# US 12,179,025 B2 · Tissue conduction communication using ramped drive signal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,025 B2 - Document ID: US12179025B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/320,192 - Filed: 2023-05-18 - Published: 2023-09-14 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-29 - Assignees: Medtronic, Inc. - Applicants: Medtronic, Inc. - Inventors: David J. Peichel; Jonathan P. Roberts; James D. Reinke; Michael B. Terry - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179025B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/37217: {characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile} - A61N 1/37288: {Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient} - A61N 1/3756: {Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators} - A61N 1/3956: {Implantable devices for applying electric shocks to the heart, e.g. for cardioversion} - A61N 1/05: for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode (A61N1/06 takes precedence) - A61N 1/37264: {Changing the program; Upgrading firmware} - A61N 1/3975: {Power supply (A61N1/378 takes precedence)} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract A device, such as an IMD, having a tissue conductance communication (TCC) transmitter controls a drive signal circuit and a polarity switching circuit by a controller of the TCC transmitter to generate an alternating current (AC) ramp on signal having a peak amplitude that is stepped up from a starting peak-to-peak amplitude to an ending peak-to-peak amplitude according to a step increment and step up interval. The TCC transmitter is further controlled to transmit the AC ramp on signal from the drive signal circuit and the polarity switching circuit via a coupling capacitor coupled to a transmitting electrode vector coupleable to the IMD. After the AC ramp on signal, the TCC transmitter transmits at least one TCC signal to a receiving device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising: a tissue conductance communication (TCC) transmitter configured to transmit a first TCC ramp on signal having a peak-to-peak amplitude that is increased from a starting peak-to-peak amplitude to an ending peak-to-peak amplitude according to at least one control parameter; a sensing circuit configured to receive a cardiac electrical signal; and a control circuit in communication with the sensing circuit and the TCC transmitter, the control circuit configured to: monitor a voltage signal received by the sensing circuit; determine that the voltage signal meets artifact detection criteria; and adjust the at least one control parameter in response to the artifact detection criteria being met. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The medical device of claim 1 wherein: the TCC transmitter is further configured to transmit the TCC ramp on signal according to the at least one control parameter including at least a step increment and a step up interval; and the control circuit is further configured to adjust the at least one control parameter by adjusting at least one of the step increment or the step up interval. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The medical device of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to apply the at least one adjusted control parameter during the first TCC ramp on signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The medical device of claim 1 wherein the TCC transmitter is further configured to transmit a second TCC ramp on signal according to the at least one adjusted control parameter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The medical device of claim 4 wherein the TCC transmitter is further configured to complete transmitting the first TCC ramp on signal without applying the at least one adjusted control parameter during the first TCC ramp on signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The medical device of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine that the voltage signal meets the artifact detection criteria in response to the voltage signal crossing a threshold amplitude during at least one of the first TCC ramp on signal or a time interval after an ending time of the first TCC ramp on signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The medical device of claim 1 wherein: the sensing circuit is further configured to apply at least one of a blanking period or a refractory period to the cardiac electrical signal; and the TCC transmitter is further configured to transmit at least a portion of the first TCC ramp on signal during at least one of the blanking period or the refractory period. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The medical device of claim 7 wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine that the voltage signal meets the artifact detection criteria in response to the voltage signal crossing a threshold amplitude during at least one of the blanking period or the refractory period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The medical device of claim 1 wherein: the sensing circuit is further configured to sense the cardiac electrical signal according to a sensitivity; and the control circuit is further configured to select the at least one control parameter based on the sensitivity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The medical device of claim 1 wherein the TCC transmitter is further configured to transmit the first TCC ramp on signal according to the at least one control parameter by transmitting the first TCC ramp on signal according to at least one of: a step increment having at a first increment value at a beginning of the first TCC ramp on signal and a second increment value less than the first increment value near an end of the first TCC ramp on signal; and a step up interval having a first interval value at the beginning of the first TCC ramp on signal and a second value longer than the first interval value near the end of the first TCC ramp on signal. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: transmitting a first TCC ramp on signal having a peak-to-peak amplitude that is increased from a starting peak-to-peak amplitude to an ending peak-to-peak amplitude according to at least one control parameter; receiving a cardiac electrical signal by a sensing circuit; monitoring a voltage signal received by the sensing circuit; determining that the voltage signal meets artifact detection criteria; and adjusting the at least one control parameter in response to the artifact detection criteria being met. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: transmitting the TCC ramp on signal according to the at least one control parameter including at least a step increment and a step up interval; and adjusting the at least one control parameter by adjusting at least one of the step increment or the step up interval. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising applying the at least one adjusted control parameter during the first TCC ramp on signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising transmitting a second TCC ramp on signal according to the at least one adjusted control parameter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The medical device of claim 14 further comprising completing transmitting the first TCC ramp on signal without applying the at least one adjusted control parameter during the first TCC ramp on signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising determining that the voltage signal meets the artifact detection criteria in response to the voltage signal crossing a threshold amplitude during at least one of the first TCC ramp on signal or a time interval after an ending time of the first TCC ramp on signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: applying at least one of a blanking period or a refractory period to the cardiac electrical signal; and transmitting at least a portion of the first TCC ramp on signal during at least one of the blanking period or the refractory period. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising determining that the voltage signal meets the artifact detection criteria in response to the voltage signal crossing a threshold amplitude during at least one of the blanking period or the refractory period. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: sensing the cardiac electrical signal according to a sensitivity; and selecting the at least one control parameter based on the sensitivity. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising transmitting the first TCC ramp on signal according to the at least one control parameter by transmitting the first TCC ramp on signal according to at least one of: a step increment having a first step value at a beginning of the first TCC ramp on signal and a second step value less than the first step value near an end of the first TCC ramp on signal; and a step up interval having a first interval value at the beginning of the first TCC ramp on signal and a second interval value longer than the first interval value near the end of the first TCC ramp on signal. ### Claim 21 A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions which, when executed by a control circuit of a device, cause the device to: transmit a TCC ramp on signal having a peak-to-peak amplitude that is increased from a starting peak-to-peak amplitude to an ending peak-to-peak amplitude according to at least one control parameter; receive a cardiac electrical signal by a sensing circuit; monitor a voltage signal received by the sensing circuit; determine that the voltage signal meets artifact detection criteria; and adjust the at least one control parameter in response to the artifact detection criteria being met.