Retrieval of information from an implantable medical device

• US 9,636,509 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hintz, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Curtis
• Application Number:
  US13/359,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20130198463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

Techniques for retrieving information from an implantable medical device (IMD) having a depleted internal energy source such as a non-rechargeable battery are disclosed. The IMD is powered by and communicates with an external interrogation device to access a memory location of the IMD and for transfer of the information in the memory location to the external interrogation device subsequent to depletion of the internal energy source. In an embodiment, the memory location is included in a non-volatile memory component of the IMD to maintain the information stored in the memory component.

Claims

1. An implantable medical system, comprising:

an interrogating device for sending a communication signal including a command and energy; and

an implantable medical device, having;

an energy harvesting circuit for remotely obtaining energy from the communication signal transmitted provided by the interrogating device;

a memory module having a non-volatile memory;

a memory access unit powered by the energy harvesting circuit to access and transfer information from the non-volatile memory to the interrogating device in response to the command contained in the communication signal from the interrogating device;

an internal energy source, wherein the memory access unit is powered by the energy harvesting circuit subsequent to a depletion of energy stored by the internal energy source to access and transfer the information;

a processor configured to provide an indication of a battery level of the internal energy source and perform storage of the information in a memory location of the non-volatile memory when the internal energy source reaches a predetermined portion of an initial battery level; and

an external programmer configured to retrieve the information from the implantable medical device via a first frequency band prior during a lifetime of the internal energy source,

wherein the interrogating device sends the communication signal utilizing a second frequency band different than the first frequency band subsequent to depletion of the energy stored by the internal energy source, and

the memory access unit remaining in a powered down mode during the lifetime of the internal energy source until the interrogation device sends the communication signal.

2. The implantable medical system of claim 1, further comprising a programmer powered by the energy harvesting circuit to write information to the memory location of the non-volatile memory.

3. The implantable medical system of claim 2, wherein the information written in the memory location is indicative of a status of the implantable medical device.

4. The implantable medical system of claim 2, further comprising a programmable non-volatile memory wherein the written information is stored within the programmable non-volatile memory during the lifetime of the internal energy source of the implantable medical device.

5. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the information in the memory location is indicative of a failure mode of the implantable medical device.

6. The implantable medical system of claim 1, further comprising a passively energized processing circuitry for accessing a memory of the implantable medical device and updating the contents of the memory location.

7. The implantable medical system of claim 6, wherein the passively energized processing circuitry is powered by the energy harvesting circuit independent of an energy source of the implantable medical device.

8. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the transfer of information is performed through load modulation.

9. The implantable medical system of claim 1, further comprising an event detector for providing event information associated with an operation of the implantable medical device.

10. The implantable medical system of claim 9, wherein the non-volatile memory is updated with event information.

11. The implantable medical system of claim 10, wherein the event information comprises least one of:

a battery end of life indicator, status information of the medical device, and an action to be taken by the medical device.

12. The implantable medical system of claim 9, wherein the programmer writes the information to the memory location of the non-volatile memory in response to the detected event.

13. The implantable medical system of claim 2, wherein the programmer writes the information to the memory location of the non-volatile memory in response to a manual command.

14. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device further comprises a battery monitor, wherein the non-volatile memory location is updated with information from the implantable medical device based on a given power level of the battery.

15. The implantable medical system of claim 14, wherein the battery power level is between 10% and 1% of the initial level, wherein the initial battery level is determined at a predetermined lifetime of the internal energy source of the implantable medical device.

16. The implantable medical system of claim 14, wherein the battery level is between 5% and 1% of the initial level, wherein the initial battery level is determined during implantation of the device.

17. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the memory location is rewritable.

18. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the memory module is an RFID.

19. The implantable medical system of claim 18, further comprising an RFID antenna.

20. The implantable medical system of claim 18, further comprising an RFID transponder.

21. The implantable medical system of claim 1, further comprising a self-test module.

22. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the power provided by the interrogating device is coupled with the command.

23. An implantable medical system, comprising:

an interrogating device; and

an implantable medical device, having;

an energy harvesting circuit for remotely obtaining energy provided by the interrogating device;

a memory module having a non-volatile memory;

a memory access unit powered by the energy harvesting circuit to retrieve information from the non-volatile memory and transmit the retrieved information to the interrogating device in response to a command from the interrogating device;

an internal energy source, wherein the memory access unit is powered by the energy harvesting circuit subsequent to a depletion of energy stored by the internal energy source to retrieve and transmit the information;

a processor configured to provide an indication of a battery level of the internal energy source and perform storage of the information in a memory location of the non-volatile memory when the internal energy source reaches a predetermined portion of an initial battery level; and

an external programmer configured to retrieve information from the implantable medical device via a first frequency band prior during a lifetime of the internal energy source,

wherein the interrogating device sends the communication signal utilizing a second frequency band different than the first frequency band subsequent to depletion of the energy stored by the internal energy source, and

the memory access unit remaining in a powered down mode during the lifetime of the internal energy source until the interrogation device sends the communication signal.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the information written in the memory location is indicative of a status of the implantable medical device.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising an event detector for providing event information associated with an operation of the implantable medical device.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the implantable medical device further comprises a battery monitor, wherein the non-volatile memory location is updated with information from the implantable medical device based on a given power level of the battery.