Communicating With Pacer (e.g., Telemetry) Patents (Class 607/32)
  • Patent number: 11657175
    Abstract: A method of sending a medical data file from an external device to a computer system and storing the data file associated with a patient's identity, comprising: a) the computer system receiving information that a data file to be sent to the computer system from the external device (or from one of a set of external devices) is to be associated with the patient's identity; b) sending the data file from the external device to the computer system, with the data file identified as coming from the external device; c) the computer system finding the patient's identity from the identification of the image file as coming from the external device, and from the information that a data file to be associated with the patient's identity was to be sent from that external device; and d) the computer system storing the data file, associating the data file with the patient's identity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: PHILIPS MEDICAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES LTD
    Inventors: Meir Cohen, David Altal, Guy Engelhard, Guy Gelles, Ron Kimchi, Erez Bibi, Kiran Krishnamurthy, Menashe Benjamin
  • Patent number: 11648407
    Abstract: An implantable system including an atrial leadless pacemaker (aLP) and a ventricular leadless pacemaker (vLP), and methods for use therewith, are configured or used to terminate a pacemaker mediated tachycardia (PMT). In an embodiment, in response to the aLP detecting a PMT, the aLP initiates a PMT PA interval, and the aLP does not inform the vLP, via an i2i communication, of an atrial sensed event that caused the PMT to be detected, thereby preventing the vLP from initiating a PV interval during the PMT PA interval. The aLP selectively terminates the PMT PA interval. Additionally, the aLP informs the vLP, via an i2i communication, of an intrinsic atrial event being detected during the PMT PA interval, or of an atrial paced event being performed in response to the PMT PA interval expiring without an intrinsic atrial event being detected during the PMT PA interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: Chunlan Jiang, Matthew G. Fishler
  • Patent number: 11623101
    Abstract: An implant system includes an implant device configured to generate a stimulation signal for a user using a power manager according to an operation mode based on biometric information of the user, and a wake-up device configured to switch the operation mode based on either one or both of an energy supply received through an external energy source different from the power manager and a result of counting a timer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junyeub Suh, Sang Joon Kim, Hankyu Lee
  • Patent number: 11583682
    Abstract: An antenna for an implantable medical device, the antenna being configured for inductive wireless power transfer and/or near-field magnetic induction communication, the antenna comprising at least one coil or at least one set of coils, each coil comprising several windings. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to an implantable medical device (IMD).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Onward Medical N.V.
    Inventors: Hans Pflug, Jeroen Tol, Koen Weijand
  • Patent number: 11478649
    Abstract: Systems and methods involve an intrathoracic cardiac stimulation device operable to provide autonomous cardiac sensing and energy delivery. The cardiac stimulation device includes a housing configured for intrathoracic placement relative to a patient's heart. A fixation arrangement of the housing is configured to affix the housing at an implant location within cardiac tissue or cardiac vasculature. An electrode arrangement supported by the housing is configured to sense cardiac activity and deliver stimulation energy to the cardiac tissue or cardiac vasculature. Energy delivery circuitry in the housing is coupled to the electrode arrangement. Detection circuitry is provided in the housing and coupled to the electrode arrangement. Communications circuitry may optionally be supported by the housing. A controller in the housing coordinates delivery of energy to the cardiac tissue or cardiac vasculature in accordance with an energy delivery protocol appropriate for the implant location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: CARDIAC PACEMAKERS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Bodner, Randy Bierwerth
  • Patent number: 11476927
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing communication strategies between implanted medical devices. Methods include temporal optimization relative to one or more identified conditions in the body. A selected characteristic, such as a signal representative or linked to a biological function, is assessed to determine its likely impact on communication capabilities, and one or more communication strategies may be developed to optimize intra-body communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: CARDIAC PACEMAKERS, INC.
    Inventors: Jacob M. Ludwig, Michael J. Kane, Brendan E. Koop, William J. Linder, Keith R. Maile, Jeffrey E. Stahmann
  • Patent number: 11468885
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for managing a user machine dialogue. A request is received by a server from a device for a response to be directed to a user engaged in a dialogue with the device. The request includes information related to a current state of the dialogue. The response is determined based on a dialogue tree and the information related to the current state of the dialogue. A sub-dialogue tree, which corresponds to a portion of the dialogue tree, is then created based on the response and the dialogue tree and is then used to generate a local dialogue manager for the device. The response, the sub-dialogue tree, and the local dialogue manager are then sent to the device, wherein the local dialogue manager, once deployed on the device, is capable of driving the dialogue with the user based on the sub-dialogue tree on the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: DMAI, INC.
    Inventor: Ashwin Dharne
  • Patent number: 11455986
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for managing a user machine dialogue. Sensor data is received at a device, including an utterance representing a speech of a user engaged in a dialogue with the device. The speech of the user is determined based on the utterance and a response to the user is searched by a local dialogue manager residing on the device against a sub-dialogue tree stored on the device. The response, if identified from the sub-dialogue tree, is rendered to the user in response to the speech. A request is sent to a server for the response, if the response is not available in the sub-dialogue tree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: DMAI, INC.
    Inventor: Ashwin Dharne
  • Patent number: 11389657
    Abstract: The implant including an elongated tubular body, having at a first end a releasable device connected to an installation lead, and at a second end a member for anchoring to a heart wall, the tubular body housing a frame supporting an electronic unit. The implant further comprises an accelerometer. This accelerometer comprises a piezoelectric blade extending in cantilever from an embedding section of the frame, in a direction going from the first end to the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Sorin CRM SAS
    Inventor: Willy Regnier
  • Patent number: 11342885
    Abstract: In one example, a circuit includes a first node to receive an analog signal that is an amplitude modulated radio-frequency signal for a digital signal. An output node is configured to provide an output signal indicative of rising and falling edges of an envelope of the analog signal. The rising and falling edges are indicative of rising and falling edges of the digital signal. A first current path is disposed between a power supply node and the first node. The first current path includes a first transistor coupled between the first node and a first bias source. The first bias source is coupled between the first transistor and the power supply node. The output node is coupled to a first intermediate node in the first current path between the transistor and the first bias source. A control terminal of the first transistor is coupled to the output node via a feedback network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alessia Maria Elgani, Francesco Renzini, Luca Perilli, Eleonora Franchi Scarselli, Antonio Gnudi, Roberto Canegallo, Giulio Ricotti
  • Patent number: 11291848
    Abstract: Provided are a method for supplying power to an implantable medical device and a power supply system for an implantable medical device. The power supply system supplies a constant power to the implantable medical device even when there is a movement in a body, by using a wireless power transmitter unit, a wireless power receiver unit, and a piezoelectric sensor unit stacked at the wireless power receiver unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation
    Inventors: Manseung Heo, Jinho Oh, Eunkyoung Park, Minyoung Lee, Kyusung Lee
  • Patent number: 11290954
    Abstract: A method for managing power during communication with an implantable medical device, including establishing a communications link, utilizing a power corresponding to a session start power, to initiate a current session between an implantable medical device (IMD) and external device. A telemetry break condition of the communications link is monitored during the current session. The power utilized by the IMD is adjusted between low and high power levels, during the current session based on the telemetry break condition. The number of sessions is counted, including the current session and one or more prior sessions, in which the IMD utilized the higher power level, and a level for the session start power to be utilized to initiate a next session following the current session is adaptively learned based on the counting of the number of sessions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: Perry Li, Lequan Zhang, Xing Pei, Jeffery Crook, Yongjian Wu, Jun Yang, Chao-Wen Young
  • Patent number: 11235162
    Abstract: A system, such as an IMD system, includes a tissue conductance communication (TCC) transmitter configured to generate a beacon signal by generating a carrier signal and modulating a first property of the carrier signal according to a first type of modulation. The TCC transmitter is configured to generate a data signal subsequent to the beacon signal by generating the carrier signal and modulating a second property of the carrier signal different than the first property according to a second type of modulation different than the first type of modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Reinke, Joel B. Artmann, Michael T. Hemming, David J. Peichel, Jonathan P. Roberts, Michael B. Terry, Eric R. Williams
  • Patent number: 11207534
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are implantable medical devices (IMDs) including a receiver and a battery, and methods for use therewith. The receiver includes first and second differential amplifiers, each of which monitors for a predetermined signal within a frequency range and drains power from the battery while enabled, and while not enabled drains substantially no power from the battery. To remove undesirable input offset voltages, each of the differential amplifiers, while enabled, is selectively put into an offset correction phase during which time the predetermined signal is not detectable by the differential amplifier. At any given time at least one of the first and second differential amplifiers is enabled without being in the offset correction phase so that at least one of the differential amplifiers is always monitoring for the predetermined signal. In this manner, the receiver is never blind to signals, including the predetermined signals, sent by another IMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Carroll
  • Patent number: 11196793
    Abstract: An apparatus for adaptive streaming in multiple narrowband wireless communication environment comprises a communication unit configured to perform multi-communication with a server using a TCP and an UDP, a network monitor unit configured to collect state information on each of a plurality of narrowband networks, and a parameter control unit configured to: based on the collected state information on each of the plurality of narrowband networks, select a quality of video segment to be requested and one of the TCP protocol and the UDP protocol to be used in each of the plurality of narrowband networks, or determine a data size of redundant data for data loss restoration for each of the plurality of narrowband networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Agency for Defense Development
    Inventors: Kyungwoo Kim, Donghyun Kim, No-Hyerok Park, Jeung Won Choi, Jong Hwan Ko, Hwangjun Song, Jaewoo Kim, Hyun Park, Jongman Lee, Yunmin Go
  • Patent number: 11135435
    Abstract: Devices that communicate using wireless proximal communications measure pulse width to find distortion in the received signal. The distortion may be due to the devices being too close to one another for a transmission power level currently being used which causes ringing of a receiving coil. The distortion may be used to find a correction that the receiving device may use to correct for the distortion in the received pulse train when decoding the pulse train. The distortion may be used to adjust a transmission power level of the receiving device and/or to send an instruction to the transmitting device to adjust the power transmission power level of the transmitting device. The distortion may be used for other purposes including determining a device depth and/or location for an implanted device, such as an implantable medical device within a body of a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: MEDTRONIC, INC.
    Inventor: Warren Ball
  • Patent number: 10994137
    Abstract: A neural stimulation system comprises a microphone arrangement for capturing an audio signal from ambient sound, a sound processor unit, a headpiece, and an implantable neural stimulator, the sound processor unit comprising a housing to be worn behind a patient's ear or at a patient's body, and a signal processing unit within the sound processor unit housing for generating a neural stimulation signal from the captured audio signal, the sound processor being communicatively coupled to the headpiece for supplying the neural stimulation signal to the headpiece, the headpiece comprising a housing separate from the housing of the sound processor and to be fixed at the patient's head, a signal transmission unit for transmitting the neural stimulation signal to a signal receiving unit of the implantable cochlear stimulator, and a user interface for controlling operation of the sound processor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG
    Inventors: Raphael Sebastian Koning, Volkmar Hamacher
  • Patent number: 10988034
    Abstract: An implantable device for deployment inside a human or animal body, the device comprising at least one sensing component arranged to respond to an electrical signal having a known frequency band and at least one antenna comprising at least one antenna pole connected to the at least one sensing component, the antenna pole comprising at least one helical coil and a connecting stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: IP2IPO INNOVATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Mohammad Reza Bahmanyar, Christopher Neil McLeod, Olive H Murphy
  • Patent number: 10946203
    Abstract: Systems and methods involve an intrathoracic cardiac stimulation device operable to provide autonomous cardiac sensing and energy delivery. The cardiac stimulation device includes a housing configured for intrathoracic placement relative to a patient's heart. A fixation arrangement of the housing is configured to affix the housing at an implant location within cardiac tissue or cardiac vasculature. An electrode arrangement supported by the housing is configured to sense cardiac activity and deliver stimulation energy to the cardiac tissue or cardiac vasculature. Energy delivery circuitry in the housing is coupled to the electrode arrangement. Detection circuitry is provided in the housing and coupled to the electrode arrangement. Communications circuitry may optionally be supported by the housing. A controller in the housing coordinates delivery of energy to the cardiac tissue or cardiac vasculature in accordance with an energy delivery protocol appropriate for the implant location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: CARDIAC PACEMAKERS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Bodner, Randy Bierwerth
  • Patent number: 10820998
    Abstract: A delivery system includes an elongate shaft, a handle, a first clasp control member, and a second clasp control member. The handle is connected to a proximal portion of the elongate shaft. The first and second clasp control members each extend into a distal portion of the elongate shaft, through at least a portion of the elongate shaft, out of the proximal portion of the elongate shaft, and through the handle. The first and second clasp control members have paths that include a first parallel portion in the elongate shaft where the first clasp control member and the second clasp control member are parallel, and a diverging portion that is proximal to the first parallel portion where the first clasp control member diverges from the second clasp control member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventors: Devin H. Marr, Sergio Delgado, Eric Robert Dixon, David M. Taylor, Asher L. Metchik, Matthew T. Winston
  • Patent number: 10744323
    Abstract: There is provided a cochlear implant system, comprising a sound processor for generating an auditory nerve stimulation signal from an input audio signal; an implantable stimulation assembly comprising an electrode array for electrical stimulation of the cochlea according to the neural stimulation signal; and an electrode migration monitoring unit including a unit for capturing ECAP signals induced at the electrodes of the electrode array in response to stimulation of the cochlea by applying auditory nerve stimulation signals to the electrodes, an electrode migration detection unit for detecting electrode migration relative to the cochlea by comparing presently captured ECAP signals and/or ECAP data derived from such presently captured ECAP signals to stored previously captured ECAP signals and/or ECAP data derived from such previously captured ECAP signals, and a unit for outputting an alarm signal in case that electrode migration is detected by the electrode migration detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG
    Inventors: Volkmar Hamacher, Patrick J. Boyle
  • Patent number: 10735872
    Abstract: A hearing device comprises a housing configured to be supported at, on or in a wearer's ear. A processor is coupled to memory, and the processor and memory are disposed in the housing. A radiofrequency transceiver is coupled to the processor and disposed in the housing. A phased array antenna arrangement is disposed in or on the housing and coupled to the transceiver and the processor. The phased array antenna arrangement comprises a plurality of antennas each coupled to one of a plurality of phase shifters. The processor is configured to adjust a phase shift of each of the phase shifters to steer an antenna array pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Anders Shriner, Gregory J. Haubrich
  • Patent number: 10639482
    Abstract: A method and device for managing establishment of a communications link between an external instrument (EI) and an implantable medical device (IMD) are provided. The method stores, in a memory in at least one of the IMD or the EI, a base scanning schedule that defines a pattern for scanning windows over a scanning state. The method enters the scanning state during which a receiver scans for advertisement notices during the scanning windows. At least a portion of the scanning windows are grouped in a first segment of the scanning state. The method stores, in the memory, a scan reset pattern for restarting the scanning state. Further, the method automatically restarts the scanning state based on the scan reset pattern to form a pseudo-scanning schedule that differs from the base scanning schedule and establishes a communication session between the IMD and the EI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: PACESETTER, INC.
    Inventors: Yongjian Wu, Jyoti Bhayana, Chao-Wen Young, Tejpal Singh, Samir Shah
  • Patent number: 10617873
    Abstract: Cardiac activity of the heart can be sensed using, for example, one or more leadless cardiac pacemakers (LCPs) that are implanted in a close proximity to the heart. Sensing cardiac activity by the one or more leadless cardiac pacemakers (LCPs) can help the system in determining an occurrence of cardiac arrhythmia. For treatment purposes, electrical stimulation therapy, for example anti-tachyarrhythmia pacing (ATP) therapy, can be delivered by at least one of the devices of the system. Such therapy can help treat the detected cardiac arrhythmia. In some instances, one of the leadless cardiac pacemakers can instruct one or more of the other devices to assist in providing pacing therapy. In some instances, one of the leadless cardiac pacemakers can instruct one or more of the other devices to temporarily stop providing therapy or to simply shut down while another device provides therapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Cardiac Packemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Stahmann, William J. Linder, Howard D. Simms, Jr., Keith R. Maile, Michael J. Kane
  • Patent number: 10588527
    Abstract: Systems, devices, methods, and techniques relating to generating and presenting information related to heart rate data. In one aspect, a system includes a monitoring device configured to obtain physiological data for a living being and to generate annotation data based on the physiological data for a total time period, a processing system configured to obtain the annotation data via a communication channel from the monitoring device and to generate for display based on the annotation data a daily patient report that includes, a chart showing summary statistical data for a proportion of a total monitored time period spent in cardiac arrhythmia for each of a plurality of days and summary statistical data for a proportion of the total monitored time period not spent in cardiac arrhythmia for each of the plurality of days.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Braemar Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Anna McNamara, Jonathan Newbrough, Charles Gropper, Aaron Goldmuntz, Yachuan Pu
  • Patent number: 10589113
    Abstract: The current technology relates to a shock deferral unit that is portable by an ambulatory patient. The shock deferral unit has a bi-directional communication device configured to receive a notification of an impending shock from a defibrillator and configured to send an instruction to defer the impending shock to the defibrillator. An authentication interface is configured to receive authentication data from a user. A user instruction interface is configured to receive the instruction to defer the impending shock from the user. An authentication device is configured to authenticate the user based on the authentication data and instruct the bi-directional communication device to send the instruction to defer a shock upon authentication and receipt of the instruction to defer the shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Stahmann, Dan C. Goldman
  • Patent number: 10556116
    Abstract: The present invention is related to an implantable medical device. The medical device comprises an implantable component having a receiver unit; an external charging module having a power transmitter unit; and a data module having a data transmitter unit. The units are configured to establish a transcutaneous communication link over which data and power is transmitted on a single frequency channel via a time interleaving scheme comprising successive frames each divided into at least two time slots, and wherein one or more of the time slots in each frame is allocated to the data transmitter unit, and wherein one or more of the time slots in each frame is allocated to the power transmitter unit, and wherein data and power are transmitted by the transmitter units during their allotted time slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Werner Meskens
  • Patent number: 10357158
    Abstract: A wireless medical device (12) includes at least one sensor (14, 18, 22) which monitors physiological data of a patient or an actuator (26) which delivers therapy to the patient. A wireless transceiver (40) transmits and receives information packets related to at least one of the monitored physiological data and the delivered therapy. The wireless transceiver (40) has a duty-cycle limit. The duty-cycle module (50) determines the duty-cycle parameters for the wireless transceiver (40) according to the duty-cycle limit. A communication module (60) controls the transceiver (40) to broadcast at least one duty-cycle parameter when transmitting an information packet or when acknowledging receiving an information packet from a neighboring wireless medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: Maulin Dahyabhai Patel
  • Patent number: 10328201
    Abstract: Method and apparatus including calling, retrieving and/or initiating a programmed function in conjunction with execution of one or more commands related to a closed loop control algorithm, receiving one or more data in response to the one or more commands over a data interface, and executing the one or more commands related to the closed loop control algorithm based on the received one or more data are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Barry Taub, Daniel Milfred Bernstein, Gary Alan Hayter, Mark Kent Sloan, Glenn Howard Berman, Saeed Nekoomaram
  • Patent number: 10315039
    Abstract: A system includes a controller module, which includes a storage device, a controller, a modulator, and one or more antennas. The storage device is stored with parameters defining a stimulation waveform. The controller is configured to generate, based on the stored parameters, an output signal that includes the stimulation waveform, wherein the output signal additionally includes polarity assignments for electrodes in an implantable, passive stimulation device. The modulator modulates a stimulus carrier signal with the output signal to generate a transmission signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Stimwave Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Laura Tyler Perryman, Patrick Larson, Chad Andresen
  • Patent number: 10293168
    Abstract: Systems and methods for programming and logging medical device and patient data are provided. The systems include a handheld device, which is capable of communicating with a medical device, and a base station, which provides connectivity for the handheld device to accomplish various functions such as recharging, programming, data back-up and data entry. The methods comprise the steps of detecting a medical device, obtaining and recording information from the medical device. Additionally, medical device parameters may be modified and the recorded information may be archived for future reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronic Urinary Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Maria E. Bennett, Kenneth P. Rundle, Stuart F. Rubin, James Coburn, Danny R. Pack, Robert B. Strother, Geoffrey B. Thrope, Joseph J. Mrva
  • Patent number: 10271277
    Abstract: Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of discovering a wireless communication device. For example, a first wireless device may include a radio to communicate over a wireless communication medium according to a discovery scheme including a plurality of contention-based discovery windows (DWs), the radio to communicate with a second wireless device a discovery frame during a first discovery process, the discovery frame including an indication of one or more selected DWs of the plurality of DWs; and a controller to switch the first wireless device between a power save state and an active state, the controller to switch the first wireless device to operate in the active state in the one or more selected discovery windows to discover the second wireless device during a second discovery process, subsequent to the first discovery process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL IP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minyoung Park, Emily H. Qi, Venkatakrishna U. Yellepeddy
  • Patent number: 10258295
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method, a device, a system and/or a manufacture of voice controlled assistance for monitoring adverse events of a user and/or coordinating emergency actions such as caregiver communication. In one embodiment, a system includes an assistance device coupled to a voice controlled assistance server over a network. The assistance device includes a memory including computer-executable instructions that when executed, upon an event such as sensing the presence of the user, generates a verbal status query to the user usable to determine an event of concern and/or an adverse event related to the user, such as a negative response or non-response event that may require initiation of an emergency action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: LifePod Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis Fountaine
  • Patent number: 10248525
    Abstract: An intelligent medical implant and monitoring system includes an implant with a communication device, an inserter for inserting the implant, a reader that operates to broadcast a signal specific to the particular communication device that causes the communication device to respond with a unique identifier, and an external database for storing and providing access to information keyed to the unique identifier of the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Bayer Oy
    Inventors: Joonas Mikkonen, Tero Jalkanen, Mikko Virtanen, Taina Tjäder, Karym El Sayed, Arto Pakkalin
  • Patent number: 10218212
    Abstract: Included are embodiments of a wireless charging device. Some embodiments include a transmitting side resonant tank circuit that includes a transmitting side tank capacitor and a primary transmission coil. Also included is a bridge component that is coupled to the transmitting side resonant tank circuit for driving the transmitting side resonant tank circuit. The bridge component may be configured to receive a voltage from a power supply for supplying a rail of the transmitting side resonant tank circuit. A regulator circuitry may also be included, which controls the bridge component. The regulator circuitry may execute logic that controls an amount of power that is delivered to the transmitting side resonant tank circuit. Similarly, a current sensing element may be included that informs the regulator circuitry of an amount of current drawn from the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: The Gillette Company LLC
    Inventor: Lutz Lisseck
  • Patent number: 10205808
    Abstract: A metal rear cover for a terminal and a terminal are provided. The metal rear cover includes a base plate provided with at least one micro-seam band, and the micro-seam band includes a plurality of micro-seams. The plurality of micro-seams are arranged equidistantly, a distance between two adjacent micro-seams is larger than a width of the micro-seam, the at least one micro-seam band divides the base plate into at least two radiation parts including a first radiation part and a second radiation part. A conducting switch is coupled between the first radiation part and the second radiation part, and configured to disconnect or connect the first radiation part with the second radiation part, so that transceiving of different preset frequency ranges can be achieved by the metal rear cover, when the conducting switch disconnects or connects the first radiation part with the second radiation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Xinbao Wang, Shengzhao Xiang, Ning Zhao, Liang Gu
  • Patent number: 10173068
    Abstract: Implantable medical devices (IMDs), and methods for use therewith, reduce how often an IMD accepts false messages. Such a method can include receiving a message and performing error detection and correction on the message. Such a method can also include determining a quality measure indicative of a quality of the message and/or a quality of a channel over which the message was received, and determining whether to reject the message based on the quality measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Chin
  • Patent number: 10092757
    Abstract: A group select matrix is added to an implantable stimulator device to allow current sources to be dedicated to particular groups of electrodes at a given time. The group select matrix can time multiplex the current sources to the different groups of electrodes to allow therapy pulses to be delivered at the various groups of electrodes in an interleaved fashion. Each of the groups of electrodes may be confined to a particular electrode array implantable at a particular non-overlapping location in a patient's body. A switch matrix can be used in conjunction with the group select matrix to provide further flexibility to couple the current sources to any of the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventor: Dongchul Lee
  • Patent number: 10092760
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for detecting or confirming fibrillation are discussed. In one example, a method for detecting a cardiac arrhythmia of a patients' heart comprises receiving, by a leadless cardiac pacemaker fixed in the patients' heart, an indication from a remote device that a cardiac arrhythmia is detected, monitoring by the leadless cardiac pacemaker a signal generated by a sensor that is located within the patients' heart, and based at least in part on the monitored signal, confirming whether a cardiac arrhythmia is occurring or not. In some embodiments, the method may further comprise, if a cardiac arrhythmia is confirmed, delivering a therapy to treat the cardiac arrhythmia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: CARDIAC PACEMAKERS, INC.
    Inventors: Michael J. Kane, Allan Charles Shuros, Brian L. Schmidt, Paul Huelskamp, Benjamin J. Haasl
  • Patent number: 10080902
    Abstract: Implantable devices and related systems utilize a single coil for both inductive telemetry at one telemetry signal frequency and recharge at another recharge energy frequency. The coil is included in a tank circuit that may have a variable reactance. During telemetry, particularly outside of a recharge period, the reactance may be set so that the tank circuit is tuned to the telemetry frequency. During recharge, the reactance is set so that the tank circuit is tuned to the recharge frequency. Furthermore, the tank circuit may have a Q that is sufficiently small that the tank circuit receives telemetry frequency signals that can be decoded by a receiver while the tank is tuned to the recharge frequency so that telemetry for recharge status purposes may be done during the recharge period without changing the tuning of the tank circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: MEDTRONIC, INC.
    Inventors: David A. Dinsmoor, Joel A. Anderson
  • Patent number: 10016611
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter for implantable medical devices includes a switch capacitor converter core including a plurality of power transistor switches configured to receive an input voltage and output an output voltage; a switch driver connected with the switch capacitor converter core and configured to turn on corresponding power transistor switches in the switch capacitor converter core so as to supply power to a load receiving the output voltage; a switch signal router connected with the switch driver and configured to selectively transmit signals required by the switch driver; a gain selection decoder connected with the switch signal router; a gain controller connected with the gain selection decoder, the gain selection decoder being configured to decode gain selection instructions transmitted from the gain controller; an input adjusting device connected with the gain controller and configured to receive the input voltage and a reference voltage, to indicate relationship between the input voltage and the referen
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: SHENZHEN DANSHA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Min Tan
  • Patent number: 9997060
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for disrupting bone conduction signals. According to one aspect, a device can receive a signal via a communication path that is external to a body of a user associated with the device. The device can generate a disruption signal to disrupt the signal. The device can send the disruption signal through the body of the user to disrupt the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher Baldwin, Brian S. Amento
  • Patent number: 9986505
    Abstract: Specific embodiments of the present invention are for use by a base station (BS) that enables power efficient wireless radio frequency (RF) communication between the BS and a medical device (MD), which may or may not be an implantable medical device (IMD). In an embodiment, once a communication session is established between the BS and the MD, the BS selectively turns a drop link mode on and off. The drop link mode is a communication mode that while turned on (i.e., enabled) reduces and preferably minimizes the length of time that an RF link is maintained between the BS and the MD. In accordance with an embodiment, at any given time during a communication session the drop link mode is either turned on (i.e., enabled) or turned off (i.e., disabled).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL LUXEMBOURG HOLDINGS SMI S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: April C. Pixley, Cary W R Campbell, Steven T. Brandon
  • Patent number: 9968299
    Abstract: A device, system and method that communicate with at least one implantable medical device (IMD). The device includes a unit and a surface having at least one reception or transmission element that communicate with the at least one IMD. A minimum pressure required for the contact between transmission or reception elements and skin is provided by gravity or by patient interaction with the device. The system includes the at least one IMD, the unit that communicates with the at least one IMD and the device having the at least one reception or transmission element that communicate with the at least one IMD. The method includes the steps of providing a surface having at least one reception or transmission element that communicate with an IMD, and enabling communication upon detection of a minimum pressure on the surface. The communication with the IMD is acoustic or conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: BIOTRONIK SE & CO. KG
    Inventor: Christian Moss
  • Patent number: 9974111
    Abstract: A method to establish communication between devices is provided. The method may include obtaining a request from a user at a first device to establish a communication session through a communication system over a wide area network with a second device. The communication session may provide for verbal communication between the user of the first device and a second user of the second device. The method may further include obtaining, at the first device over a local area network, current vital sign data of the user from a medical device configured to obtain vital sign data of the user. In response to the request from the user, the method may include sending a communication request to the communication system over the wide area network to establish the communication session and sending the current vital sign data to the communication system over the wide area network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: SORENSON IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Scot Lorin Brooksby, Adam Montero, Merle Lamar Walker, III
  • Patent number: 9950163
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are example configurations of implantable units of implantable medical devices such as hearing devices. An example implantable hearing device includes a housing having a posterior side and an anterior side, with the anterior side being formed such that an inner edge of the anterior side defines an aperture. The housing includes an electrical feedthrough, a transceiver, and an antenna element. The electrical feedthrough is made of one or more biocompatible materials, and at least a portion of the electrical feedthrough is positioned beneath the aperture. The transceiver is configured to conduct RF communications. Further, the antenna element is electrically connected to the transceiver and is positioned below, above, or inside the electrical feedthrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Cochler Limited
    Inventors: Werner Meskens, Mark Alan von Huben
  • Patent number: 9918638
    Abstract: Communication power in a medical device system is managed by providing power from a power supply to a communication circuit in a sensing device according to a first communication wake up mode set for a first time period and according to a second communication wake up mode set for a second time period. The second communication wake-up mode is established by a second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Can Cinbis, Michael A Schugt, Richard J O'Brien
  • Patent number: 9889307
    Abstract: The present invention is related to an implantable medical device. The medical device comprises an implantable component having a receiver unit; an external charging module having a power transmitter unit; and a data module having a data transmitter unit. The units are configured to establish a transcutaneous communication link over which data and power is transmitted on a single frequency channel via a time interleaving scheme comprising successive frames each divided into at least two time slots, and wherein one or more of the time slots in each frame is allocated to the data transmitter unit, and wherein one or more of the time slots in each frame is allocated to the power transmitter unit, and wherein data and power are transmitted by the transmitter units during their allotted time slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Werner Meskens
  • Patent number: 9889303
    Abstract: A method for sensing far-field R-waves in a leadless, intracardiac pacemaker implanted in an atrium of a patient's heart may involve sensing an electrical signal generated by the heart with two electrodes and a first sensing channel and/or a second sensing channel of the pacemaker, comparing a first timing marker from the first sensing channel with a second timing marker from the second sensing channel, and either determining that the sensed signal is a P-wave, if the first and second timing markers indicate that the sensed signal was sensed by the first and second sensing channels within a predetermined threshold of time from one another, or determining that the sensed signal is a far-field R-wave, if the sensed signal is sensed by the second sensing channel and not sensed by the first sensing channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark L. Brown, Saul E. Greenhut, Troy E. Jackson
  • Patent number: 9865159
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for disrupting bone conduction signals. According to one aspect, a device can receive a signal via a communication path that is external to a body of a user associated with the device. The device can generate a disruption signal to disrupt the signal. The device can send the disruption signal through the body of the user to disrupt the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher Baldwin, Brian S. Amento