Far field telemetry operations between an external device and an implantable medical device during recharge of the implantable medical device via a proximity coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10177609-B2
Application number	US-201715650598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2017
Priority date	Jan 28, 2011
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

Far field telemetry operations are conducted between an external device and an implantable medical device while power is being transferred to the implantable medical device for purposes of recharging a battery of the implantable medical device. The far field operations may include exchanging recharge information that has been collected by the implantable medical device which allows the external device to exercise control over the recharge process. The far field operations may include suspending far field telemetry communications for periods of time while power continues to be transferred where suspending far field telemetry communications may include powering down far field telemetry communication circuits of the implantable medical device for periods of time which may conserve energy. The far field operations may further include transferring programming instructions to the implantable medical device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An external device, comprising:
recharge circuitry configured to deliver recharge energy; and
communication circuitry configured to communicate via a first communication protocol and to communicate using a second communication protocol that is different than the first communication protocol and that is a radio frequency protocol.

2. The external device of claim 1 , wherein the second communication protocol utilizes propagation of a wave including an E-field.

3. The external device of claim 2 , wherein the second communication protocol comprises a Bluetooth® protocol.

4. The external device of claim 1 , wherein the communication circuitry comprises a near field inductive driver circuit.

5. The external device of claim 1 , wherein the communication circuitry comprises an RF antenna.

6. The external device of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply coupled to the recharge circuitry.

7. A system, comprising:
a first external device that is configured to communicate via a first communication protocol and to provide recharge energy; and
a second external device that is configured to communicate with the first external device via a second communication protocol that is different than the first communication protocol and that is a radio frequency protocol.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second communication protocol utilizes propagation of a wave including an E-field.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second communication protocol comprises a Bluetooth® protocol.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first external device comprises a near field inductive driver circuit.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first external device comprises an RF antenna.

12. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a power supply coupled to the recharge circuitry.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second external device is configured to connect to a telephone network.

14. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second external device is a handheld device.

15. The system of claim 7 , further comprising an implantable medical device configured to communicate with the first external device via the first communication protocol.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second external device is configured to provide programming instructions for the implantable medical device.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the second external device provides programming instructions for the implantable medical device by the first external device receiving the programming instructions from the second external device and providing the programming instructions to the implantable medical device.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second external device communicates with the implantable medical device while the implantable medical device is receiving the recharge energy.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the second external device communicates with the implantable medical device by the first external device receive information from the second external device and providing the information to the implantable medical device.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the second external device communicates with the implantable medical device by utilizing an propagated wave that comprises an E-field.

21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the implantable medical device is configured to at least deliver a therapy to a patient.

22. The system of claim 15 , wherein the implantable medical device is configured to at least sense a signal from a patient.

23. The system of claim 7 , further comprising an implantable medical device configured to receive recharge energy from the first external device.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the implantable medical device is configured to at least deliver a therapy to a patient.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the implantable medical device is configured to at least sense a signal from a patient.

26. A method of interaction with an implantable medical device, comprising:
a first external device communicating with the implantable medical device via a first communication protocol and providing recharge energy to the implantable medical device; and
a second external device communicating with the first external device via a second communication protocol that is different than the first communication protocol and that is a radio frequency protocol.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the second communication protocol utilizes propagation of a wave including an E-field.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the second communication protocol comprises a Bluetooth® protocol.

Assignees

• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Olson David P
• Phillips William C
• Sipple Garrett R
• Wang Yu

Classifications

• A61N1/37252 Primary

  Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data · CPC title

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• A61N1/37276

  characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry · CPC title

• G16H40/67

  for remote operation · CPC title

• A61N1/3787

  from an external energy source · CPC title