Implantable Device Transient Data Capture via Preliminary Advertising
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing systems for implantable medical devices (IMDs) face delays in establishing communication links with external devices, leading to the potential loss of transient data related to patient symptoms during the elapsed time before a stable connection is established, which can result in missed critical health information.
Innovation Solution
The proposed method and system enable patient-activated capture of transient data by using an IMD with a temporary memory section for immediate data storage and a long-term memory section for permanent data retention, allowing for the transfer of data based on patient-designated trigger points and elapsed time considerations, utilizing wireless protocols like Bluetooth Low Energy for communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the IMD emits advertising pulses at a slow rate to conserve battery life and ensure a small device, then the device size and energy consumption are reduced, but the time to establish the communication link increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The IMD continuously emits advertising pulses at a slow rate in the background before a patient symptom event occurs. When the patient activates the external device during a symptom event, the pre-established advertising pulse mechanism enables immediate data capture and transfer without requiring a new connection establishment, thus resolving the contradiction between low power consumption and fast data capture
2Use of energy by moving object
If the IMD waits to establish a communication link before capturing transient data, then power consumption is reduced, but transient data related to patient symptoms may be missed during the delay period
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously emitting advertising pulses and maintaining a ready state for data capture before the patient symptom event occurs. When the patient activates the external device, the data capture and transfer process begins immediately without waiting for a full communication link establishment, thus preventing loss of transient data while maintaining low power consumption during the preparatory phase
Solution Approach 2:
The IMD automatically captures and stores transient data in its memory when triggered by the patient's symptom event, without requiring active communication link establishment first. The device serves itself by autonomously recording the data and then transferring it to the external device when connected, eliminating the need to wait for link establishment before capturing critical transient information
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for managing patient activated capture of transient data by an implantable medical device (IMD). The systems and methods collect transient data using the IMD. The collected transient data is stored in a temporary memory section of the IMD. The IMD receives a patient activated storage request including activation information related to a patient designated trigger point from an external device. The IMD transfers a segment of the transient data from the temporary memory section to a long-term memory, wherein the segment of transferred transient data is based on the trigger point. The activation information includes an elapsed time corresponding to a duration of time between entry of the trigger point and issuance of the patient activated storage request by an external activation device.