Optimizing data retrieval from an active implantable medical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9238144-B2
Application number	US-201313830021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

An external data retrieval apparatus includes a transceiver, and a processing system coupled to the transceiver. The processing system obtains a plurality of measures over a period of time. The measures relate to a quality of a communications channel between the data retrieval apparatus and an active implantable medical device. The processing system determines a trend in the plurality of measures over the period of time, and then determines a preferred time during which to retrieve data based on the trend.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of data retrieval by an external data retrieval apparatus, said method comprising:
obtaining a plurality of measures over a period of time, the measures corresponding to a quality of a communications channel between the data retrieval apparatus and an active implantable medical device;
determining a trend in the quality of the communication channel based on the plurality of measures obtained over the period of time;
determining a preferred time during which to retrieve data over the communication channel based on the trend in the quality of the communication channel; and
wherein determining the preferred time comprises processing the plurality of measures to identify a time or time duration during which one or more of the plurality of measures indicate a higher measure of a quality of communication relative to one or more of the plurality of measures obtained during other times or time durations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of measures comprises one or more of a signal-to-noise ratio, a received signal strength indication, and a packet error rate, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the period of time ranges from 24 hours to a plurality of days.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a trend comprises quantifying the plurality of measures as a function of sub-time periods within the time period.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preferred time corresponds to the time at which the quality of communication is at a peak.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preferred time corresponds to a time range during which the quality of communication satisfies a quality criterion.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
interrogating the active implantable medical device to retrieve data at or during the preferred time;
monitoring for unsuccessful interrogation attempts; and
obtaining a new plurality of measures, determining a new trend and determining a new preferred time, if a prerequisite number of interrogation attempts are unsuccessful.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein obtaining the new plurality of measures is performed over a period of time less than the prior period of time during which the plurality of measures were obtained.

9. An external data retrieval apparatus, comprising: a transceiver; and a processing system coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
obtain a plurality of measures over a period of time, the measures corresponding to a quality of a communications channel between the data retrieval apparatus and an active implantable medical device;
determine a trend in the quality of the communication channel based on the plurality of measures obtained over the period of time;
determine a preferred time during which to retrieve data over the communication channel based on the trend in the quality of the communication channel; and
wherein to determine the preferred time, the processing system is further configured to process the plurality of measures to identify a time or time duration during which one or more of the plurality of measures indicate a higher measure of a quality of communication relative to one or more of the plurality of measures obtained during other times or time durations.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of measures comprises one or more of a signal-to-noise ratio, a received signal strength indication, and a packet error rate, or a combination thereof.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the period of time ranges from 24 hours to a plurality of days.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein to determine a trend, the processing system is further configured to quantify the plurality of measures as a function of sub-time periods within the time period.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the preferred time corresponds to the time at which the quality of communication is at a peak.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the preferred time corresponds to a time range during which the quality of communication satisfies a quality criterion.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
interrogate the active implantable medical device to retrieve data at or during the preferred time;
monitor for unsuccessful interrogation attempts; and
obtain a new plurality of measures, determine a new trend and determine a new preferred time, if a prerequisite number of interrogation attempts are unsuccessful.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain the new plurality of measures over a period of time less than the prior period of time during which the plurality of measures were obtained.

Assignees

• Neuropace Inc

Inventors

• Greene David A
• Archer Steve T
• Mulligan Iv Patrick G

Classifications

• A61N1/37252 Primary

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

• A61N1/37276 Primary

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

• A61N1/36128

  Control systems · CPC title