Agile Transceiver for Implantable Medical Device Data Relay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current implantable medical devices (IMDs) cannot communicate with a host computer when the patient is outside the range of a fixed repeater device, leading to inconvenient and potentially dangerous situations during medically significant events.
Innovation Solution
A frequency and protocol agile transceiver is used to enable communication between an IMD and a host computer through a portable wireless communications device, allowing for both short-range and long-range wireless communication, including via wireless telephone networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed repeater device is used for communication between IMD and host computer, then communication reliability is improved when patient is at home, but communication capability is lost when patient is away from home
Solution Approach 1:
The portable wireless communications device is designed to perform multiple functions: it can communicate with the IMD via short-range wireless link, store clinical data locally, and transmit data to the host computer via long-range wireless network. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate fixed repeater infrastructure, enabling the system to adapt to both home and away scenarios with a single device.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a location-fixed communication architecture (repeater at home) to a mobile communication architecture (portable device with the patient). By adding the dimension of mobility and utilizing long-range wireless networks, the system maintains communication capability across different spatial dimensions, whether the patient is at home or away.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a portable wireless communications device is used instead of fixed repeater, then communication versatility is improved for mobile patients, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the functions of the IMD, portable wireless communications device, and host computer into an integrated communication chain. The portable device combines short-range transceiver capabilities, local data storage, and long-range network communication in a single unit, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable wireless communications device serves as an intermediary between the IMD and the host computer. It receives data from the IMD via short-range wireless link, temporarily stores it locally, and then transmits it to the host computer via long-range wireless network, mediating the communication between the two endpoints.
3Use of energy by moving object
If short-range wireless link is used for IMD communication, then power consumption is reduced, but communication range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The communication process is segmented into two distinct stages: first, the IMD transmits data to the portable device using low-power short-range wireless link; second, the portable device transmits data to the host computer using long-range wireless network. This segmentation allows the power-constrained IMD to use energy-efficient communication while the portable device handles the energy-intensive long-range transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable wireless communications device acts as an intermediary that bridges the short-range and long-range communication domains. It receives data from the IMD via short-range link, then relays it through long-range wireless networks, enabling the IMD to maintain low power consumption while extending the effective communication range through the intermediary's long-range capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and devices for enabling data communication between an IMD and a host computer. In one embodiment, a device is provided that comprises a frequency and protocol agile transceiver capable of communicating with an IMD via a first communications link and with a host computer via a second wireless communications link, wherein the first wireless communication link is configured for substantially shorter communication range than the second wireless communication link. An apparatus is provided according to another embodiment of the invention that comprises an interface between an IMD and a communications device, such as a wireless telephone or a two-way wireless pager. The interface can communicate directly with the IMD to retrieve clinical data stored in the IMD and can utilize the communications device to transmit the clinical data to a host computer.