RF transceiver hopping for communication with implantable medical device
First Claim
1. A communication device for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:
- a first radiofrequency transceiver circuit configured to receive radiofrequency signals from an implantable medical device;
at least one other radiofrequency transceiver circuit configured to receive radiofrequency signals from an implantable medical device; and
a processing circuit configured to;
determine a first quality indication corresponding to reception of the radiofrequency signals from the implantable medical device by the first radiofrequency transceiver circuit;
determine at least one other quality indication corresponding to reception of radiofrequency signals from the implantable medical device by the at least one other radiofrequency transceiver circuit;
compare the first quality indication and the at least one other quality indication; and
select a first one of the radiofrequency transceiver circuits for radiofrequency communication with the implantable medical device, wherein the selection is based on the comparison.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Dynamically switching between different external RF transceivers for communication with an implantable medical device maintains high communication quality in the face of interference, fading, detuning, or other adverse wireless communication conditions. Quality information associated with communications between an implantable medical device and different external devices is monitored to select one of these external devices to conduct subsequent communication with the implantable medical device. This monitoring is conducted on a repeated basis such that communication is switched to a different RF transceiver whenever such an RF transceiver is able to achieve a higher quality communication than the currently selected RF transceiver. In some embodiments, RF transceivers are deployed in different devices. For example, one or more RF transceivers may be deployed at a portable programmer (e.g., in the form of a computer tablet) and one or more other RF transceivers may be deployed at an associated base station.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A communication device for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:
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a first radiofrequency transceiver circuit configured to receive radiofrequency signals from an implantable medical device; at least one other radiofrequency transceiver circuit configured to receive radiofrequency signals from an implantable medical device; and a processing circuit configured to; determine a first quality indication corresponding to reception of the radiofrequency signals from the implantable medical device by the first radiofrequency transceiver circuit; determine at least one other quality indication corresponding to reception of radiofrequency signals from the implantable medical device by the at least one other radiofrequency transceiver circuit; compare the first quality indication and the at least one other quality indication; and select a first one of the radiofrequency transceiver circuits for radiofrequency communication with the implantable medical device, wherein the selection is based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A communication device for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:
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a radiofrequency transceiver circuit configured to receive radiofrequency signals from an implantable medical device; and a processing circuit configured to; determine a first quality indication corresponding to reception of the radiofrequency signals by the radiofrequency transceiver circuit; determine at least one other quality indication corresponding to reception of radiofrequency signals from the implantable medical device by at least one other radiofrequency transceiver circuit; compare the first quality indication and the at least one other quality indication; and select a first one of the radiofrequency transceiver circuits for radiofrequency communication with the implantable medical device, wherein the selection is based on the comparison the processing circuit is further configured to send a control signal to each of the non-selected radiofrequency transceiver circuits; and each control signal sets a corresponding one of the non-selected radiofrequency transceiver circuits to a low power mode.
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17. A system for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:
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a first communication device, comprising a first radiofrequency transceiver circuit; and at least one second radiofrequency transceiver circuit configured to communicate via radiofrequency signaling with an implantable medical device; and a second communication device, comprising; a third radiofrequency transceiver circuit configured to communicate with the first radiofrequency transceiver circuit; at least one fourth radiofrequency transceiver circuit configured to communicate via radiofrequency signaling with the implantable medical device; and a processing circuit configured to select a radiofrequency transceiver circuit for radiofrequency communication with the implantable medical device from a set of radiofrequency transceiver circuits consisting of the at least one second radiofrequency transceiver circuit and the at least one fourth radiofrequency transceiver circuit, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to communicate with the at least one second radiofrequency transceiver circuit via the third radiofrequency transceiver circuit and the first radiofrequency transceiver circuit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:
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determining a first quality indication corresponding to reception of radiofrequency signals from an implantable medical device by a radiofrequency transceiver circuit; determining at least one other quality indication corresponding to reception of radiofrequency signals from the implantable medical device by at least one other radiofrequency transceiver circuit; comparing the first quality indication and the at least one other quality indication; and selecting a first one of the radiofrequency transceiver circuits for radiofrequency communication with the implantable medical device, wherein the selection is based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification