Radio frequency transponder based implantable medical system

A method of operating an implantable medical system comprising an implantable medical device (IMD), a transceiver antenna lead coupled to the IMD, and a radio frequency (RF) probe, wherein the RF probe includes an electrode arrangement configured to establish electrical contact with body tissue/fluid, a capacitor coupled to the electrode arrangement, an RF probe antenna, and a processing architecture, the method comprising:

• generating, with the IMD, a charge signal for the RF probe;
• transmitting the charge signal from the IMD, through the transceiver antenna lead, and from an RF lead antenna of the transceiver antenna lead;
• wirelessly energizing the capacitor of the RF probe in response to the transmitted charge signal received from the RF lead antenna by the RF probe antenna;
• generating, with the IMD, an activation signal formatted to control activation of the RF probe;
• transmitting the activation signal from the IMD, through the transceiver antenna lead, and from an RF lead antenna of the transceiver antenna lead to the RF probe antenna;
• wirelessly activating the RF probe in response to the transmitted activation signal to command the processing architecture to control delivery of therapy to body tissue/fluid or sensing of electromagnetic activity associated with body tissue/fluid;
• controlling, with the processing architecture of the RF probe, the delivery of therapy to body tissue/fluid or the sensing of electromagnetic activity associated with body tissue/fluid;
• and
• determining whether a charge signal to wirelessly replenish the electrical energy in the capacitor should be generated and generating a charge signal based thereon.

An implantable medical system comprising:

• an implantable medical device (IMD) comprising a transceiver and a first radio frequency (RF) antenna coupled to the transceiver via a transceiver antenna lead;
• and
• a wireless therapy delivery transponder comprising a second RF antenna, an electrode arrangement configured to establish electrical contact with body tissue/fluid, a processing architecture coupled to the second RF antenna and configured to execute processing instructions stored in memory of the wireless therapy delivery transponder to control delivery of electrical therapy to body tissue/fluid, and a capacitor coupled to the electrode arrangement;
• the IMD being configured to transmit a charge signal using the transceiver and the first RF antenna;
• the wireless therapy delivery transponder being configured to receive the charge signal at the second RF antenna, and to energize the capacitor in response to received charge signals;
• the IMD being configured to transmit an activation signal using the transceiver and the first RF antenna;
• and
• the wireless therapy delivery transponder being configured to receive the activation signal at the second RF antenna, and, in response to received activation signals, to control, with the processing architecture, delivery of electrical therapy to body tissue/fluid via the capacitor and the electrode arrangement.