System and method for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network

A method for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• logically defining a physical protocol layer with an identifier uniquely assigned to a plurality of implantable devices in an intra-body network;
• and
• specifying functions within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• activating a slave implantable device in response to an activation signal transmitted through the wireless interface by a master implantable device;
• establishing a wireless communications link between the slave implantable device and the master implantable device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the slave implantable device;
• mutually authenticating the slave implantable device and the master implantable device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• communicating data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• arbitrating control of the communications link between master implantable devices participating in the intra-body network for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication.

A computer-readable storage medium storing code for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• code for logically defining a physical protocol layer with an identifier uniquely assigned to a plurality of implantable devices in an intra-body network;
• and
• code for specifying functions within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• code for activating a slave implantable device in response to an activation signal transmitted through the wireless interface by a master implantable device;
• code for establishing a wireless communications link between the slave implantable device and the master implantable device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the slave implantable device;
• code for mutually authenticating the slave implantable device and the master implantable device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• code for communicating data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• code for arbitrating control of the communications link between master implantable devices participating in the intra-body network for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication.

An apparatus for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• means for logically defining a physical protocol layer with an identifier uniquely assigned to a plurality of implantable devices in an intra-body network;
• and
• means for specifying functions within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• means for activating a slave implantable device in response to an activation signal transmitted through the wireless interface by a master implantable device;
• means for establishing a wireless communications link between the slave implantable device and the master implantable device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the slave implantable device;
• means for mutually authenticating the slave implantable device and the master implantable device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• means for communicating data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• means for arbitrating control of the communications link between master implantable devices participating in the intra-body network for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication.

A system for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• a physical protocol layer logically defined in a plurality of peer implantable devices in an intra-body network with an identifier uniquely assigned to each such peer implantable device;
• and
• functions specified within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• an identification state to establish a wireless communications link between a responding peer implantable device and a requesting peer implantable device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the responding peer implantable device;
• an authentication state to mutually authenticate the responding peer implantable device and the requesting peer implantable device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• a command state to communicate data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• an arbitration state for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication to arbitrate control of the communications link between the peer implantable devices participating in the intra-body network.

A method for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• logically defining a physical protocol layer with an identifier uniquely assigned to a plurality of peer implantable devices in an intra-body network;
• and
• specifying functions within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• establishing a wireless communications link between a responding peer implantable device and a requesting peer implantable device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the responding peer implantable device;
• mutually authenticating the responding peer implantable device and the requesting peer implantable device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• communicating data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• arbitrating control of the communications link between the peer implantable devices participating in the intra-body network for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication.

A computer-readable storage medium storing code for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• code for logically defining a physical protocol layer with an identifier uniquely assigned to a plurality of peer implantable devices in an intra-body network;
• and
• code for specifying functions within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• code for establishing a wireless communications link between a responding peer implantable device and a requesting peer implantable device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the responding peer implantable device;
• code for mutually authenticating the responding peer implantable device and the requesting peer implantable device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• code for communicating data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• code for arbitrating control of the communications link between the peer implantable devices participating in the intra-body network for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication.

An apparatus for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• means for logically defining a physical protocol layer with an identifier uniquely assigned to a plurality of peer implantable devices in an intra-body network;
• and
• means for specifying functions within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• means for establishing a wireless communications link between a responding peer implantable device and a requesting peer implantable device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the responding peer implantable device;
• means for mutually authenticating the responding peer implantable device and the requesting peer implantable device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• means for communicating data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• means for arbitrating control of the communications link between the peer implantable devices participating in the intra-body network for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication.

A system for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• a physical protocol layer logically defined in a plurality of implantable devices in an intra-body network and in a device external to the intra-body network with an identifier uniquely assigned to the implantable devices and the external device;
• and
• functions specified within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• an activation state to activate an implantable device in response to an activation signal transmitted through the wireless interface by the external device;
• an identification state to establish a wireless communications link between the implantable device and the external device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the implantable device;
• an authentication state to mutually authenticate the implantable device and the external device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• and
• a command state to communicate data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• functions specified within each of the implantable devices to arbitrate control of the communications between each such other implantable device participating in the intra-body network for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication.

A method for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• logically defining a physical protocol layer with an identifier uniquely assigned to a plurality of implantable devices in an intra-body network and an identifier uniquely assigned to a device external to the intra-body network;
• and
• specifying functions within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• activating an implantable device in response to an activation signal transmitted through the wireless interface by the external device;
• establishing wireless communications link between the implantable device and the external device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the implantable device;
• mutually authenticating the implantable device and the external device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• and
• communicating data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• specifying functions within each of the implantable devices to arbitrate control of the communications between each such other implantable device participating in the intra-body network for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication.

A computer-readable storage medium storing code for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• code for logically defining a physical protocol layer with an identifier uniquely assigned to a plurality of implantable devices in an intra-body network and an identifier uniquely assigned to a device external to the intra-body network;
• and
• code for specifying functions within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• code for activating an implantable device in response to an activation signal transmitted through the wireless interface by the external device;
• code for establishing wireless communications link between the implantable device and the external device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the implantable device;
• code for mutually authenticating the implantable device and the external device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• and
• code for communicating data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• code for specifying functions within each of the implantable devices to arbitrate control of the communications between each such other implantable device participating in the intra-body network for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication.

An apparatus for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising:

• means for logically defining a physical protocol layer with an identifier uniquely assigned to a plurality of implantable devices in an intra-body network and an identifier uniquely assigned to a device external to the intra-body network;
• and
• means for specifying functions within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising:
• means for activating an implantable device in response to an activation signal transmitted through the wireless interface by the external device;
• means for establishing a wireless communications link between the implantable device and the external device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the implantable device;
• means for mutually authenticating the implantable device and the external device prior to initiating the wireless communications link;
• and
• means for communicating data intra-bodily over the communications link;
• and
• means for specifying functions within each of the implantable devices to arbitrate control of the communications between each such other implantable device participating in the intra-body network for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication.