System and method for secure relayed communications from an implantable medical device
First Claim
1. A medical device, comprising:
- a wireless radio frequency digital communication transceiver adapted for local communications;
a physiological interface adapted to communicate medical prognostic, diagnostic or therapeutic information, by at least one of receiving a physiological signal, producing a physiological stimulation, producing a motion or displacement, infusing a drug, and acquiring a biological sample; and
at least one programmable automated electronic processor within the medical device, configured to;
communicate through the wireless radio frequency digital communication transceiver to a proximate relay device external to the medical device;
control the relay device to communicate with a plurality of remote servers, the relay device being configured to establish a secure communication tunnel between the medical device and a selected one of a plurality of different endpoints through a public network, the plurality of different endpoints each being associated with a respective public key infrastructure security certificate;
receive a request for opening a communication channel with a respective endpoint based on a message received through the wireless radio frequency digital communication transceiver from the relay device;
verify the received request based on communications through the relay device, by receiving a respective security certificate associated with the respective endpoint, verifying a public key associated with the respective security certificate, and checking a certificate revocation list for presence of the security certificate;
after verifying the received request, establish the secure communication tunnel between the medical device and the respective endpoint according to the verified security certificate; and
communicate the medical prognostic, diagnostic or therapeutic information through the secure communication tunnel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for supporting encrypted communications with a medical device, such as an implantable device, through a relay device to a remote server, and may employ cloud computing technologies. An implantable medical device is generally constrained to employ a low power transceiver, which supports short distance digital communications. A relay device, such as a smartphone or WiFi access point, acts as a conduit for the communications to the internet or other network, which need not be private or secure. The medical device supports encrypted secure communications, such as a virtual private network technology. The medical device negotiates a secure channel through a smartphone or router, for example, which provides application support for the communication, but may be isolated from the content.
1409 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A medical device, comprising:
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a wireless radio frequency digital communication transceiver adapted for local communications; a physiological interface adapted to communicate medical prognostic, diagnostic or therapeutic information, by at least one of receiving a physiological signal, producing a physiological stimulation, producing a motion or displacement, infusing a drug, and acquiring a biological sample; and at least one programmable automated electronic processor within the medical device, configured to; communicate through the wireless radio frequency digital communication transceiver to a proximate relay device external to the medical device; control the relay device to communicate with a plurality of remote servers, the relay device being configured to establish a secure communication tunnel between the medical device and a selected one of a plurality of different endpoints through a public network, the plurality of different endpoints each being associated with a respective public key infrastructure security certificate; receive a request for opening a communication channel with a respective endpoint based on a message received through the wireless radio frequency digital communication transceiver from the relay device; verify the received request based on communications through the relay device, by receiving a respective security certificate associated with the respective endpoint, verifying a public key associated with the respective security certificate, and checking a certificate revocation list for presence of the security certificate; after verifying the received request, establish the secure communication tunnel between the medical device and the respective endpoint according to the verified security certificate; and communicate the medical prognostic, diagnostic or therapeutic information through the secure communication tunnel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of controlling a medical device, the medical device comprising:
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a wireless radio frequency digital communication transceiver adapted for local communications; a physiological interface adapted to communicate medical prognostic, diagnostic or therapeutic information, by at least one of receiving a physiological signal, producing a physiological stimulation, producing a motion or displacement, infusing a drug, and acquiring a biological sample; and at least one programmable automated electronic processor, the method comprising; communicating through the wireless radio frequency digital communication transceiver to a proximate relay device external to the medical device; controlling the relay device to communicate with a plurality of remote servers, the relay device establishing a secure communication tunnel between the medical device and a selected one of a plurality of different endpoints through a public network, the plurality of different endpoints each being associated with a respective public key infrastructure security certificate; receiving a request for opening a communication channel with a respective endpoint based on a message received through the wireless radio frequency digital communication transceiver from the relay device; verifying the received request based on communications through the relay device, by receiving a respective security certificate associated with the respective endpoint, verifying a public key associated with the respective security certificate, and checking a certificate revocation list for presence of the security certificate; after verifying the received request, establishing the secure communication tunnel between the medical device and the respective endpoint according to the verified security certificate; and communicating the medical prognostic, diagnostic or therapeutic information through the secure communication tunnel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of operating a medical device, comprising:
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providing a wireless radio frequency digital communication radio transceiver, an interface for a medical interface device; and
at least one programmable automated electronic processor;communicating through the wireless radio frequency digital communication transceiver over a radio frequency communication channel; controlling a relay device external to the medical device, to establish cryptographically secure communications with each of a plurality of different endpoints each having a respective associated security certificate; authenticate each respective different endpoint associated security certificate according to a public key infrastructure hierarchy management system comprising at least a certificate revocation list queried by the medical device through the wireless radio frequency digital communication radio transceiver and a validity period, receive a request initiated from a respective one of the plurality of different endpoints, to open a new cryptographically secure communication session between the medical device and the respective one of the plurality of different endpoints, the request being conveyed in at least one message received through the wireless radio frequency digital communication radio transceiver, and initiate the new cryptographically secure communication session between the medical device and the respective one of the plurality of different endpoints, passing through the relay device, the new cryptographically secure communication session communicating at least one message comprising medical data to or from the physiological interface, the request being conveyed in at least one message transmitted through the wireless radio frequency digital communication radio transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification