Ultrasonic Communication Between Leadless Pacemakers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing leadless pacemaker systems face challenges in communicating time-critical information between heart chambers without interfering with the intrinsic electrical activity of the heart, leading to potential message collisions and loss of data.
Innovation Solution
The system employs ultrasonic signals for communication between implantable devices, using piezoelectric transducers to transmit and receive modulated pressure waves, allowing for time-critical and non-time-critical message categorization and collision avoidance by scheduling message transmission based on unique timer durations and address identifiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical pulses are used for communication between implantable devices, then information can be transmitted through heart tissue, but intrinsic electrical activity interferes with data transmission causing message collisions and loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical pulse communication with acoustic wave communication. The transmitting device generates acoustic waves that propagate through heart tissue to the receiving device, eliminating interference from intrinsic electrical cardiac activity. This substitution of the communication medium (from electrical to acoustic) resolves the fundamental conflict between signal transmission and electrical interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic waves as an intermediary medium for information transmission between implantable devices. Instead of direct electrical signal transmission that conflicts with cardiac electrical activity, acoustic waves serve as a mediator that can carry information through tissue without being affected by or affecting the heart's electrical physiology.
2Productivity
If multiple devices transmit messages simultaneously, then communication efficiency increases, but message collisions occur resulting in information loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a scheduling mechanism where devices transmit messages in predetermined time slots or sequences rather than simultaneously. Each device knows when it is scheduled to transmit and when to listen, preventing collisions before they occur. This preliminary organization of transmission timing ensures both efficiency and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic transmission cycles where devices alternate between transmitting and receiving in a structured sequence. This periodic action pattern ensures that multiple devices can communicate without collision, as each device transmits during its designated period and remains silent during other devices' transmission periods.
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 ensures reliable communication between leadless pacemakers in the heart, preventing collisions and maintaining system integrity by prioritizing time-critical messages and optimizing device configuration, while reducing the size and battery consumption of atrial devices.
Implementation Method 1
using piezoelectric transducers to transmit and receive modulated pressure waves
Implementation Method 2
a communication unit in each implantable device comprises an ultrasonic communication unit configured to transmit a modulated pressure wave
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a medical system (1), comprising a first implantable device (10) and a second implantable device (20), wherein each implantable device (10, 20) comprises a communication unit (11, 21) configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal to the communication unit (21, 11) of another implantable device (20, 10) of the medical system (1).