IMO US 200402007441 «i» United States Patent Application Publication co Pub. No.: US 2004/0204744 AL Penner et al. 4) Pub. Date: Oct. 14, 2004 (2) co) os), APPARATUS ‘ACOUSTIC TELEM COMMUNICATIONS \ND METHODS USING TRY FOR INTRABODY Inventors: Avi Penner, Tel Aviv (IL Kiryat Yam (L) Doron, Correspondence Address Bingham MeCutchen LLP Suite 1800 Three Embarcadero Center San Francisco, CA 94111-4067 (US) Assignee: REMON — MEDICALTECHNOLO- GIks LID. 62) US. 607/23; 600/486; 604/891.1 on ABSTRACT Systems and methods provide intrabody communication tsing acoustic telemetry. The system includes « fist or control implant including «first acoustic transducer, and @ second! implant including a switch and a second acoustic transducer coupled to the switch, The second acoustic tans ducer receives acoustic signals from the fist acoustic trans- ducer for closing the switch to activate the second mpl. Te second implant may include a sensor for measuring & physiological parameter that is transmitted using acoustic (1) Appl No: 19413408 Signals including the physiological data to the es impant. Fr example, the second implant may measure presse in (22) Fite ‘Ape 14, 2008 the patent's bea that may be used by the frst implant to contol a pacemaker. Allemaively, he second implant may Publication Clasiiation blood sugar concentation that may be used by the fist implant 10 control an insulin pump. Altermativel the fist G1) Ine? [AGIN 1/865; A611 5/02; implant may store and transfer the data to an external device ASK 9/22 for monitoring the patent TRANSMITTER PL 24 2 14 CONTROL BATTERY |») ONT MEMORY 18 2 2 "ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER |~16 H me Mw 40a Pa acoustic} f-% TRANSDUCER || 49 os | afar" BATTERY |» switch fo» circum a7 10Patent Application Publication Oct. 14,2004 Sheet 1 of 5 US 2004/0204744 AL ——__—/" TRANSMITTER }. 24 a? 44 CONTROL BATTERY }+} ‘GRC MEMORY a 2 2 ‘ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER [16 OH 20a _ 7) ‘ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER |'| 49 38 ae ee a CONTROL BATTERY ey CIRCUIT \ FIG. 1Patent Application Publication Oct. 14,2004 Sheet 2 of 5 US 2004/0204744 AL 20 20a 20 125 126 7 116 120 115 SiePatent Application Publication Oct. 14,2004 Sheet 3 of 5 US 2004/0204744 AL Control Implant Second Implant (Passive) Second Implant (Active) Control Implant Be is y aeo® Data receiving, processing, and storing — Optional: Stop command 80 FIG. 4Patent Application Publication Oct. 14,2004 Sheet 4 of 5 US 2004/0204744 AL 132 FIG. 5Patent Application Publication Oct. 14,2004 Sheet 5 of 5 US 2004/0204744 AL INSULIN 450 ) & 42 432 ‘ 410 0 FIG. 6US 2004/0204744 AI APPARATUS AND METHODS USING ACOUSTIC ‘TELEMETRY FOR INTRABODY ‘COMMUNICATIONS. INTRODUCTION [0001] The preseat invention relates generally to devices for implantation within a patients bods, and more particu- larly to systems and methods for communication within & patien’s body using acoustic telemetry, eg. using one Jimplant within body w activate, deactivate, andiorother- ‘wise control one or mare additional implants located within the body that monitor physiological conditions andor pro- ‘ide therapeutic functions. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Devices are known that may be implanted within a Patient's body to monitor ane or more physiologiesl condi- tions andor to provide therapeutic functions. For example, ‘sensors or transelucers may be located deep within the body for monitoring a variety of properties, such as temperature, pressure, stain, uid flow, chemical properties, electrical properties, magnetic properties, and the like. In addition, ‘devices may be implanted that perform one oe more ther peutic functions, such as drug delivery, defibilaton, elec trical stimulation, and the like {0003} Often itis desirable to control or etherwise com- ‘monicate with such devices ance they are implanted within 2 patent, for example, to obtain data, andlor to activate or ‘deactivate the implanted device. An implant may include Wie lads that extend from the implant tan exterior surface ‘of the patient, thereby allowing an extemal conteoller oF clher device 1 be directly coupled tothe implant. Alterna tively the implant may be remotely controlled or commu riculed with using an external induction device. For ‘example, an extemal radio frequency (RF) transmitter may he used fo communicate with the implant. In addition, RE sdovices have been suggested that may be implanted within 4 patient's body to communicate with another implant at another location within the patents body. [0004] RF energy, however, may only penctrate a few millimeters within a body, because of the body's dilectrie nature, and therefore may not be able to communicate ‘effectively with an implant that is located deep within the ody. RF devices may also require substantial electrical power, because the devices generally consume electrical ‘energy even when in a dormant state. In adiion, although an RF transmitter may be able to induce a current within 39 Jmplant, the implants receiving antenna, generally a low impedance coil, may generate a voltage that iS 100 1ow 10 provikle a reliable switing mechanism [0005] In a futher alternative, magnetic energy may be tsed to control or otherwise communicate with an implant, since a body generally does not attenuate magnetie fields, ‘The presence of external magnetic fields encountered by the Patient during normal activity, however, may expose the Patient to the risk of false positives, ie, accidental activa- tion or deactivation of the implant, Furtbermowe, external ‘elecicomagnelic systems may be cumbersome and may nol be able to effectively transfer coded information to an implant [0006] Accordingly, itis believed that apparatus and meth- ‘ods for communicating with implants using acoustic telem= fetey would be useful, Oct. 14, 2004 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention is generally directed. 10 implants that may be surgically or otherwise loested within ‘body for monitoring one or more physiological parameters andor for performing one or mote therapeutic functions ‘More particularly, the present invention is directed to sys- tems and!-methads for communicating between implants within» patients body using acoustic telemetry, eg. using ‘one implant within tbe body to activate, deactivate, andior tllerwise control another implant located within the body. One or both of the implants may monitor physiological conditions andioe provide therapeutic functions. Implants in accordance with the present invention may be used for Various diagnostic and/or therapeutic Functions, eal efibrillation, pacing, pain relief stimulation, nevro-stinn- lation, drug release, activation of a light source for photo- dynamic therapy, monitoring of a radiation dose including fonizing, magnotc or acoustic raiation, monitoring of flow ina bypass graft, producing cell oxygenation and membrane eleciroportaton, and measurement of various physiological parameters including heart chamber pressure, infraction lemperature, intracranial pressure, electrical impedance, positon, orthopedic implant strain displacement, or pH. [0008] Ia a accordance with & first aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for communication within a patiet's body that includes a frst implant, also called a control implant and a second implant, also called a dormant ‘implant. Optionally, the system may include one or more additional implants, e.g, one or more additional dormant implants, andior the system may include therapeutic sevice for treating the patient. [0009] | Generally, the fist implant includes frst acoustic fransdueer for transmitting acoustic signals. The rst implant may include other components, ex, 2 processor, controll, andor ther electrical ciety, memory, an energy source (e., a nonrechangeable or rechargeable b ry andioe capacitor) one of more sensors, andor a thera- peutic device. The sccond implant generally inchides an electrical circuit coafigueed for performing one or more ‘commands whea the implant i activated; 2 switeh coupled to the electrical circuits and a second acoustic transducer coupled tothe switch, the acoustic transducer configured for receiving one or move seoustic signals from the first scoustic transducer for closing the switch to activate the second implant [0010] Preferably, the switch is configured such that the ‘Switch is closed only when the second acoustic tansduc recrives a first acoustic excitation signal followed by 2 second acoustic exeitation signal, the first and secood cous- tie excitation signals being separated by predetermined ‘delay. This o other signal configurations may be used, 8, ‘when itis desired to activate one ofa plurality of available Sdormaat implants contelled by the fist implant [0011] In first preferred embodiment, the second implant ay inelude a sensor coupled to the electeeal circuit, the sensor configured for measuring a physiological paramet ‘Within the body when the second implant is activated. The second acoustic transducer may be configured for transi ting a signal including physiological data related to the speared physio paneer he stam ans [0012] For example, the first implant may include # con- twoller coupled to a pacemaker, andthe secood implant may