SYSTEMS, APPARATUS AND METHODS FACILITATING LONGEVITY EXTENSION FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES

• US 20140277286A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Cinbis, Can
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods for extension of longevity of implantable medical devices (IMDs) are provided. An apparatus includes a battery, a first communication component configured to provide a first communication type and to be powered by the battery, a second communication component configured to provide a second communication type, and a processor configured to switch on the first communication component or the second communication component to perform communication based, at least, on a defined condition being satisfied. In one embodiment, the first component is a radio frequency (RF) component and the second component is a component that requires less battery power than the RF component. The second component can include a component configured to perform communication based on inductive coupling or based on tissue conductance communication.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:

a battery;

a first communication component configured to provide a first communication type and to be powered by the battery;

a second communication component configured to provide a second communication type; and

a processor configured to switch on at least one of the first communication component or the second communication component to perform communication based, at least, on a defined condition being satisfied.

2. The IMD of claim 1, wherein the defined condition comprises availability of required power from the battery for the first communication type.

3. The IMD of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to switch on the first communication component based, at least, on the availability of required power from the battery for the first communication type.

4. The IMD of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to switch on the second communication component based, at least, on the non-availability of required power from the battery for the first communication type.

5. The IMD of claim 1, wherein the first communication component comprises a component requiring a first amount of power from the battery, and wherein the second communication component comprises a component requiring a second amount of power from the battery, wherein the first amount of power is greater than the second amount of power.

6. The IMD of claim 1, wherein the first communication component comprises a component configured to perform radio frequency communication.

7. The IMD of claim 6, wherein the second communication component comprises a component configured to perform communication based on inductive coupling.

8. The IMD of claim 7, wherein the component configured to perform communication based on inductive coupling comprises a component configured to perform near field communication.

9. The IMD of claim 8, wherein the second communication component is further configured to be powered via induction.

10. The IMD of claim 8, wherein the second communication component is further configured to be powered via the battery.

11. The IMD of claim 7, wherein the component configured to perform communication comprises a component configured to perform communication based on tissue conductance communication.

12. A method comprising:

determining, by an implantable medical device (IMD) system including a processor, a battery, a first communication component and a second communication component, a capability of the battery to deliver power required to operate a first type of communication, the first type of communication being associated with the first communication component; and

switching on, by the IMD system, at least one of the first communication component or the second communication component based, at least, on the determining.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the switching comprises switching on the first communication component based, at least, on determining that the battery is capable of delivering required power to operate the first type of communication.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the switching comprises switching on the second communication component based, at least, on determining that the battery is not capable of delivering required power to operate the first type of communication.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting, by the IMD system, an induction signal from a device external to a body of a wearer of the IMD; and

communicating, by the IMD system, with the device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the first type of communication comprises radio frequency communication.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the second type of communication comprises at least one of communication based on inductive coupling or tissue conductance communication.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second type of communication comprises communication based on inductive coupling and is associated with a near field communication (NFC) protocol.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the NFC protocol comprises passive mode NFC.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the NFC protocol comprises active mode NFC.

21. A method comprising:

activating a first telemetry session according to a first communication protocol, wherein the telemetry session is associated with an implantable medical device (IMD);

receiving a request to close the first telemetry session;

determining whether a voltage of a battery associated with the IMD was detected at a value less than a defined threshold during the first telemetry session;

transmitting a message to alert a telemetry device that a second telemetry session will be available only via a second communication protocol, wherein the transmitting is performed based, at least, on determining that the voltage was detected at a value less than the defined threshold during the first telemetry session; and

ending the first telemetry session.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the telemetry device is located external to a body of a patient wearing the IMD.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a request to open the second telemetry session; and

activating the second telemetry session according to the second communication protocol based, at least, on determining that the voltage was detected at a value less than the defined threshold during the first telemetry session.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first communication protocol is a radio frequency (RF) protocol and wherein the second communication protocol is a non-RF protocol.

25. An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:

a battery;

a first communication component configured to communicate via a first type of communication;

a second communication component configured to receive power via induction from a device external to a body of a wearer of the IMD; and

a power component configured to generate supplemental power for the first communication component based on the power received by the second communication component, wherein the first communication component is configured to be powered by the battery and the supplemental power.

26. The IMD of claim 25, wherein the first type of communication comprises radio frequency (RF) communication.

27. An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:

a battery;

a first communication component configured to communicate a first type of data associated with an IMD via a first type of communication and to be powered by the battery; and

a second communication component configured to transmit a second type of data associated with the IMD via a second type of communication.

28. The IMD of claim 27, wherein the first type of data comprises non-sensitive data, and wherein the second type of data comprises sensitive data.

29. The IMD of claim 28, wherein the sensitive data comprises data associated with a medical condition of a wearer of the IMD.

30. The IMD of claim 27, wherein the non-sensitive data comprises data associated with at least one of functionality of the IMD.

31. The IMD of claim 27, wherein the first communication component and the second communication component are further configured to perform communication concurrently.

32. An implantable medical device (IMD) system comprising:

an IMD comprising;

a battery;

a first communication component configured to communicate via a first type of communication and to be powered by the battery; and

a second communication component; and

a device external to a body of a wearer of the IMD and configured to power the second communication component.

33. The IMD system of claim 32, wherein the device comprises at least one of a wand, a smart phone or a wearable device.

34. The IMD system of claim 33, wherein the wearable device comprises an article of clothing having one or more power sources configured to provide power to the second communication component.

35. The IMD system of claim 34, wherein the power comprises inductive power.

36. The IMD system of claim 34, wherein the article of clothing comprises a vest, a belt or a hat.