Diversity antennas for neurostimulator programming devices

• US 9,421,386 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirtec Medical Corp.
• Original Assignee: Nuvectra Corporation
• Inventors: Trier, Stephen C., Yoder, Raymond Lloyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy
• Application Number:
  US14/670,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20150202450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• 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 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0686 Hybrid systems, i.e. switching and simultaneous transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0868 Hybrid systems, i.e. switching and combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity

Abstract

The present disclosure involves a method of communicating with an implantable medical device. A programmer is provided. The programmer has a plurality of diversity antennas. The diversity antennas are configured to send wireless signals to the implantable medical device. A subset of the diversity antennas is selected. A communications link is established between the programmer and the implantable medical device through the selected subset of the diversity antennas. A link quality of the communications link is measured. A different subset of the diversity antennas is selected to communicate with the implantable medical device if the link quality falls below a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:

providing a programmer having a plurality of diversity antennas, the diversity antennas being configured to send wireless signals to the implantable medical device;

selecting a subset of the diversity antennas, wherein the selecting the subset of the diversity antennas comprises;

determining whether a saved subset of diversity antennas exists;

if the saved subset exists, selecting the saved subset as an initial subset;

if the saved subset does not exist, selecting an arbitrary subset as the initial subset;

trying different combinations of diversity antennas, starting with the initial subset, until a particular combination of antennas has been verified to be capable of maintaining a connection between the programmer and the medical device; and

selecting the particular combination of antennas as the selected subset;

establishing a communications link between the programmer and the implantable medical device through the selected subset of the diversity antennas;

measuring a link quality of the communications link; and

selecting a different subset of the diversity antennas to communicate with the implantable medical device if the link quality falls below a predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the diversity antennas include:

a first group of antennas dedicated to a first frequency band; and

a second group of antennas dedicated to a second frequency band.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the programmer comprises:

a first wireless communication device configured to communicate with the implantable medical device in the first frequency band through the first group of antennas; and

a second wireless communication device configured to communicate with the implantable medical device in the second frequency band through the second group of antennas.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the antennas in at least one of the first and second groups have different radiation patterns from the rest of the antennas in that group.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the diversity antennas have diverse locations on the programmer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the diversity antennas have diverse physical orientations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the diversity antennas have diverse physical attributes with respect to size and geometry.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the establishing the communications link performed at least in part by using one or more diversity switches on the programmer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring the link quality is performed based one or more factors selected from the group consisting of:

a number of packet retransmissions, a number of bit errors corrected, and whether any packet reached a retransmission limit and was dropped.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the antennas are implemented on a circuit board disposed within the electronic programmer.

11. A method of communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:

selecting a first subset of a plurality of antennas, wherein the plurality of antennas are located on a circuit board of an electronic programmer for an implantable medical device and are configured to conduct wireless communication with the implantable medical device, wherein the selecting the first subset of the antennas comprises;

determining whether a saved subset of antennas exists;

if the saved subset exists, selecting the saved subset as an initial subset;

if the saved subset does not exist, selecting an arbitrary subset as the initial subset;

trying different combinations of antennas, starting with the initial subset, until a particular combination of antennas has been verified to be capable of maintaining a connection between the electronic programmer and the medical device; and

selecting the particular combination of antennas as the first subset;

forming a communications link between the electronic programmer and the implantable medical device through the first subset of antennas;

measuring a quality of the communications link; and

selecting a second subset of the antennas to communicate with the implantable medical device if the measured quality of the communications link is less than a predetermined threshold, wherein the second subset is different from the first subset.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of antennas include:

a first group of antennas dedicated to a first frequency band; and

a second group of antennas dedicated to a second frequency band.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the antennas in at least one of the first and second groups have different radiation patterns from the rest of the antennas in that group.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic programmer comprises:

a first radio configured to communicate with the implantable medical device in the first frequency band through the first group of antennas; and

a second radio configured to communicate with the implantable medical device in the second frequency band through the second group of antennas.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least some of the plurality of antennas have different locations on the electronic programmer, or different physical orientations, or different physical attributes with respect to size and geometry.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the measuring the quality of the communications link is performed based one or more factors selected from the group consisting of:

a number of packet retransmissions, a number of bit errors corrected, and whether any packet reached a retransmission limit and was dropped.

17. A method of communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:

selecting a first subset of a plurality of antennas, wherein the plurality of antennas are located on an electronic programmer for an implantable pulse generator (IPG) and are configured to conduct wireless communication with the IPG, wherein at least some of the plurality of antennas have different locations on the electronic programmer, or different physical orientations, or different physical attributes with respect to size and geometry, wherein the selecting the first subset of the antennas comprises;

determining whether a saved subset of antennas exists;

if the saved subset exists, selecting the saved subset as an initial subset;

if the saved subset does not exist, selecting an arbitrary subset as the initial subset;

trying different combinations of antennas, starting with the initial subset, until a particular combination of antennas has been verified to be capable of maintaining a connection between the electronic programmer and the medical device; and

selecting the particular combination of antennas as the first subset;

establishing a communications link between the electronic programmer and the IPG through the first subset of antennas;

evaluating a quality of the communications link, wherein the quality of the communications link is evaluated based one or more of the following factors;

a number of packet retransmissions, a number of bit errors corrected, and whether any packet reached a retransmission limit and was dropped; and

selecting a second subset of the antennas to support the communications link with the IPG in response to the quality of the communications link falling below a predetermined threshold, wherein the second subset is different from the first subset.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the plurality of antennas include;

a first group of antennas dedicated to a first frequency band; and

a second group of antennas dedicated to a second frequency band; and

the electronic programmer comprises;

a first radio configured to communicate with the IPG in the first frequency band through the first group of antennas; and

a second radio configured to communicate with the IPG in the second frequency band through the second group of antennas.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the antennas in at least one of the first and second groups have different radiation patterns from the rest of the antennas in that group.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of antennas are implemented on a printed circuit board (PCB) inside the electronic programmer.