Implantable Device RF Telemetry Frequency Hopping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current RF-based communication systems for implantable medical devices face challenges in ensuring optimal receiver sensitivity across the entire radio frequency band, leading to potential communication failures due to mismatched transmission and reception frequencies, which can drain the limited battery power and cause disruptions.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a broadband RF receiver in implantable medical devices that identifies and stores the characteristic receiver frequency with sufficient sensitivity within the RF band, allowing non-implantable communication devices to select the optimal transmission frequency for improved message reception.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If a broadband RF receiver is used to cover a wide RF band, then the communication distance is extended, but the receiver sensitivity varies at different frequencies within the band

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication distanceVSAvoidreceiver sensitivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by characterizing the RF receiver's frequency response in advance and storing the optimal frequency information in memory. This allows the system to pre-identify the best transmission frequency before actual communication occurs, eliminating the need for real-time frequency scanning and ensuring optimal receiver sensitivity is achieved consistently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by having the IMD transmit back the identified optimal frequency information to the external communication device. This feedback loop allows the external device to adjust its transmission frequency accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that ensures optimal frequency matching and maximizes receiver sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If the transmitter sends communication signals at any random radio frequency within the band, then the device complexity is reduced, but communication failures occur due to frequency mismatch

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission control complexityVSAvoidcommunication success rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary frequency identification and storage in memory before actual communication. This pre-characterization approach simplifies the transmission process by eliminating the need for complex real-time frequency scanning or adaptive algorithms, while ensuring high communication reliability through pre-determined optimal frequency matching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The IMD autonomously identifies and communicates its optimal receiver frequency to the external device without requiring complex external control algorithms. The system leverages the IMD's own receiver characteristics to guide the transmission process, reducing external device complexity while maintaining high communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If multiple communication attempts are made at different frequencies, then the likelihood of successful reception is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage reception successVSAvoidbattery power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By pre-identifying and storing the optimal frequency in memory, the system eliminates the need for multiple trial transmission attempts. The external device can directly transmit at the predetermined optimal frequency, achieving high reception success rates with minimal power consumption and avoiding repeated communication failures that would drain the battery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enhances the likelihood of successful message reception by matching the transmission frequency with the optimal receiver sensitivity of the implantable device, reducing power consumption and communication disruptions.

Implementation Method 1

a broadband radio frequency (RF) receiver operating within a defined RF band

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation detection: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

radio frequency (RF) based communication protocols

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadio frequency electromagnetic wave transmission: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS10249180B2Implantable medical device adapted for radio frequency telemetry with frequency hopping

Publication Date: 2019.04.02 ST JUDE MEDICAL AB

AI summary

An implantable medical device has a broadband RF receiver operating within an RF band and having stored information of a characteristic receiver frequency representing the RF within the RF band at which the broadband RF receiver has sufficient receiver sensitivity. The stored information is retrieved in response to a message from an external communication device and is included in a response generated by the implantable medical device and transmitted to the communication device. The information enables the communication device to select its transmission frequency at a subsequent transmission instance to the relevant implantable medical device. The chances of successful reception at the subsequent transmission instance are thereby increased.