Telemetry system for implantable medical devices
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorSteven D. Goedeke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for use in communication with an implantable medical device. The device is provided with a spatial diversity antenna array mounted to the device housing and an operating at defined frequency, located within the device housing, coupled to the antenna array. The antenna array includes at least one antenna permanently mounted to the device housing and an antenna removably mounted to the device housing and locatable at a distance from the housing, coupled to the RF transceiver. A device controller selects which of the antennas in the antenna array is coupled to the transceiver responsive to the quality of signals received by the antennas.
Claims6
An external device for use in communication with an implantable medical device, comprising:
- a device housing;
- a device controller, mounted within the device housing;
- a spatial diversity antenna array mounted to the device housing;
- an RF transceiver operating at defined frequency, located within the device housing, coupled to the antenna array;
- means for encoding signals to be transmitted to the implantable device, coupled to an input of the transceiver;
- means for decoding signals received from the implantable device, coupled to an output of the transceiver;
- and
- means for displaying demodulated signal received from the implanted device, mounted to the device housing;
- wherein the antenna array comprises a first antenna permanently mounted to the device housing and a second antenna removably mounted to the device housing and locatable at a distance from the housing and means for coupling the removable antenna to the RF transceiver while the removable antenna is located at a distance from the device housing;
- and
- wherein the device controller includes means for selecting which of the two antennas in the antenna array is coupled to the transceiver.
A system comprising an external device and an associated implantable device, wherein the external device comprises:
- an external device housing;
- a device controller, mounted within the external device housing;
- an antenna array mounted to the external device housing;
- a first RF transceiver operating at defined frequency, located within the external device housing, coupled to the antenna array;
- means for encoding signals to be transmitted to the implantable device, coupled to an input of the first transceiver;
- means for decoding signals received from the implantable device, coupled to an output of the first transceiver;
- and
- means for displaying demodulated signal received from the implanted device, mounted to the external device housing;
- wherein the antenna array comprises a first antenna permanently mounted to the device housing and a second antenna removably mounted to the device housing and locatable at a distance from the housing and means for coupling the removable antenna to the first transceiver while the removable antenna is located at a distance from the device housing;
- and
- wherein the device controller includes means for selecting which of the two antennas in the antenna array is coupled to the first transceiver;
- and
- wherein the implantable device comprises:
- a hermetic housing;
- a second transceiver mounted within the hermetic housing;
- and
- an antenna coupled to the second transceiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.