Software-defined implantable ultrasonic device for use in the internet of medical things

A method of controlling a plurality of networked medical devices, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a system comprising:
• an RF/ultrasound communication device;
• one or more ultrasound communication devices implantable within a body and capable of ultrasound communication with the RF/ultrasound communication device, each of the ultrasound communication devices comprising:
• a communication unit comprising an ultrasonic transceiver to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals, the communication unit configured to transmit and receive the ultrasonic signals through biological tissue to and from communication units of other implanted or wearable medical devices in the network of devices, and
• a processing unit in communication with the communication unit, the processing unit including a core unit comprising:
• a logic device including a physical layer of a protocol stack, and
• a controller unit including upper layers of the protocol stack, the upper layers including at least a link layer and an application layer, the controller unit further including a data processing module at the application layer for communication with a sensor or actuator,
• wherein the link layer is connected with the logic device to send parameters to the physical layer for transmission of ultrasonic signals through the biological tissue and with the data processing module to transfer data or parameters to or from the sensor or actuator, and
• wherein the processing unit further comprises an energy management module operative to adjust power usage based on operating requirements by automatically sending signals to wake-up, power up, shut down electronic components, to adjust at runtime a core clock frequency according to processing power required, and to select at runtime a low-power mode;
• and
• one or more sensing devices and/or one or more actuating devices, each in communication with one of the ultrasound communication devices of the system;
• (b) configuring the protocol stack and logic device of each ultrasound communication device in the system;
• (c) acquiring data from the one or more sensing devices and optionally processing the data;
• (d) optionally communicating the data using the RF/ultrasound communication device, an access point, and the internet to a physician;
• (e) optionally receiving reprogramming instructions using the RF/ultrasound communication device, access point, and internet;
• (f) optionally reconfiguring the protocol stack and logic device of one or more selected ultrasound communication devices in the system in response to the reprogramming instructions;
• and
• (g) optionally causing one or more of said actuating devices to change their actuation state.