Implantable Device Communication with Cardiac-Cycle Low-Power Reception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication methods for implantable medical devices, such as radio frequency and inductive coupling, consume excessive energy, reducing battery life and are not ideally suited for devices that need to continuously receive synchronization signals.
Innovation Solution
A method of communication between implantable medical devices that involves time synchronization based on detecting cardiac cycle markers, specifically the P wave of the PQRS complex, to activate receiving means only during a synchronization interval shorter than the cardiac cycle, reducing unnecessary power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If wireless communication methods (radio frequency, inductive coupling) are used for synchronization between implantable devices, then communication capability is achieved, but energy consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving means is activated periodically only during synchronization intervals rather than continuously. The controller activates the receiving means for brief periods to receive synchronization signals from the first device, then deactivates it to conserve energy. This periodic activation maintains communication capability while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous reception.
2Reliability
If the receiving means is continuously activated to ensure reliable signal reception, then communication reliability is improved, but battery capacity is depleted faster
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving means operates in periodic cycles of activation and deactivation. During each cardiac cycle, the controller activates the receiving means only during the synchronization interval when a signal is expected, then deactivates it for the remainder of the cycle. This maintains reliable signal reception during critical periods while extending battery life through energy conservation during non-critical periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the first device's transmission timing to control the second device's reception timing. The controller activates the receiving means based on expected signal arrival times derived from the first device's synchronization signal transmission, ensuring the receiver is active only when needed and not continuously.
3Reliability
If synchronization interval is extended to cover the entire cardiac cycle, then signal reception reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving means is activated for brief synchronization intervals rather than throughout the entire cardiac cycle. The controller precisely times the activation to coincide with when synchronization signals are expected to be transmitted by the first device, then deactivates the receiver for the remainder of the cardiac cycle, reducing energy consumption while maintaining synchronization reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of communication in a system comprising plurality of implantable medical devices, where a first device comprises a means for detection of a signal representative of atrial activity, a transmitter, and a controller, and a second device independent of the first device, the second device comprising a receiver and a controller. The method comprises synchronizing the first device with the second device, determining the duration of a cardiac cycle, determining a synchronization interval, the duration of the synchronization interval determined as a function of the duration of the cardiac cycle, the synchronization interval being shorter than the duration of the cardiac cycle, and the start of the synchronization interval is determined as a function of the synchronization signal, and activating the receiver of the second device during the synchronization interval, wherein the receiver of the second device is deactivated outside of the synchronization interval.