream data of the downstream data signal; and

a communication device operable to;

set-up a communication with the communication module of the bio-medical unit, wherein setting-up the communication includes sending a signal to the electromagnetic device to request the electromagnetic device to generate the electromagnetic power signal;

wirelessly communicate the at least one of upstream data signal and downstream data signal with the bio-medical unit;

convert at least one of;

the upstream data signal into an upstream wide area network (WAN) signal; and

a downstream WAN signal into the downstream data signal; and

transmit or receive at least one of the upstream and downstream WAN signals.

2. The bio-medical communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is further operable to:

receive the downstream WAN signal;

convert the downstream WAN signal into a downstream signal;

interpret the downstream signal to determine that the communication with the biomedical unit is to be set-up; and

set-up the communication with the bio-medical unit in accordance with the downstream signal.

3. The bio-medical communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is further operable to:

transmit the upstream WAN signal to a remote monitoring device, wherein the upstream data includes at least one of;

a digital image, a radio frequency based radar image, an ultrasound image, tissue sample information, and measurement information.

4. The bio-medical communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is further operable to:

transmit the upstream WAN signal to a remote diagnostic device, wherein the upstream data includes bio-medical diagnostic information; and

receive the downstream WAN signal from the remote diagnostic device, wherein the downstream data includes a treatment function request.

5. The bio-medical communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is further operable to:

receive the downstream WAN signal from the remote control device, wherein the downstream data includes a micro electro-mechanical function request.

6. The bio-medical communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is further operable to:

transmit the upstream WAN signal to a medical record storage device, wherein the upstream data includes bio-medical data; and

receive the downstream WAN signal from the medical record storage device, wherein the downstream data includes access information to the bio-medical data.

7. The bio-medical communication system of claim 1 further comprises:

a plurality of bio-medical units that includes the bio-medical unit, wherein the communication device sets up a direct communication local area network with the plurality of bio-medical units.

8. The bio-medical communication system of claim 1 further comprises:

a plurality of bio-medical units that includes the bio-medical unit, wherein the communication device sets up an indirect communication local area network with the plurality of bio-medical units, wherein at least one of the plurality of bio-medical units functions as an access point for the indirect communication local area network.

9. A communication device for use with a biomedical unit, the communication device comprising:

a wireless transceiver module operable to;

communicate at least one of upstream data signal and downstream data signal with the bio-medical unit that is implanted on, or affixed to, a host body;

communicate at least one of an upstream wide area network (WAN) signal and a downstream WAN signal; and

transmit a wireless signal containing a request for an electromagnetic device to generate an electromagnetic signal that the bio-medical unit uses to generate a supply voltage;

a processing module operable to;

set-up the communication of the at least one of the upstream and downstream data signals with the bio-medical unit;

generate the request transmitted by the wireless transceiver module;

facilitate conversion of the upstream data signal into the upstream WAN signal; and

facilitate conversion of the downstream WAN signal into the downstream data signal.

10. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the wireless transceiver module is further operable to:

transmit the upstream WAN signal to a remote monitoring device, wherein the upstream data includes at least one of;

a digital image, a radio frequency based radar image, an ultrasound image, tissue sample information, and measurement information.

11. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the wireless transceiver module is further operable to:

transmit the upstream WAN signal to a remote diagnostic device, wherein the upstream data includes bio-medical diagnostic information; and

receive the downstream WAN signal from the remote diagnostic device, wherein the downstream data includes a treatment function request.

12. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the wireless transceiver module is further operable to:

receive the downstream WAN signal from the remote control device, wherein the downstream data includes a micro electro-mechanical function request.

13. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the wireless transceiver module is further operable to:

transmit the upstream WAN signal to a medical record storage device, wherein the upstream data includes bio-medical data; and

receive the downstream WAN signal from the medical record storage device, wherein the downstream data includes access information to the bio-medical data.

14. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the wireless transceiver module comprises:

a first wireless transceiver for communicating the at least one of upstream data signal and downstream data signal with the bio-medical unit; and

a second wireless transceiver for communicating the at least one of the upstream and the downstream WAN signal.

15. A wireless communication device for use with a bio-medical unit, the wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless transceiver module operable to;

communicate wirelessly with the bio-medical unit that is implanted on, or affixed to, a host body;

communicate wirelessly with an electromagnetic device that generates an electromagnetic signal used by the bio-medical unit to generate a supply voltage;

a processing module operable to;

generate a request transmitted by the wireless transceiver module, the request including a request for the electromagnetic device to generate the electromagnetic signal used by the bio-medical unit to generate the supply voltage; and

set-up communication with the bio-medical unit.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the wireless transceiver module comprises:

a first wireless transceiver for communicating at least one of an upstream data signal and a downstream data signal with the bio-medical unit; and

a second wireless transceiver for communicating at least one of an upstream and a downstream WAN signal.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the wireless transceiver module is further operable to:

transmit an upstream WAN signal to a remote monitoring device, wherein upstream data included in the upstream WAN signal includes at least one of;

a digital image, a radio frequency based radar image, an ultrasound image, tissue sample information, and measurement information.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the wireless transceiver module is further operable to:

transmit an upstream WAN signal to a remote diagnostic device, wherein upstream data included in the upstream WAN signal includes bio-medical diagnostic information; and

receive a downstream WAN signal from the remote diagnostic device, wherein downstream data included in the downstream WAN signal includes a treatment function request.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the wireless transceiver module is further operable to:

transmit an upstream WAN signal to a medical record storage device, wherein upstream data included in the upstream WAN signal includes bio-medical data; and

receive the downstream WAN signal from the medical record storage device, wherein downstream data included in the downstream WAN signal includes access information to the bio-medical data.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the processing module is configured to set-up and initiate the communication with the bio-medical unit.