Power efficient wireless RF communication between a base station and a medical device
First Claim
1. A method for use by a base station (BS) that communicates with a medical device (MD), the method for conserving power of the MD during a communication session established between the BS and the MD, the method comprising:
- enabling a drop link mode during the communication session between the BS and the MD when the BS will not send another command to the MD until the BS receives an input from a user via a user interface of the BS;
while the drop link mode is enabled during the communication session between the BS and the MD, establishing a radio frequency (RF) link between the BS and the MD when the BS is to send a command to the MD, and terminating the RF link between the BS and the MD as soon as or within a predetermined amount of time after the BS receives a command response from the MD, wherein each said RF link comprises a wireless communication path established between the BS and the MD that enables data to be wirelessly transmitted therebetween;
disabling the drop link mode when the BS is to send a command to the MD in response to which the BS will receive multiple command responses from the MD; and
while the drop link mode is disabled during the communication session between the BS and the MD, maintaining an already established RF link between the BS and the MD by transmitting one or more link maintenance messages from the BS to the MD.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Specific embodiments of the present invention are for use by a base station (BS) that enables power efficient wireless radio frequency (RF) communication between the BS and a medical device (MD), which may or may not be an implantable medical device (IMD). In an embodiment, once a communication session is established between the BS and the MD, the BS selectively turns a drop link mode on and off. The drop link mode is a communication mode that while turned on (i.e., enabled) reduces and preferably minimizes the length of time that an RF link is maintained between the BS and the MD. In accordance with an embodiment, at any given time during a communication session the drop link mode is either turned on (i.e., enabled) or turned off (i.e., disabled).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for use by a base station (BS) that communicates with a medical device (MD), the method for conserving power of the MD during a communication session established between the BS and the MD, the method comprising:
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enabling a drop link mode during the communication session between the BS and the MD when the BS will not send another command to the MD until the BS receives an input from a user via a user interface of the BS; while the drop link mode is enabled during the communication session between the BS and the MD, establishing a radio frequency (RF) link between the BS and the MD when the BS is to send a command to the MD, and terminating the RF link between the BS and the MD as soon as or within a predetermined amount of time after the BS receives a command response from the MD, wherein each said RF link comprises a wireless communication path established between the BS and the MD that enables data to be wirelessly transmitted therebetween; disabling the drop link mode when the BS is to send a command to the MD in response to which the BS will receive multiple command responses from the MD; and while the drop link mode is disabled during the communication session between the BS and the MD, maintaining an already established RF link between the BS and the MD by transmitting one or more link maintenance messages from the BS to the MD. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A base station (BS), comprising:
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a controller configured to establish a communication session with a medical device (MD); a user interface configured to accept one or more inputs from a user during the communication session with the MD; an RF transceiver communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to selectively establish a radio frequency (RF) link with an RF transceiver of a medical device (MD) during the communication session between the BS and the MD, wherein each said RF link comprises a wireless communication path established between the BS and the MD that enables data to be wirelessly transmitted therebetween; the controller also configured to enable a drop link mode when the BS will not send another command to the MD until the BS receives an input from a user via the user interface of the BS; wherein while the drop link mode is enabled during the communication session between the BS and the MD, the controller controls the RF transceiver to establish a new RF link between the BS and the MD when the BS is to send a command to the MD, and the controller controls the RF transceiver to terminate the new RF link between the BS and the MD as soon as or within a predetermined amount of time after the BS receives a command response from the MD; the controller also configured to disable the drop link mode when the BS is to send a command to the MD in response to which the BS will receive multiple command responses from the MD; and wherein while the drop link mode is disabled during the communication session between the BS and the MD, the controller controls the RF transceiver to maintain an already established RF link between the BS and the MD by transmitting one or more link maintenance messages from the BS to the MD. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for use by a base station (BS) that communicates with a medical device (MD), the method for conserving power of the MD, the method comprising:
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establishing a communication session between the BS and the MD in response to accepting a predetermined input from a user of the BS that indicates that the user wants the BS to communicate with the MD; selectively enabling and disabling a drop link mode during the communication session between the BS and the MD, wherein the selectively enabling and disabling the drop link mode includes;
enabling the drop link mode when the BS is to send a single command to the MD in response to which the BS will receive a single command response from the MD; and
disabling the drop link mode when the BS is to send a command to the MD in response to which the BS will receive multiple command responses from the MD;while the drop link mode is enabled during the communication session between the BS and the MD, establishing a radio frequency (RF) link between the BS and the MD when the BS is to send a command to the MD, and terminating the RF link between the BS and the MD as soon as or within a predetermined amount of time after the BS receives a command response from the MD; while the drop link mode is disabled during the communication session between the BS and the MD, transmitting one or more link maintenance messages from the BS to the MD to thereby maintain an already established RF link between the BS and the MD by; and terminating the communication session between the BS and the MD in response to accepting a predetermined input from a user of the BS that indicates that the user no longer wants the BS to communicate with the MD. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification