Implantable Medical Device Power Management for Communication Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) face challenges in minimizing battery consumption while maintaining effective wireless communication, particularly due to high energy usage during advertising and potential telemetry breaks, which affects battery longevity.

Innovation Solution

A power management system that adjusts power levels between low and high power based on telemetry break conditions, counting sessions with high power usage, and adaptively learning the session start power to optimize energy use during communication sessions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If high power level is used during communication sessions, then communication quality and reliability are improved, but battery consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication qualityVSAvoidbattery consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the power level based on real-time communication conditions. The power management circuit transitions between low power mode (during stable communication) and high power mode (during telemetry breaks or connection establishment), making the power consumption adaptive rather than static. This resolves the contradiction by using high power only when necessary for reliability while minimizing overall energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the power parameter from a fixed state to a variable state based on communication session conditions. By monitoring telemetry break conditions and adjusting the power level accordingly, the system optimizes the balance between communication reliability and energy consumption, using higher power only when communication quality degrades.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If high power level is used during advertising, then communication link establishment is improved, but battery longevity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication link establishmentVSAvoidbattery longevity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses periodic advertising with controlled power levels. High power is applied only during specific advertising intervals when connection establishment is needed, while low power mode is used during non-advertising periods. This periodic approach ensures communication links can be established when necessary while preserving battery longevity through extended low-power operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The power management circuit prepares for potential connection events by monitoring communication conditions and pre-adjusting power levels before telemetry breaks occur. This preliminary action allows the system to establish communication links more efficiently without requiring sustained high power consumption, thereby extending battery life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If power level is frequently adjusted, then communication quality is maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication qualityVSAvoidpower management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The power management circuit uses feedback from telemetry break conditions to automatically adjust power levels. The system monitors communication quality metrics and feeds this information back to the power management logic, which then adjusts power accordingly. This feedback mechanism maintains communication quality without requiring complex manual control, as the system self-regulates based on real-time conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The power management system is designed to autonomously adjust power levels without external intervention. The control circuitry automatically detects telemetry breaks and transitions between power modes, making the device self-sufficient in maintaining communication quality. This self-service approach reduces the need for complex external control mechanisms while preserving communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3914342B1Medical device with control circuitry to improve communication quality
Publication Date: 2023.12.27 PACESETTER INC
  • EP3914342B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3914342B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3914342B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A method for managing power during communication with an implantable medical device, including establishing a communications link, utilizing a power corresponding to a session start power, to initiate a current session between an implantable medical device (IMD) and external device. A telemetry break condition of the communications link is monitored during the current session. The power utilized by the IMD is adjusted between low and high power levels, during the current session based on the telemetry break condition. The number of sessions is counted, including the current session and one or more prior sessions, in which the IMD utilized the higher power level, and a level for the session start power to be utilized to initiate a next session following the current session is adaptively learned based on the counting of the number of sessions.