Pairing of External Communication Devices With an Implantable Medical Device via a Patient Remote Controller

A first external device comprising control circuitry configured to:

• (a) receive a first input to pair the second external device for communications with the IMD;
• (b) in response to the first input, determine whether the IMD is able or not able to communicate directly with the second external device;
• (c) if the IMD is able to communicate directly with the second external device, then enable pairing of the second external device and the IMD for communications along a second communication link;
• and
• (d) if the IMD is not able to communicate directly with the second external device, then enter a passthrough mode, wherein in the passthrough mode communications received at the first external device from the second external device along a third communication link are passed to the IMD from the first external device along the first communication link.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions configured for execution on a first external device, wherein the instruction when executed are configured to cause the first external device to (a) receive a first input to pair the second external device for communications with the IMD;

• (b) in response to the first input, determine whether the IMD is able or not able to communicate directly with the second external device;
• (c) if the IMD is able to communicate directly with the second external device, then enable pairing of the second external device and the IMD for communications along a second communication link;
• and
• (d) if the IMD is not able to communicate directly with the second external device, then enter a passthrough mode, wherein in the passthrough mode communications received at the first external device from the second external device along a third communication link are passed to the IMD from the first external device along the first communication link.