Implantable medical device with variable data retransmission characteristics based upon data type

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10420948-B2
Application number	US-55424506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2006
Priority date	Oct 30, 2006
Publication date	Sep 24, 2019
Grant date	Sep 24, 2019

Abstract

An implantable medical device (“IMD”) as described herein includes an adjustable data retransmission scheme, which controls the manner in which data is retransmitted by the IMD. The retransmission feature can be adjusted in a dynamic manner based upon the type, context, or meaning of the telemetry data transmitted by the IMD. The IMD may process contextual meaning information that influences its data retransmission configuration. Such adjustability enables the IMD to satisfy minimum telemetry requirements in a manner that does not waste power, thus extending the IMD battery life.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating an implantable medical device (“IMD”), the method comprising:
obtaining contextual meaning information for data to be transmitted via telemetry communication from the IMD;
adjusting a data retransmission configuration for the IMD in response to the contextual meaning information;
transmitting the data to be transmitted from the IMD via telemetry communication; and
managing retransmission, by the IMD, of the previously transmitted data from the IMD via telemetry communication in accordance with the data retransmission configuration.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the contextual meaning information indicates a data type category for the data to be transmitted; and
the data retransmission configuration is based upon the data type category.

3. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising maintaining a list of data type categories for the IMD, the data type category being included in the list.

4. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising generating a priority for the data to be transmitted, wherein:
the contextual meaning information indicates the priority; and
the data retransmission configuration is based upon the priority.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein adjusting the data retransmission configuration comprises setting a maximum number of retransmission attempts for the IMD.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein adjusting the data retransmission configuration comprises disabling a data retransmission function of the IMD.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the IMD performs a redundant transmission procedure for data transmitted via telemetry communication from the IMD, and the method further comprises:
receiving a successful transmission indication for a quantity of data previously transmitted via telemetry communication from the IMD; and
disabling, in response to the successful transmission indication, the redundant transmission procedure for the quantity of data.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the data from the IMD comprises transmitting the data from the IMD via wireless telemetry communication.

9. An implantable medical device (“IMD”) comprising:
a data context module configured to process contextual meaning information for data to be transmitted by the IMD;
a data retransmission module coupled to the data context module, the data retransmission module being configured to adjust a data retransmission configuration for the IMD in response to the contextual meaning information; and
a transmitter coupled to the data retransmission module, the transmitter being controlled to transmit the data to be transmitted from the IMD via telemetry communication and manage retransmission, by the IMD, of the previously transmitted data from the IMD via telemetry communication in accordance with the data retransmission configuration.

10. An IMD according to claim 9 , wherein:
the contextual meaning information indicates a data type category for the data to be transmitted; and
the data retransmission configuration is based upon the data type category.

11. An IMD according to claim 10 , further comprising memory coupled to the data context module, and configured to store a list of data type categories for the IMD, the data type category being included in the list.

12. An IMD according to claim 9 , further comprising prioritization logic coupled to the data context module, and configured to generate a priority for the data to be transmitted, wherein:
the contextual meaning information indicates the priority; and

the data retransmission configuration is based upon the priority.

13. An IMD according to claim 9 , wherein the data retransmission module is configured to adjust the data retransmission configuration by setting a maximum number of retransmission attempts for the IMD.

14. An IMD according to claim 9 , wherein the data retransmission module is configured to adjust the data retransmission configuration by disabling a data retransmission function of the IMD.

15. The IMD of claim 9 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the data from the IMD via wireless telemetry communication.

16. A method for operating an implantable medical device (“IMD”), the method comprising:
creating a data packet that contains data to be transmitted via telemetry communication from the IMD;
associating a retransmission priority to the data packet, based upon contextual meaning information for the data to be transmitted;
transmitting the data packet from the IMD via telemetry communication; and
retransmitting, with the IMD, the data packet previously transmitted from the IMD via telemetry communication as needed and in accordance with the retransmission priority.

17. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising setting a maximum number of retransmission attempts for the data packet, the maximum number being influenced by the retransmission priority.

18. A method according to claim 17 , further comprising preventing retransmission of the data packet if the maximum number is less than one.

19. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising obtaining the contextual meaning information for the data to be transmitted.

20. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising adjusting a data retransmission configuration for the IMD in response to the retransmission priority.

21. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the contextual meaning information indicates a data type category for the data to be transmitted.

22. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the IMD performs a redundant transmission procedure for data transmitted via telemetry communication from the IMD, and the method further comprises:
receiving a successful transmission indication for the data packet; and
disabling, in response to the successful transmission indication, the redundant transmission procedure for the data packet.

Assignees

• Masoud Javaid
• Dudding Charles H
• Patrias Robert A
• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Masoud Javaid
• Dudding Charles H
• Patrias Robert A

Classifications

• A61N1/37254

  Pacemaker or defibrillator security, e.g. to prevent or inhibit programming alterations by hackers or unauthorised individuals · CPC title

• A61N1/37276 Primary

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

• A61N1/37252 Primary

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