Communication for implantable medical devices

• US 9,098,610 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirtec Medical Corp.
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Polefko, Richard J., Howard, David J., Leyh, Scott G., Wilder, Steven E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shingles, Kristie
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOWA, TIMOTHY JOHN
• Application Number:
  US13/334,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20130166642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37254 Pacemaker or defibrillator security, e.g. to prevent or inhibit programming alterations by hackers or unauthorised individuals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/745 Address table lookup; Address filtering

Abstract

Systems and methods for communication between an implantable medical device and an external device. Data blocks are generated and transmitted between the implantable device and the external device. The data blocks include a first flag indicating whether the data block is a first data block in a message and when the data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message. When the first flag indicates that the data block is a first data block in a message, the data block also contains a device ID, a command token, and message content. When the first flag indicates that the data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message, the data block contains additional message content that is appended to message content from a previously received data block.

Claims

1. A method of communicating between an implanted device implanted in a patient and an external device external to the patient, the method comprising:

receiving, by the implanted device, a first data block of a defined size;

monitoring the first data block for a first flag indicating whether the first data block is an initial data block in a message or a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message;

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, monitoring the first data block for a fixed device ID,

comparing the fixed device ID from the first data block to one or more stored fixed device IDs, the one or more stored fixed device IDs each uniquely identifying a specific external device,

identifying a device sending the first data block as a first authorized device when the fixed device ID from the first data block matches a stored fixed device ID, of the one or more stored fixed device IDs, corresponding to the first authorized device;

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, monitoring the first data block for a command token indicating the type of message that is being received;

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, storing message content from the first data block to a memory of the implanted device;

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message, appending message content from the first data block to message content stored in the memory from a previously received data block;

receiving, by the implanted device, a second data block of the defined size;

monitoring the second data block for a first flag indicating whether the second data block is an initial data block in a second message or a subsequent data block in the same message as the first data block; and

when the first flag of the second data block indicates that the second data block is the initial data block in a second message, monitoring the second data block for a fixed device ID,

comparing the fixed device ID from the second data block to the one or more stored fixed device IDs,

identifying the device sending the second data block as the first authorized device when the fixed device ID from the second data block matches the stored fixed device ID corresponding to the first authorized device, and

identifying the device sending the second data block as a second authorized device when the fixed device ID from the second data block matches a stored fixed device ID, of the one or more stored fixed device IDs, corresponding to the second authorized device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the first data block for a checksum value; and

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, comparing the checksum value from the first data block to a checksum value calculated by the implanted device indicative of the data in the first data block.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting, from the implanted device, a message error when the checksum value from the first data block is not consistent with the calculated checksum value.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message, comparing the checksum value from the first data block to a checksum value calculated by the implanted device, the checksum value being indicative of the data in the first data block and data in at least one previously received data block of the message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, when the first flag indicates that the first data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message, comparing the checksum value from the first data block to a checksum value calculated by the implanted device, the checksum value being indicative of the data in the first data block and data in all of the previously received data blocks of the message.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the implanted device monitors the first data block for the checksum value by monitoring a last byte of the first data block.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the implanted device monitors the first data block for the first flag by monitoring a first byte in the first data block,

wherein, when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the first data block in the message, the implanted device monitors the first data block for the fixed device ID by monitoring a second byte, a third byte, and a fourth byte in the first data block, and

wherein, when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, the implanted device monitors the first data block for the command token by monitoring a fifth byte and a sixth byte in the first data block.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising disregarding the first data block when the first flag indicates that the first data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message and when the implanted device has not received a previous data block in the multiple data block message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the implanted device, a first data block of a defined size includes

receiving a radio-frequency signal by a communication module included in the implanted device, and

extracting the first data block from the radio-frequency signal.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the implanted device, a response data block of the defined size in response to receiving the message from the external device, wherein generating the response data block includes

setting a first flag of the response data block indicating whether the response data block is an initial data block in a response message or a subsequent data block in a multiple data block response message,

when the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, including a response code in the response data block indicating when a command in the message received from the external device has been accepted by the implanted device and when the command in the message received from the external device has been rejected by the implanted device,

when the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, including the command token from the message received from the external device in the response data block,

when the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, including response message data in the response data block, and

when the response data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block response message, including additional response message content in the response data block; and

transmitting, by the implanted device, the response data block.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein generating a response data block of a defined size further includes

including the first flag of the response data block in a first byte of the response data block,

when the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, including the response code in a second byte of the response data block,

when the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, including the command token in a third byte and a fourth byte of the response data block,

when the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, including a response checksum value in the last byte of the response data block, wherein the response checksum value is indicative of the data in the response data block, and

when the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, including response message data in the remaining bytes of the response data block.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disregarding the first data block if the fixed device ID from the first data block does not correspond to one of the stored fixed device IDs; and

disregarding the second data block if the fixed device ID from the second data block does not correspond to one of the stored fixed device IDs.

13. A method of communicating between an implanted device implanted in a patient and an external device external to the patient, the method comprising:

generating, by the external device, a first data block of a defined size, wherein generating the first data block includes

setting a first flag in the first data block indicating whether the first data block is an initial data block in a message or a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message,

when the first data block is an initial data block in the message, including a fixed device ID in the first data block,

wherein the fixed device ID is a pre-assigned ID that uniquely identifies the external device, and

wherein the implanted device stores a list of approved device IDs, each uniquely identifying a different authorized device, and only responds to messages sent from authorized devices;

when the first data block is the initial data block in the message, including a command token in the first data block indicating the type of message,

when the first data block is the initial data block in the message, including message content in the first data block, and

when the first data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message, including additional message content in the first data block;

transmitting, by the external device, the first data block;

generating, by the external device, a second data block of the defined size, wherein, when the second data block is an initial data block in a second message, generating the second data block includes including the fixed device ID in the second data block, wherein the fixed device ID in the second data block is the same as the fixed device ID in the first data block; and

transmitting, by the external device, the second data block.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating a first data block of a defined size further includes

calculating a checksum value, and

including the checksum value in the first data block,

wherein, when the first data block is an initial data block in the message, the calculated checksum value is indicative of the data in the first data block.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, when the first data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message, the calculated checksum value is indicative of the data in the first data block and data in at least one previously transmitted data block of the message.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, when the first data block is a last data block in a multiple data block message, the calculated checksum value is indicative of the data in the first data block and data in all of the previously received data blocks of the message.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein generating a first data block of a defined size further includes including the calculated checksum value in a last byte of the first data block.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein generating a first data block of a defined size further includes

including the first flag in a first byte of the first data block,

when the first data block is the initial data block in the message, including the fixed device ID in a second byte, a third byte, and a fourth byte of the first data block, and

when the first data block is the initial data block in the message, including the command token in a fifth byte and a sixth byte of the first data block.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, by the external device, a response data block of a defined size;

monitoring the response data block for a first flag indicating whether the response data block is an initial data block in a response message or a subsequent data block in a multiple data block response message;

when the first flag of the response data block indicates that the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, monitoring the response data block for a response code, the response code indicating when a command in the message transmitted by the external device has been accepted by the implanted device and when the command in the message transmitted by the external device has been rejected by the implanted device;

when the first flag of the response data block indicates that the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, monitoring the response data block for a command token and confirming that the command token in the response data block corresponds to the command token in the message sent by the external device;

when the first flag of the response data block indicates that the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, storing response message data from the response data block to a memory of the external device; and

when the first flag of the response data block indicates that the response data block is a subsequent data block of a multiple data block response message, appending response message data from the response data block to response message data stored in the memory of the external device from a previously received response data block.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

monitoring the last byte of the response data block for a checksum value; and

comparing the checksum value from the response data block to a checksum value calculated by the external device indicative of the data in the response data block,

wherein the monitoring the response data block for the first flag includes monitoring a first byte of the response data block,

wherein, when the first flag of the response data block indicates that the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, the monitoring the response data block for the response code includes monitoring a second byte of the response data block,

wherein, when the first flag of the response data block indicates that the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, the monitoring the response data block for the command token includes monitoring a third byte and a fourth byte of the response data block, and

wherein, when the first flag of the response data block indicates that the response data block is the initial data block in the response message, the storing response message data from the response data block to a memory of the external device includes monitoring the remaining bytes of the response data block for response message data.

21. An implantable device comprising:

a housing;

a wireless communication module within the housing;

a processor within the housing; and

a memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the implantable device to

receive a first data block of a defined size,

monitor the first data block for a first flag indicating whether the first data block is an initial data block in a message or a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message,

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, monitor the first data block for a fixed device ID,

compare the fixed device ID from the first data block to a stored list of a plurality of fixed device IDs, the fixed device IDs from the stored list of the plurality of fixed device IDs each uniquely representing a specific external device,

identify a device sending the first data block as a first authorized device when the fixed device ID from the first data block matches a first stored fixed device ID from the stored list of the plurality of fixed device IDs, the first stored fixed device ID corresponding to the first authorized device,

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, monitor the first data block for a command token indicating the type of message that is being received,

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, store message content from the first data block to the memory,

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message, append message content from the first data block to message content stored in the memory from a previously received data block,

receive a second data block of the defined size,

monitor the second data block for a first flag indicating whether the second data block is an initial data block in a second message or a subsequent data block in the same message as the first data block, and

when the first flag of the second data block indicates that the second data block is the initial data block in a second message, monitor the second data block for a fixed device ID,

compare the fixed device ID from the second data block to the one or more stored fixed device IDs,

identify the device sending the second data block as the first authorized device when the fixed device ID from the second data block matches the first stored fixed device ID, and

identify the device sending the second data block as a second authorized device when the fixed device ID from the second data block matches a second stored fixed device ID from the stored list of fixed device IDs, wherein the second stored fixed device ID is different from the first stored fixed device ID, and wherein the second stored fixed device ID corresponds to the second authorized device.

22. The implantable device of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the implantable device to

monitor the first data block for a checksum value,

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, compare the checksum value from the first data block to a checksum value calculated by the implantable device indicative of the data in the first data block, and

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is a subsequent data block in a multiple data block message, compare the checksum value from the first data block to a checksum value calculated by the implantable device indicative of the data in the first data block and data in at least one previously received data block of the message.

23. The implantable device of claim 22 wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the implantable device to

monitor the first data block for the first flag by monitoring a first byte in the first data block,

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, monitor the first data block for the fixed device ID by monitoring a second byte, a third byte, and a fourth byte in the first data block,

when the first flag indicates that the first data block is the initial data block in the message, monitor the first data block for the command token by monitoring a fifth byte and a sixth byte in the first data block,

monitor the first data block for the checksum value by monitoring a last byte in the first data block, and

monitor the first data block for message content by monitoring other bytes in the first data block.

24. The implantable device of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the implantable device to

disregard the first data block if the fixed device ID from the first data block does not correspond to one of the stored fixed device IDs, and

disregard the second data block if the fixed device ID from the second data block does not correspond to one of the stored fixed device IDs.