RF activated AIMD telemetry transceiver

• US 8,761,895 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2010
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stevenson, Robert A., Frysz, Christine A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram, Eric D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bays, Pamela M
• Application Number:
  US12/719,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/31, 607/32, 607/59, 607/60, 600/301, 600/302
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card

Abstract

A telemetry wake-up circuit is electrically disposed between a telemetry transceiver associated with an AIMD, and an RF tag. The RF tag may be remotely interrogated to generate a signal to which the telemetry wake-up circuit is responsive to switch the telemetry transceiver from a sleep mode to an active telemetry mode. In the sleep mode, the telemetry transceiver draws less than 25,000 nanoamperes from the AIMD, and preferably less than 500 nanoamperes.

Claims

1. An active implantable medical device (AIMD), comprising:

a) a telemetry transceiver that is powerable by the AIMD, the transceiver having an active telemetry mode when it is powered by the AIMD and a sleep mode when it is not being powered by the AIMD; and

b) a passive RF tag comprising at least four terminals, wherein a first terminal and a second terminal are connected to opposite ends of an RF antenna, a third terminal is electrically connected to a first connection of a wake-up circuit, and a fourth terminal is electrically connected to a second connection of the wake-up circuit; and

c) an electrical connection from the wake-up circuit to the transceiver,

d) wherein the RF tag is configured to receive an interrogation signal from a remote location via the RF antenna and then transmit a wake-up signal to the wake-up circuit via the third and fourth terminals, and

e) wherein the wake-up circuit is configured to then connect the transceiver to the AIMD power source to thereby activate the transceiver from the sleep mode to the active telemetry mode for receiving information from the remote location and transmitting information from the AIMD to the remote location for subsequent use of the information.

2. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein the RF tag comprises a passive RF chip and the RE antenna.

3. The AIMD of claim 2, wherein the RF chip comprises a passive RFID chip.

4. The AIMD of claim 1 wherein the transceiver draws less than 25,000 nanoamperes from the AIMD during the sleep mode.

5. The AIMD of claim 1 wherein the transceiver draws less than 500 nanoamperes from the AIMD during the sleep mode.

6. The AIMD of claim 1 or 5, wherein the wake-up circuit comprises a microelectronic switch.

7. The AIMD of claim 6, wherein the microelectronic switch is selected from the group consisting of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) switch, a field effect transistor (FET) switch, a metal oxide substrate field effect transistor (MOSFET) switch, a microelectronic mechanical switch (MEMS), a unijunction transistor switch, a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) switch, a PIN diode switch, a P-N junction transistor switch, a P-N-P transistor switch, and a N-P-N junction switch.

8. The AIMD of claim 1, including a timing circuit for switching the transceiver from the active telemetry mode back to the sleep mode.

9. The AIMD of claim 8 wherein the timing circuit is re-set responsive to the wake-up signal from the RF tag to place the transceiver into the active telemetry mode.

10. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein the transceiver includes a sleep mode circuit responsive to a signal from the RF tag or a remote RF or inductive low frequency magnetic coupling source, for switching the transceiver from the active telemetry mode to the sleep mode.

11. The AIMD of claim 1 wherein the RF antenna comprises a biocompatible antenna.

12. The AIMD of claim 1 wherein the RE tag is disposed within a hermetic package.

13. The AIMD of claim 12 wherein the hermetic package comprises a housing for the AIMD.

14. The AIMD of claim 13, wherein the RF antenna is disposed external of the hermetic package.

15. The AIMD of claim 1 wherein the RF tag is disposed within a header block of the AIMD.

16. The AIMD of claim 1 wherein in the active telemetry mode, the transceiver is configured to receive information from the remote location regarding reprogramming of the AIMD.

17. The AIMD of claim 1 wherein with the RE tag housed inside the AIMD, the RE tag is configured to receive the interrogation signal having a frequency of from about 50 kHz to about 135 kHz.

18. An active implantable medical device (AIMD), comprising:

a) a telemetry transceiver that is powerable by the AIMD, the transceiver having an active telemetry mode when it is powered by the AIMD and a sleep mode when it is not being powered by the AIMD; and

b) a passive RF tag comprising at least four terminals, wherein a first terminal and a second terminal are connected to opposite ends of an RF antenna, a third terminal is electrically connected to a first connection of a N-P-N junction switch, and a fourth terminal is electrically connected to a second connection of the N-P-N junction switch; and

c) an electrical connection from the N-P-N junction switch to the transceiver,

d) wherein the RE tag is configured to receive an interrogation signal from a remote location via the RF antenna and then transmit a wake-up signal to the N-P-N junction switch via the third and fourth terminals, and

e) wherein the N-P-N junction switch is configured to then connect the transceiver to the AIMD power source to thereby activate the transceiver from the sleep mode to the active telemetry mode for receiving information from the remote location and transmitting information from the AIMD to the remote location for subsequent use of the information.

19. The AIMD of claim 18 wherein in the active telemetry mode, the transceiver is configured to receive information from the remote location regarding reprogramming of the AIMD.

20. The AIMD of claim 18 wherein with the RE tag housed inside the AIMD, the RE tag is configured to receive the interrogation signal having a frequency of from about 50 kHz to about 135 kHz.

21. A system for transmitting information to and from an active implantable medical device. (AIMD), comprising:

a) a telemetry transceiver powerable by the AIMD, the transceiver having an active telemetry mode when it is powered by the AIMD and a sleep mode when it is not being powered by the AIMD, wherein the transceiver comprises;

i) a passive RF tag comprising at least four terminals, wherein a first terminal and a second terminal are connected to opposite ends of an RF antenna, a third terminal is electrically connected to a first connection of a wake-up circuit, and a fourth terminal is electrically connected to a second connection of the wake-up circuit; and

ii) an electrical connection from the wake-up circuit to the transceiver;

b) a RE transmitter that is not electrically connected to the transceiver; and

c) programmer that is not electrically connected to the transceiver;

d) wherein the RE tag is configured to receive an interrogation signal from the RF transmitter via the RF antenna and then transmit a wake-up signal to the wake-up circuit via the third and fourth terminals, and

e) wherein the wake-up circuit is configured to then connect the transceiver to the AIMD power source to thereby activate the transceiver from the sleep mode to the active telemetry mode for receiving information from the programmer and transmitting information from the AIMD to the programmer for subsequent use of the information.

22. The AIMD of claim 21 wherein the RF transmitter comprises an RFID reader/interrogator.

23. The AIMD of claim 21 wherein with the transceiver in the active telemetry mode, the transceiver is configured to receive information from and transmit information to the programmer comprising a remote RF or inductive low frequency magnetic coupling source.

24. The AIMD of claim 21 wherein the RF transmitter is electrically connected to the programmer.

25. The AIMD of claim 24, wherein the RF transmitter is disposed within or tethered to the programmer.

26. The AIMD of claim 21 wherein in the active telemetry mode, the transceiver is configured to receive information from the remote location regarding reprogramming of the AIMD.

27. The AIMD of claim 21 wherein with the RE tag housed inside the AIMD, the RE tag is configured to receive the interrogation signal having a frequency of from about 50 kHz to about 135 kHz.