US 7,650,185 B2 · System and method for walking an implantable medical device from a sleep state

Abstract

A system and method for waking up an implantable medical device (“IMD”) from a sleep state in which power consumption by the IMD is essentially zero. The IMD may be adapted to perform one or more designated measurement and/or therapeutic functions. In one embodiment, the IMD includes a wake-up sensor that is adapted to sense the presence or absence of a wake-up field generated by another IMD or an external device. The wake-up field may, in some embodiments, be an electromagnetic field, a magnetic field, or a physiologically sub-threshold excitation current (i.e., E-field). Upon sensing by the wake-up sensor of the wake-up field, other components of the IMD, which may include a controller, a sensing and/or therapy module, and/or a communications module, are awakened to perform one or more designated functions.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method carried out by a satellite implantable medical device for being awakened from a sleep state by a primary implantable medical device, the satellite implantable medical device including a wake-up sensor, a control module, a physiologic sensor, a power supply, and a communication module , the method comprising:

waiting in a sleep state, wherein only sensing circuitry of the wake-up sensor is energized and powered on for detecting and processing an output voltage from the wake-up sensor;
detecting, by the wake-up sensor, the presence of an electromagnetic wake-up field generated by the primary implantable medical device;
responsive to detecting the presence of the electromagnetic wake-up field, prompting power control circuitry coupled to the power supply to supply electrical power to the control module and the communication module, causing the control module and communication module to change from the sleep state to an active state;
and
wherein, in the active state, the control module causes the physiologic sensor to activate and sense at least one physiologic parameter, and the communication module to wirelessly transmit the at least one sensed physiologic parameter to the primary implantable medical device.

2 more elements

A method of waking an implantable medical device from a low-power state, the method comprising:

providing a first implanted medical device including a wake-up field generator and a first communication module, the wake-up field generator adapted to generate an electromagnetic wake-up field;
providing a second implanted medical device including a battery, a wake-up sensor operable to detect the electromagnetic wake-up field, a physiologic sensor, a control module, and a second communication module configured to acoustically communicate with the first implanted medical device, wherein the second implanted medical device is initially in a low-power state in which only sensing circuitry of the wake-up sensor is energized and powered on for detecting and processing an output voltage from the wake-up sensor;
detecting, by the wake-up sensor, the presence of the electromagnetic wake-up field generated by the first implanted medical device;
responsive to detecting the presence of the electromagnetic wake-up field, prompting power control circuitry coupled to the battery to supply electrical power to the control module and the communication module, causing the control module and the communication module to change from the low-power state to an active state;
and
wherein, in the active state, the control module causes the physiologic sensor to activate and sense at least one physiologic parameter, and the second communication module to acoustically transmit the at least one sensed physiologic parameter to the first implanted medical device.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for walking an implantable medical device from a sleep state

Life of this patent

System and method for walking an implantable medical device from a sleep state

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12