Implantable medical device and mobile wireless modem

An electronic implant including:

• a. a diagnostic/therapeutic unit configured to obtain patient data relating to one or more physiological patient parameters;
• b. an antenna;
• c. a mobile wireless modem in communication with the antenna;
• d. a mobile wireless field strength measuring unit;
• e. a secondary field strength detector;
• and
• f. a control unit configured to:
• (1) activate the mobile wireless field strength measuring unit when the secondary field strength detector indicates a threshold field strength;
• and
• (2) attempt transmission of data content over a mobile wireless network via the mobile wireless modem, wherein:
• (a) the data content is dependent on the patient data, and
• (b) a transmission attempt by the control unit is dependent on:
• (i) a field strength measured by the mobile wireless field strength measuring unit, wherein the transmission attempt occurs when the measured field strength meets or exceeds a minimum transmission success threshold, and
• (ii) an urgency rating of the data content to be transmitted over the mobile wireless network, wherein the transmission attempt occurs:
• A. when data content has greater urgency, and
• B. regardless of the measured field strength.

An electronic implant including:

• a. a diagnostic/therapeutic unit configured to obtain patient data relating to one or more physiological patient parameters;
• b. an antenna;
• c. a mobile wireless modem in communication with the antenna;
• d. a mobile wireless field strength measuring unit;
• e. a secondary field strength detector;
• f. a control unit configured to:
• (1) activate the mobile wireless field strength measuring unit when the secondary field strength detector indicates a threshold field strength;
• and
• (2) attempt transmission of data content over a mobile wireless network via the mobile wireless modem, the data content being dependent on the patient data;
• g. a statistics unit included within, or in communication with, the control unit, the statistics unit being configured to generate and record access success statistics for prior transmission attempts by the mobile wireless modem, the access success statistics including:
• (1) the times of the prior transmission attempts by the mobile wireless modem;
• (2) the field strengths measured by the mobile wireless field strength measuring unit at the times of the prior transmission attempts;
• and
• (3) whether the prior transmission attempts successfully resulted in transmission of data content over the mobile wireless network;
• wherein a present transmission attempt by the control unit is dependent on whether the field strength measured by the mobile wireless field strength measuring unit corresponds to successful transmission of data content in the prior transmission attempts.