US Patent:
20120215285, Aug 23, 2012
Inventors:
Samuel Tahmasian - Burbank CA, US
Daniel Aghassian - Glendale CA, US
Douglas Michael Ackermann - San Francisco CA, US
Joonho Hyun - Valencia CA, US
Assignee:
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC NEUROMODULATION CORPORATION - Valencia CA
International Classification:
A61N 1/08
H04W 4/00
H04B 7/14
H04B 7/26
H04B 5/02
US Classification:
607 59, 455 661, 455 411, 455 413, 455 111, 4554221
Abstract:
A communications bridge device communicates between a consumer electronics device, such as a smart telephone, and an implantable medical device. The bridge forwards instructions and data between the consumer electronics device and the implantable medical device. The bridge contains a first transceiver that operates according to a communication protocol operating in the consumer electronics device (such as Bluetooth), and second transceiver that operates according to a communications technique operating in the implantable medical device (e.g., Frequency Shift Keying). A software application is installed on the consumer electronics device, which provides a user interface for controlling and reading the implantable medical device. The software application is downloadable using standard cellular means. The bridge is preferably small, and easily and discreetly carried by the implantable medical device patient. The bridge is preferably also simple to operate, and may have only a simple user interface, or no user interface at all.