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Multiple implant communications with adjustable load modulation using … — The Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research (US10568513B2)

The Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research · Google Patents

Google Patents · Patents · License: Open Access

patent, google patents, intellectual property, US10568513B2, The Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research, Edward K. F. Lee, en, 2020

ABSTRACT

Abstract

A medical system and method of communicating between a telemetry controller and a plurality of medical devices implanted within a patient is provided. Communication links are respectively established between the telemetry controller and the implanted medical devices. The communication links are respectively amplitude modulated by the implanted medical devices at modulation levels using load modulation. Received signal strength indicators (RSSIs) of the amplitude modulated communication links for the implanted medical devices are measured. A variation of the RSSIs is decreased by modifying, based on the measured RSSIs, at least one modulation level at which the respective at least one communication link is amplitude modulated by the respective implanted medical device(s).

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Â§ 119(e), this application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/468,226, filed Mar. 7, 2017, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to wireless power/data transfer techniques in medical systems, and specifically relates to such techniques for use in wirelessly providing power to and receiving uplink data from multiple implantable devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the field of wireless power and data transfer, inductive coupling has been used to provide power to and communicate with a device without making electrical contact. This technique has been used, for example, with implanted medical systems. For implantable systems, multiple medical devices can be implanted inside of the body of a patient. Medical systems utilizing this technique have an external control unit, such as a telemetry controller (TC), and one or more medical devices implanted within the body of a patient. Power transfer and data communication between the external control unit and implanted medical device(s) are provided via an inductive link.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1 , a conventional power/ data transfer system 10 typically includes an external TC 12 capable of performing a medical function (which could be diagnostic and/or therapeutic) and a plurality of implantable medical devices (âimplantsâ) 14 , (only two implants 14 ( y ), 14 ( z ) are shown for purposes of brevity in illustration), each of which is capable of sensing physiological signals in the body of a patient and transmitting representative data to the TC 12 in furtherance of performing the medical function.

A primary coil Lp located inside the TC 12 inductively couples and powers secondary coils Ls(y), Ls(z) respectively inside the implanted medical devices 14 ( y ), 14 ( z ). Power is delivered to the implanted medical devices 14 by applying an alternating current (AC) current on the primary coil Lp at a selected transmission frequency Ft. Capacitors Cs(y), Cs(z) are respectively coupled in parallel to the secondary coils Ls(y), Ls(z) to form LC tank circuits that are tuned to resonant at the transmission frequency Ft. In addition to providing power to the medical devices, the coils Lp's and Ls's are also utilized for communication between the TC 12 and the implanted medical devices 14 . For downlink data from the TC 12 to the implanted medical devices 14 , different modulation techniques can be applied to the AC current on the primary coil Lp.

For uplink data from the implanted medical devices 14 to the TC 12 , a load modulation technique can be used. In this technique, each implanted medical device 14 transmits uplink data to the TC 12 in a given time slot in a time-division multiplexed manner by modulating a load resistance Rs to a modified load resistance Rs+ÎRs according to the uplink data, where ÎR L is the amount of change on the load resistance. Due to the inductive coupling between the primary coil Lp and the corresponding secondary coil Ls, a voltage amplitude change on the primary coil Lp according to the uplink data is obtained. Based on the amplitude change, the TC 12 can demodulate the data sent from a particular implanted medical device 14 at the corresponding time slot utilizing any one or more of a variety of demodulation techniques, including amplitude shift keying (ASK), phase shift keying (PSK), frequency shift keying (FSK), etc.

The amplitudes of the signals received by the TC 12 from the implanted medical devices 14 may different from each other. For example, depending on the distances, as well as the characteristic of the material, between the primary coil Lp and the secondary coils Ls(y), Ls(z), the coupling coefficients Kc(y), Kc(z) between the primary coil Lp and the respective secondary coils Ls(y), Ls(z) can be different for the different implanted medical devices 14 ( y ), 14 ( z ). The difference in the respective coupling coefficients Kc(y), Kc(z) between the primary coil Lp and the secondary coils Ls(y), Ls(z) will affect the voltage amplitudes on different secondary coils Ls(y), Ls(z). Furthermore, if each medical device 14 utilizes the same amount of load resistance change ÎRs for load modulating the uplink data, the voltage amplitude induced on the primary coil Lp for each implanted medical device 14 will also be different. These voltage amplitude differences on the primary coil Lp due to different coupling coefficients Kc(y), Kc(z) will complicate the circuitry inside the TC 12 that demodulates the uplink data from the induced voltage on the primary coil Lp. Thus, the received signal amplitudes corresponding to the respective implanted medical devices 14 ( y ), 14 ( z ) may be primarily affected by the coupling coefficients Kc(y), Kc(z). The received signal amplitudes corresponding to the respective implanted medical devices 14 ( y ), 14 ( z ) may also be secondarily affected by the different tuning tolerances between the primary coil Lp and the respective secondary coils Ls(y), Ls(z).

For example, referring to FIG. 2 , the changes in the amplitude of AC voltage induced on the primary coil Lp due to load modulations at the secondary coils Ls are represented as changes in an envelope signal Senv. A simple demodulator design utilizes an envelope detector to extract the envelope signal Senv from the amplitude changes induced on the primary coil Lp, and a comparator to compare the envelope signal Senv with an appropriate threshold level Sth to determine the uplink data. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 , an ASK modulation technique is employed to encode the envelope signal Senv with data that can then be demodulated to acquire the data therefrom.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3 a , an ASK modulated envelope signal Senv 1 , which contains one of two bits of information (â1â or â0â) during each symbol period (indicated between the dashed lines), can be converted into a digital signal by comparing the envelope signal Senv 1 to a threshold level Sth. The data value can be read as switching between â0â and â1â if and when the envelope signal Senv 1 crosses the threshold level Sth in the respective symbol period, i.e., from â0â to â1â when the envelope signal Senv 1 rises above the threshold level Sth, and from â1â to â0â when the envelope signal Senv 1 falls below the threshold level Sth.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3 b , a four-phase (0Â°, 90Â°, 180Â°, and) 270Â° PSK modulated envelope signal Senv 2 , which contains two bits of information (â00,â â01,â â10,â and â11â) during each symbol period (indicated between the dashed lines), can be converted into a digital signal by comparing the envelope signal Senv 2 to a threshold level Sth. The data value can be read as being â00,â â01,â â10,â and â11,â depending on when and in what direction the envelope signal Senv 2 crosses the threshold level Sth in the respective symbol period.

In still another alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3 c , an FSK modulated envelope signal Senv 3 , which contains one of two bits of information (â1â or â0â) during each symbol period (indicated between the dashed lines), can be converted into a digital signal by comparing the envelope signal Senv 3 to a threshold level Sth. The data value can be read as â0â and â1,â depending on how many times the envelope signal Senv 3 crosses the threshold level Sth in the respective symbol period, i.e., a â0â if the envelope signal Senv crosses the threshold level Sth three or less times (resulting from the relatively low-frequency portion of the envelope signal Senv), a â1â if the envelope signal Senv cross the threshold level Sth more than three times (resulting from the relatively high-frequency portion of the envelope signal Senv 3 )

Regardless of the type of demodulation technique, when the coupling coefficients Kc between the primary coil Lp and the secondary coils Ls(y), Ls(z) of the implanted medical devices 14 ( y ), 14 ( z ) differ, the peak-to-peak amplitudes of the envelope signals Senv on the primary coil Lp for the implanted medical devices 14 ( y ), 14 ( z ) will be different. In this case, the peak-to-peak amplitude of the envelope signal Senv for the implanted medical device 14 ( y ) with a relatively high coupling coefficient Kc(y) will be greater than the peak-to-peak amplitude of the envelope signal Senv for the implanted medical device 14 ( z ) with a relatively low coupling coefficient Kc(z). Thus, different threshold level values St(y), St(z) are respectively required to correctly demodulate the uplink data for the implanted medical devices 14 ( y ), 14 ( z ).

Because a single threshold level value St cannot be used to demodulate the uplink data from the different implanted medical devices 14 , a more complicated demodulator design utilizing equalization techniques for the envelope signals Senv is required. If the coupling coefficients Kc drift in time, an even more complicated demodulator design using adaptive equalization will become necessary. Alternatively, AC coupling can be used between the envelope detector and the comparator, such that the average value of the envelope signal Senv for the uplink data sent by the different implanted medical devices 14 will move to ground, and thus, the threshold level St can be set to ground. The uplink data can therefore be correctly demodulated from the envelope signal Senv. However, because it will take some time to have the average value of the envelope signal Senv to move to ground at the output of the AC coupling whenever a different implanted medical device sends out uplink data, the data within the time required for settling the average value of the envelope signal Senv to ground cannot be reliably detected without significantly reducing the uplink data transmission rate.

There, thus, remains a need for providing a simpler means that allows demodulation of uplink data sent from multiple implantable medical devices without having to reduce the uplink data transmission rate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the present inventions, a medical system comprises a plurality of implantable medical devices, and a telemetry controller (e.g., an external telemetry controller) configured for establishing communication links between the implantable medical devices and the telemetry controller. The implantable medical devices are configured for amplitude modulating the communication links at modulation levels, and the telemetry controller is further configured for respectively measuring received signal strength indicators (RSSIs) of the amplitude modulated communication links, and decreasing a variation of the RSSIs by commanding, based on the measured RSSIs, at least one of the implantable medical devices to modify the respective modulation level(s) at which the respective communication link(s) are amplitude modulated. Decreasing the variation of the RSSIs may result in substantial uniformity between the RSSIs. For example, the variation of the RSSIs may be less than 50%, and may even be less than 20%.

The implantable medical devices may be further configured for generating data (e.g., physiological data acquired from the patient by the implantable medical devices or operational data of the implantable medical devices) and sequentially amplitude modulating the communication links with the data by the implantable medical devices after the variation of the RSSI has been decreased, in which case, the telemetry controller may be further configured for amplitude demodulating the communication links to acquire the data from the implantable medical devices.

In one embodiment, the implantable medical devices are configured for respectively stored modulation indices that respectively set the modulation levels at which the implantable medical devices amplitude modulate the communication links, in which case, the telemetry controller may be configured for commanding the implantable medical device(s) to modify the respective modulation level(s) by commanding the implantable medical device(s) to modify the respective modulation index(ices).

In another embodiment, the telemetry controller is configured for decreasing the variation of the RSSIs by determining the lowest one of the RSSIs, selecting one of the implantable medical devices not associated with the lowest RSSI, and commanding the selected implantable medical device to modify the respective modulation level to an equalizing modulation level, such that the RSSI of the communication link amplitude modulated at the new modulation level by the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI.

In one example, the telemetry controller is configured for commanding the selected implantable medical device to modify the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level by decrementing the respective modulation level by a predetermined amount at least one time. In another example, the telemetry controller is configured for commanding the selected implantable medical device to modify the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level by approximating a modulation level at which the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the approximated modulation level by the selected implantable medical device is likely to match the lowest RSSI.

In one embodiment, the implantable medical devices may be configured for initially amplitude modulating the communication links at maximum modulation levels, in which case, the telemetry controller may be configured for commanding the selected implantable medical device to modify the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level by reducing the respective maximum modulation level to the respective equalizing modulation level. In another embodiment, the RSSI of the communication link amplitude modulated at the modified modulation level by the selected implantable medical device may be measured and compared with the lowest RSSI, and the modulation level modifying, RSSI measuring, and RSSI comparison functions may be repeated until the RSSI of the amplitude modulated communication link between the telemetry controller and the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI.

The telemetry controller may be further configured for selecting another one of the implantable medical device not associated with the lowest RSSI, and commanding the other selected implantable medical device to modify the respective modulation level to another equalizing modulation level, such that the RSSI of the communication link amplitude modulated at the other equalizing modulation level by the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI. The telemetry controller may be configured for repeating the implantable medical device selection and modulation level modification functions for all remaining ones of implantable medical devices not associated with the lowest RSSI.

In one embodiment, the telemetry controller comprises a primary coil, and a coil driver configured for applying a primary carrier signal having an envelope to the primary coil. Each of the implantable medical devices comprises a secondary coil on which a secondary carrier signal having an envelope may be induced in response to the application of the primary carrier signal on the primary coil, thereby establishing the respective communication link between the implantable medical device and the telemetry controller, and an uplink modulator configured for amplitude modulating (e.g., load modulating) the secondary carrier signal envelope at the respective modulation level, thereby inducing an amplitude modulation of the primary carrier signal envelope on the primary coil. Each of the implantable medical devices may further comprise a rectifier configured for rectifying and regulating the secondary carrier signal on the respective secondary coil for powering circuitry within the respective implantable medical device.

In this embodiment, the telemetry controller may further comprise an amplitude

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Â§ 119(e), this application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/468,226, filed Mar. 7, 2017, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this embodiment, the telemetry controller may further comprise an amplitude detector configured for detecting a peak-to-peak amplitude of the induced amplitude modulations of the primary carrier signal envelope, control circuitry configured for determining the RSSIs from the detected peak-to-peak amplitudes, and generating at least one command based on the measured RSSIs, and a downlink modulator configured for amplitude modulating the primary carrier signal envelope on the primary coil with the at least one command, thereby inducing an amplitude modulation of the secondary carrier signal envelope, encoded with the respective command, on the secondary coil of the at least one implantable medical device. Each of the implantable medical device(s) further comprises a downlink demodulator configured for amplitude demodulating the modulated secondary carrier signal envelope to acquire the respective command, and control circuitry configured for modifying the respective modulation level in accordance with the respective command.

Each of the medical devices may be configured for generating data, and the uplink modulator of each implantable medical device may be configured for amplitude modulating the secondary carrier signal envelope on the secondary coil with the respective data, thereby inducing an amplitude modulation of the primary carrier signal envelope, encoded with the data, on the primary coil of the telemetry controller. In this case, the telemetry controller may further comprise an uplink demodulator configured for amplitude demodulating the modulated primary carrier signal envelope to acquire the data. Such uplink demodulator may be configured for amplitude demodulating the modulated primary carrier signal envelope by detecting the modulated primary carrier signal envelope, and comparing the detected modulated primary carrier signal envelope to a threshold level. The amplitude of the threshold level may be between a minimum and a maximum of the modulated primary carrier signal envelope, and the amplitude of the threshold level may be centered between the minimum and the maximum of the modulated primary carrier signal envelope.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present inventions, a method of communicating between a telemetry controller and a plurality of medical devices implanted within a patient comprises respectively establishing communication links between the telemetry controller and the implanted medical devices, respectively amplitude modulating the communication links by the implanted medical devices at modulation levels, respectively measuring received signal strength indicators (RSSIs) of the amplitude modulated communication links for the implanted medical devices, and decreasing a variation of the RSSIs by modifying, based on the measured RSSIs, at least one modulation level at which the respective at least one communication link is amplitude modulated by the respective at least one implanted medical device, e.g., by sending at least one command from the telemetry controller. Decreasing the variation of the RSSIs may result in substantial uniformity between the RSSIs. For example, the variation of the RSSIs may be less than 50%, and may even be less than 20%.

The method may further comprise generating data (e.g., physiological data acquired from the patient by the implantable medical devices or operational data of the implantable medical devices) by the implanted medical devices, sequentially amplitude modulating the communication links with the data by the implanted medical devices after the variation of the RSSI has been decreased, and amplitude demodulating the communication links by the telemetry controller to acquire the data from the implanted medical devices.

One method further comprises storing modulation indices in the respective implanted medical devices, in which case, the communication links may be respectively amplitude modulated by the implanted medical devices in accordance with modulation indices, and modifying the modulation level(s) comprises modifying the respective modulation index(ices).

Decreasing the variation of the RSSIs may comprise determining the lowest one of the RSSIs, selecting one of the implanted medical device not associated with the lowest RSSI, and modifying the respective modulation level to an equalizing modulation level, such that the RSSI of the communication link amplitude modulated at the new modulation level by the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI. In one method, the communication links may be initially amplitude modulated by the implanted medical devices at maximum modulation levels, in which case, the respective modulation level may be modified to the equalizing modulation level by reducing the respective maximum modulation level to the respective equalizing modulation level.

In one example, modifying the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level may comprise decrementing the respective modulation level by a predetermined amount at least one time. In another example, modifying the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level comprises approximating a modulation level at which the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the approximated modulation level by the selected implantable medical device is likely to match the lowest RSSI.

Modifying the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level may comprise measuring the RSSI of the communication link amplitude modulated at the modified modulation level by the selected implantable medical device, comparing the measured RSSI with the lowest RSSI, and repeating the modulation level modifying, RSSI measuring, and RSSI comparison steps until the RSSI of the amplitude modulated communication link between the telemetry controller and the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI.

The method may further comprise selecting another one of the implanted medical device not associated with the lowest RSSI, and modifying the respective modulation level to another equalizing modulation level, such that the RSSI of the communication link amplitude modulated at the other equalizing modulation level by the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI. The implanted medical device selection and modulation level reduction steps may be repeated for all remaining ones of implanted medical devices not associated with the lowest RSSI.

The telemetry controller may have a primary coil and each of the medical devices may have a secondary coil, and coupling coefficients between the primary coil and the secondary coils may differ from each other. In this case, the communication links between the implanted medical devices and the telemetry controller may be established by applying a primary carrier signal having an envelope to the primary coil, thereby respectively inducing a secondary carrier signal having an envelope on each of the secondary coils, and the communication links may be amplitude modulated (e.g., load modulating) by the implanted medical devices by sequentially amplitude modulating each of the secondary carrier signal envelopes on the secondary coils, thereby inducing an amplitude modulation of the primary carrier signal envelope on the primary coil for the implanted medical devices. The method may further comprise generating power for each of the implanted medical devices from the respective secondary carrier signal.

The telemetry controller may send at least one command to the implanted medical device(s) to modify the modulation level(s) by amplitude modulating the primary carrier signal envelope on the primary coil with the command(s), thereby inducing an amplitude modulation of the secondary carrier signal envelope(s), encoded with the command(s), on the secondary coil(s) of the implanted medical device(s).

The method may further comprise generating data by the implanted medical devices, sequentially amplitude modulating the secondary carrier signal envelopes on the respective second coils with the data after the variation of the RSSIs has been decreased, thereby inducing an amplitude modulation of the primary carrier signal envelope, encoded with the data, on the primary coil for the implanted medical devices, and amplitude demodulating the modulated primary carrier signal envelope to acquire the data from the implanted medical devices. Amplitude demodulating the modulated primary carrier signal envelope may comprise detecting the modulated primary carrier signal envelope, comparing the detected modulated primary carrier signal envelope to a threshold level. The amplitude of the threshold level may be centered between a lowest and a maximum of the modulated primary carrier signal envelope.

Other and further aspects and features of the invention will be evident from reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which are intended to illustrate, not limit, the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings illustrate the design and utility of preferred embodiments of the present invention, in which similar elements are referred to by common reference numerals. In order to better appreciate how the above-recited and other advantages and objects of the present inventions are obtained, a more particular description of the present inventions briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a prior art power/data transfer system for powering and communicating with implantable medical devices via a telemetry controller;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a primary carrier signal on a primary coil of the telemetry controller that has been modulated in accordance with an amplitude shift keying (ASK) technique with uplink data received from the medical devices of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 a is a diagram of an envelope signal detected from the modulated primary carrier signal of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 3 b is a diagram of an envelope signal alternatively detected from a primary carrier signal that has been modulated in accordance with a phase shift keying (PSK) technique with uplink data received from the medical devices of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 c is a diagram of an envelope signal alternatively detected from a primary carrier signal that has been modulated in accordance with a frequency shift keying (FSK) technique with uplink data received from the medical devices of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial of a prosthetic control system constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present inventions;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a telemetry controller and a plurality of sensor devices for use in the prosthetic control system of FIG. 4 , particularly showing the transmission of data and commands between the telemetry controller and the sensor devices;

FIG. 6 a is a block diagram of the telemetry controller and sensor devices of FIG. 5 , particularly showing the induction of different secondary carrier signals on the secondary coils of the sensor devices in response to the application of a primary carrier signal on the primary coil of the telemetry controller;

FIG. 6 b is a block diagram of the telemetry controller and sensor devices of FIG. 6 a , particularly showing the induction of amplitude modulations on the primary carrier signal on the primary coil of the telemetry coil in response to the application of amplitude modulations on the secondary coils of the respective sensor devices;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of one of the sensor devices illustrated in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b;

FIG. 8 a is a schematic illustrating one type of load modulation technique used in the sensor device of FIG. 7 by varying the loading current on the secondary coil Ls;

FIG. 8 b is a schematic illustrating another type of load modulation technique used in the sensor device of FIG. 7 by varying the loading resistance on the secondary coil Ls;

FIG. 8 c is a schematic illustrating still another type of load modulation technique used in the sensor device of FIG. 7 by varying the equivalent capacitance of the capacitor Cs;

FIG. 9 is a schematic of telemetry/power circuitry of the sensor device of FIG. 7 ;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the telemetry controller illustrated in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b;

FIG. 11 is a schematic illustrating one embodiment of an amplitude detector used in the telemetry controller of FIG. 10 ;

FIG. 12 a is a diagram of a primary carrier signal on a primary coil of a prior art telemetry controller, particularly showing a non-uniform modulation of the primary carrier signal induced by the load modulation of secondary carrier signals on the secondary coils of sensor devices;

FIG. 12 b is a diagram of a primary carrier signal on the primary coil of the telemetry controller of FIG. 11 , particularly showing a uniform modulation of the primary carrier signal induced by the load modulation of secondary carrier signals on the secondary coils of the sensor devices of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b;

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating one method of equalizing the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of communication links amplitude modulated by the sensor devices of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b ; and

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating one method of communicating uplink data from the sensor devices to the telemetry controller of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 4 , a medical system 100 constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present inventions will now be described. The medical system 100 generally comprises an external telemetry controller (TC) 102 and a plurality of implantable medical devices 104 . In the illustrated embodiment, the medical system 100 takes the form of a prosthetic control system.

In this case, the implantable medical devices 104 may take the form of sensor devices that are implanted within a residual portion of an amputated limb 52 of a patient 50 respectively adjacent muscles of interest for detecting muscle contraction, for example, by monitoring electromyogram (EMG) signals of the muscles of interest. The prosthetic control system 100 comprises a bionic prosthesis 54 having a prosthetic forearm 56 and prosthetic hand 58 . The TC 102 may be incorporated into the bionic prosthesis 54 , and is configured for delivering power to and receiving EMG data from the sensor devices 104 . To facilitate power transfer and communications, the TC 102 comprises a primary coil 106 , which may be incorporated into the socket portion of the bionic prosthesis 54 in a manner that it surrounds the sensor devices 104 implanted within the residual limb portion 52 of the patient 50 . The TC 102 comprises power transfer and communication circuitry that inductively powers and communicates with the implanted sensor devices 104 via the primary coil 106 .

The prosthetic control system 100 further comprises a prosthetic controller 110 coupled to the TC 102 via a cable 112 for receiving EMG data from TC 102 , and is further coupled to motors (not shown) in the bionic prosthesis 54 to control movement of the prosthetic arm 56 and prosthetic hand 58 . The prosthetic controller 110 may be worn by the patient 50 , e.g., on the waist. The prosthetic control system 100 may further comprises one or more batteries (not shown), which may be physically integrated into the prosthesis 54 or otherwise contained in the prosthetic controller 110 , for providing power to the circuitry within the TC 102 and prosthetic controller 110 .

Thus, the prosthetic control system 100 allows the patient 50 to control the prosthetic forearm 56 and prosthetic hand 58 by attempting to contract the muscles in the residual limb portion 52 . Different muscles or different portions of the muscles would correspond to independently movable parts, such as the elbow, wrist, and fingers of the bionic prosthesis 54 . When a sensor device 104 detects contraction in a muscle or portion of a muscle, it communicates the resulting EMG data to the prosthetic controller 110 via the TC 102 that the muscle or portion of a muscle was contracted. The EMG data identifies the muscle that has been contracted, as well as the magnitude of the contraction. The prosthetic controller 110 then controls the bionic prosthesis 54 to move the independently movable part that corresponds with the muscle that was contracted according to the magnitude of the contraction.

Although the TC 102 and prosthetic controller 110 are shown as being separate physical units in FIG. 4 , it should be appreciated that the TC 102 and prosthetic controller 110 may be integrated into a single physical unit that is incorporated into the prosthesis 54 or otherwise worn by the patient 50 . It should also be appreciated that although the prosthetic control system 100 has been described as being a prosthetic control system, the prosthetic control system 100 can be any medical system that performs a diagnostic or therapeutic function. Likewise, although the implantable medical devices 102 are described as being EMG sensors, the implantable medical devices 102 may take the form of any medical device that performs a diagnostic or therapeutic function. Furthermore, although the TC 102 is described herein as being external to the patient 50 , it should be appreciated that the TC 102 may take the form of, or otherwise be incorporated into, an implantable device that communicates with the other sensor devices 104 .

Each of the sensor devices 104 may take the form of a miniaturized cylindrical sensing device, with the circuitry being implemented as a sub-assembly on a single-chip integrated circuit mounted on a ceramic substrate sandwiched between two halves of a cylindrical magnetic core around which the inductive coil is wound. The electronics are encapsulated in a cylindrical ceramic package that includes two metal endcaps at opposite ends of the ceramic package that serve as the differential recording electrodes. Such an implantable sensor device allows the EMG signals to be detected at the implantation site of this device. An example of such an implantable sensor device 104 is the IMESÂ® device manufactured by The Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research and described in Implantable Myoelectric Sensors (IMESs) for Intramuscular Electromyogram Recording, IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 2009 Jan., pp. 159-171. In an alternative embodiment, the sensor device 104 may include a lead (not shown) on which the electrodes are carried, so that EMG signals can be detected at a location remote from the implantation site of the body of the device.

Referring now to FIG. 5 , the TC 102 may establish communication links L 1 -Ln between the respective sensor devices 104 ( 1 )- 104 ( n ) and the TC 102 . Thus, the sensor devices 104 ( 1 )- 104 ( n ) may send DATA( 1 )-DATA(n) to the TC 102 by serially (one at a time) amplitude modulating the respective communication links L 1 -Ln at defined modulation levels with the DATA( 1 )-DATA(n), and the TC 102 may receive the DATA( 1 )-DATA(n) from the sensor devices 104 ( 1 )- 104 ( n ) by demodulating the respective communication links L 1 -Ln to acquire the DATA( 1 )-DATA(n). Such modulation levels may be defined by, e.g., modulation indices stored in the sensor devices 104 ( 1 )- 104 ( n ). Likewise, the TC 102 may send COMMANDS( 1 )-COMMANDS(n) to the sensor devices 104 ( 1 )- 104 ( n ) by amplitude modulating the respective communication links L 1 -Ln at a defined modulation level with the COMMANDS( 1 )-COMMANDS(n), and the sensor devices 104 ( 1 )- 104 ( n ) may receive the COMMANDS( 1 )-COMMANDS(n) from the TC 102 by demodulating the respective communication links L 1 -Ln to acquire the COMMANDS( 1 )-COMMANDS(n).

It should be appreciated that, for the purposes of this specification, âamplitude modulationâ refers to any modulation where the peak-to-peak amplitude of a carrier signal is modified, and includes, e.g., such modulation techniques as AM, ASK, FSK, PSK, etc. In the specific embodiment illustrated herein, the sensor devices 104 ( 1 )- 104 ( n ) amplitude modulate secondary carrier signals on respective secondary coils using load modulation.

Although amplitude modulations may be applied to the communication links L 1 -Ln by the respective sensor devices 104 ( 1 )- 104 ( n ) at the same modulation level, the modulations may be detected by the TC 102 at different levels, which may require more complicated demodulation circuitry and/or slower data transmission rate to accurately acquire the data from the communication links L 1 -Ln. For example, as discussed in the background of the invention with respect to FIGS. 1-3 , if the communication links L 1 -Ln are inductive in nature, the coupling coefficients Kc 1 -Kcn between the primary coil 106 of the TC 102 and respective secondary coils 108 ( 1 )- 108 ( n ) of the sensor devices 104 ( 1 )- 104 ( n ) may differ from each other, such that without compensation, the load modulations of the secondary carrier signal envelopes Senv at the same modulation level will induce amplitude modulations on the primary carrier signal envelope Penv (i.e., the peak-to-peak amplitude of the primary carrier signal envelope Penv will be different for the sensor devices 104 ) at different levels.

Significantly, the prosthetic control system 100 is capable of equalizing the levels of the amplitude modulations of the communication links L detected by the telemetry controller 102 by modifying at least one modulation level at which the respective sensor device(s) 104 amplitude modulate the respective communication link(s) L to equalizing modulation level(s), e.g., by modifying the modulation indices corresponding the modulation level(s). The prosthetic control system 100 accomplishes this function by focusing on the received signal strength indicators RSSI( 1 )-RSSI(n) of the amplitude modulated communication links L as a means for determining the equalizing modulation levels at which the sensor devices 104 amplitude modulate the communications links L.

To this end, the TC 102 is configured for respectively measuring the RSSI( 1 )-RSSI(n) of the amplitude modulated communication links L, and decreasing a variation of the RSSIs by commanding, based on the determined RSSI( 1 )-RSSI(n), at least one of the sensor devices 104 (e.g., by sending commands over the communication links L to the sensor devices 104 ) to modify the respective modulation level(s) at which the respective communication link(s) L are amplitude modulated to equalizing modulation level(s), as will be described in further detail below. For example, the TC 102 may be configured for determining the lowest one of the RSSI( 1 )-RSSI(n), selecting those sensor devices 104 not associated with the lowest RSSI, (i.e., those sensor devices 104 associated with the communication links L having RSSI's higher than the lowest RSSI, and commanding the selected sensor devices 104 to reduce the respective modulation levels (e.g., by reducing the modulation indices) to equalizing modulation levels, such that the RSSI( 1 )-RSSI(n) of the amplitude modulation communication links L between the TC 102 and the selected <figure-callout id="104" label="sensor devices" filenames="US1

CLAIMS

Claims ( 46 )

What is claimed is:

1. A medical system for use with a patient, comprising:

a plurality of implantable medical devices; and

a telemetry controller configured for establishing communication links between the implantable medical devices and the telemetry controller;

wherein the implantable medical devices are configured for amplitude modulating the communication links at modulation levels; and

wherein the telemetry controller is further configured for respectively measuring received signal strength indicators (RSSIs) of the amplitude modulated communication links, and decreasing a variation of the RSSIs by comparing the RSSIs to each other, determining the lowest one of the RSSIs, selecting one of the implantable medical devices not associated with the lowest RSSI, and commanding, based on the comparison of the measured RSSIs, the selected implantable medical device to modify a respective modulation level of the modulation levels at which a respective communication link is amplitude modulated by the selected implanted medical device to an equalizing modulation level, such that the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the modified respective modulation level by the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI.

2. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the telemetry controller is configured for commanding the selected implantable medical device to modify the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level by decrementing the respective modulation level by a predetermined amount at least one time.

3. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the telemetry controller is configured for commanding the selected implantable medical device to modify the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level by approximating a modulation level at which the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the approximated modulation level by the selected implantable medical device is likely to match the lowest RSSI.

4. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the telemetry controller is configured for commanding the selected implantable medical device to modify the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level by:

measuring the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the respective modified modulation level by the selected implantable medical device;

comparing the measured RSSI with the lowest RSSI; and

repeating the respective modulation level modifying, the RSSI measuring, and the measured RSSI comparison until the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated between the telemetry controller and the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI.

5. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the telemetry controller is further configured:

for selecting another one of the implantable medical devices not associated with the lowest RSSI; and

commanding the other selected implantable medical device to modify another respective modulation level to another equalizing modulation level, such that the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the other equalizing modulation level by the other selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI.

6. The medical system of claim 5 , wherein the telemetry controller is configured for repeating the selection of one of the implantable medical devices and the modification of the respective modulation level for all remaining ones of the implantable medical devices not associated with the lowest RSSI.

7. The medical system of claim 1 ,

wherein the implantable medical devices are configured for initially amplitude modulating the communication links at maximum modulation levels; and

wherein the telemetry controller is configured for commanding the selected implantable medical device to modify the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level by reducing a maximum modulation level of the maximum modulation levels at which the selected implantable medical device initially amplitude modulates the respective communication link to the respective equalizing modulation level.

8. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein decreasing the variation between the RSSIs results in substantial uniformity between the RSSIs.

9. The medical system of claim 8 , wherein the variation of the RSSIs is less than 50%.

10. The medical system of claim 8 , wherein the variation of the RSSIs is less than 20%.

11. The medical system of claim 1 ,

wherein the implantable medical devices are further configured for respectively storing modulation indices that respectively set the modulation levels at which the implantable medical devices amplitude modulate the communication links; and

wherein the telemetry controller is further configured for commanding the selected implantable medical device to modify the respective modulation level by commanding the selected implantable medical device to modify a modulation index respectively of the modulation indices stored by the selected implantable medical device.

12. The medical system of claim 1 ,

wherein the implantable medical devices are further configured for generating data and sequentially amplitude modulating the communication links with the data by the implantable medical devices after the variation of the RSSIs has been decreased; and

wherein the telemetry controller is further configured for amplitude demodulating the communication links to acquire the data from the implantable medical devices.

13. The medical system of claim 12 , wherein the data is physiological data acquired from the patient by the implantable medical devices.

14. The medical system of claim 12 , wherein the data is operational status data of the implantable medical devices.

15. The medical system of claim 1 ,

wherein the telemetry controller comprises:

a primary coil; and

a coil driver configured for applying a primary carrier signal having an envelope to the primary coil; and

each of the implantable medical devices comprises:

a secondary coil on which a secondary carrier signal having an envelope may be induced in response to the application of the primary carrier signal on the primary coil, thereby establishing the respective communication link between the each implantable medical device and the telemetry controller; and

an uplink modulator configured for amplitude modulating the secondary carrier signal envelope at the respective modulation level, thereby inducing an amplitude modulation of the primary carrier signal envelope on the primary coil.

16. The medical system of claim 15 ,

wherein the telemetry controller further comprises:

an amplitude detector configured for detecting a peak-to-peak amplitude of the induced amplitude modulations of the primary carrier signal envelope;

control circuitry configured for determining the RSSIs from the detected peak-to-peak amplitudes, and generating a command based on the measured RSSIs; and

a downlink modulator configured for amplitude modulating the primary carrier signal envelope on the primary coil with the command, thereby inducing an amplitude modulation of the secondary carrier signal envelope, encoded with the respective command, on the secondary coil of the selected implantable medical device; and

the selected implantable medical device further comprises:

a downlink demodulator configured for amplitude demodulating the amplitude modulated secondary carrier signal envelope to acquire the command; and

control circuitry configured for modifying the respective modulation level in accordance with the command.

17. The medical system of claim 16 , wherein the each of the implantable medical devices is configured for generating data, and the uplink modulator of the each implantable medical device is configured for amplitude modulating the secondary carrier signal envelope on the secondary coil with the data, such that the amplitude modulation of the primary carrier signal envelope induced on the primary coil of the telemetry controller is encoded with the data; and

wherein the telemetry controller further comprises an uplink demodulator configured for amplitude demodulating the amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope to acquire the data.

18. The medical system of claim 17 , wherein the uplink demodulator is configured for amplitude demodulating the amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope by:

detecting the amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope; and

comparing the detected amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope to a threshold level amplitude.

19. The medical system of claim 18 , wherein the amplitude of the threshold level is between a minimum and a maximum of the amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope.

20. The medical system of claim 19 , wherein the amplitude of the threshold level is centered between the minimum and the maximum of the amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope.

21. The medical system of claim 15 , wherein the each of the implantable medical devices further comprises a rectifier configured for rectifying and regulating the secondary carrier signal on the respective secondary coil for powering circuitry within the the implantable medical device.

22. The medical system of claim 15 , wherein the uplink modulator of the each of the implantable medical devices is configured for load modulating the secondary carrier signal envelope on the respective secondary coil.

23. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the telemetry controller is an external telemetry controller.

24. A method of communicating between a telemetry controller and a plurality of medical devices implanted within a patient, comprising:

respectively establishing communication links between the telemetry controller and the implanted medical devices;

respectively amplitude modulating the communication links by the implanted medical devices at modulation levels;

respectively measuring received signal strength indicators (RSSIs) of the amplitude modulated communication links for the implanted medical devices; and

decreasing a variation of the RSSIs by comparing the measured RSSIs, determining the lowest one of the RSSIs, selecting one of the implanted medical devices not associated with the lowest RSSI, and modifying, based on the comparison of the measured RSSIs, a respective modulation level of the modulation levels at which a respective communication link is amplitude modulated by the selected implanted medical device to an equalizing modulation level, such that the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the modified respective modulation level by the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI;

and commanding, based on the comparison of the RSSIs, the selected implantable medical device to modify a respective modulation level of the modulation levels at which a respective communication link is amplitude modulated to an equalizing modulation level, such that the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the modified respective modulation level by the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the modifying the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level comprises decrementing the respective modulation level by a predetermined amount at least one time.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the modifying the respective modulation level to the respective equalizing modulation level comprises approximating a modulation level at which the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the approximated modulation level by the selected implantable medical device is likely to match the lowest RSSI.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the modifying the respective modulation level to the equalizing modulation level comprises:

measuring the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the modified respective modulation level by the selected implantable medical device;

comparing the measured RSSI with the lowest RSSI; and

repeating the respective modulation level modifying, the RSSI measuring, and the measured RSSI comparison steps until the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated communication between the telemetry controller and the selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI.

28. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

selecting another one of the implanted medical devices not associated with the lowest RSSI; and

modifying the respective modulation level to another equalizing modulation level, such that the RSSI of the respective communication link amplitude modulated at the other equalizing modulation level by the other selected implantable medical device matches the lowest RSSI.

29. The method of claim 28 , further comprising repeating the selection of one of the implanted medical devices and the modification of the respective modulation level steps for all remaining ones of the implanted medical devices not associated with the lowest RSSI.

30. The method of claim 24 ,

wherein the communication links are initially amplitude modulated by the implanted medical devices at maximum modulation levels; and

wherein the respective first modulation level is modified to the respective equalizing modulation level by reducing a maximum modulation level of the maximum modulation levels at which the selected implantable medical device initially amplitude modulates the respective communication link to the respective equalizing modulation level.

31. The method of claim 24 , wherein decreasing the variation between the RSSIs results in substantial uniformity between the RSSIs.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the variation of the RSSIs is less than 50%.

33. The method of claim 31 , wherein the variation of the RSSIs is less than 20%.

34. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

storing modulation indices in the implanted medical devices;

wherein the communication links are respectively amplitude modulated by the implanted medical devices in accordance with the modulation indices; and

wherein the modifying the respective modulation level comprises modifying a modulation index of the modulation indices stored by the selected implanted medical device.

35. The method of claim 24 , wherein the telemetry controller sends a command to the selected implanted medical device to modify the respective modulation level.

36. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

generating data by the implanted medical devices;

sequentially amplitude modulating the communication links with the data by the implanted medical devices after the variation of the RSSIs has been decreased; and

amplitude demodulating the communication links by the telemetry controller to acquire the data from the implanted medical devices.

37. The method of claim 36 , wherein the data is physiological data acquired from the patient by the implantable medical devices.

38. The method of claim 36 , wherein the data is operational status data of the implantable medical devices.

39. The method of claim 24 ,

wherein the telemetry controller has a primary coil and each of the medical devices has a secondary coil of a plurality of secondary coils;

wherein the communication links between the implanted medical devices and the telemetry controller are established by applying a primary carrier signal having an envelope to the primary coil, thereby respectively inducing a secondary carrier signal having an envelope of a plurality of secondary carrier signal envelopes on each of the secondary coils; and

wherein the communication links are amplitude modulated by the implanted medical devices by sequentially amplitude modulating each of the secondary carrier signal envelopes on the secondary coils, thereby inducing an amplitude modulation of the primary carrier signal envelope on the primary coil for the implanted medical devices.

40. The method of claim 39 , wherein coupling coefficients between the primary coil and the secondary coils differ from each other.

41. The method of claim 39 , wherein the telemetry controller sends a command to the selected implanted medical device to modify the respective modulation level by amplitude modulating the primary carrier signal envelope on the primary coil with the command, thereby inducing an amplitude modulation of the secondary carrier signal envelope, encoded with the command, on the secondary coil of the selected implanted medical device.

42. The method of claim 39 , further comprising:

generating data by the implanted medical devices;

sequentially amplitude modulating the secondary carrier signal envelopes on the secondary coils with the data after the variation of the RSSIs has been decreased, thereby inducing the amplitude modulation of the primary carrier signal envelope, encoded with the data, on the primary coil for the implanted medical devices; and

amplitude demodulating the amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope to acquire the data from the implanted medical devices.

43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the amplitude demodulating the amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope comprises:

detecting the amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope; and

comparing the detected amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope to a threshold level amplitude.

44. The method of claim 43 , wherein an amplitude of the threshold level is centered between a minimum and a maximum of the amplitude modulated primary carrier signal envelope.

45. The method of claim 39 , further comprising generating power for the implanted medical devices from the respective secondary carrier signal envelopes.

46. The method of claim 39 , wherein the amplitude modulating each of the secondary carrier signal envelopes comprises load modulating the each of the secondary carrier signal envelopes.

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2018-02-28

Multiple implant communications with adjustable load modulation using modulation indices

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Multiple implant communications with adjustable load modulation using … — The Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research (US10568513B2)

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