Embodiments described herein relate to implantable medical devices (IMDs) and methods for use therewith. Such a method includes using an accelerometer of an IMD (e.g., a leadless pacemaker) to produce one or more accelerometer outputs indicative of the orientation of the IMD. The method can also include controlling communication pulse parameter(s) of one or more communication pulses (produced by pulse generator(s)) based on accelerator output(s) indicative of the orientation of the IMD. The communication pulse parameter(s) that is/are controlled can be, e.g., communication pulse amplitude, communication pulse width, communication pulse timing, and/or communication pulse morphology. Such embodiments can be used to improve conductive communications between IMDs whose orientation relative to one another may change over time, e.g., due to changes in posture and/or due to cardiac motion over a cardiac cycle.

A system and method for facilitating remote care management involving a patient having an implantable medical device (IMD). Upon establishing a remote care session between a patient controller device and a clinician programmer, wherein the clinician and the patient are remotely located with respect to each other, input from the patient or the clinician may be received via a user interface control associated with a particular functionality or aspect of the remote care session, including audiovisual (AV) communications, remote therapy programming, and related context. Responsive to the user input, a dialog interface is effectuated at one of the patient controller device and/or the clinician programmer. A user characterization label is received via the dialog interface from the user, wherein the user characterization label is indicative of a subjective assessment of the particular functionality of the remote care session, which may be used in generating user-labeled data pertaining thereto.

Example electronic devices, including but not limited to implantable medical devices, and methods employing dynamic announcing for creation of wireless communication connections are disclosed herein. In an example, an electronic device includes a wireless communication interface to transmit announcement signals for creating a wireless communication connection with the external device. The electronic device also includes a sensor to detect a characteristic of an environment external to the electronic device, and a control circuit including an announcement timing control module to dynamically control timing of the announcement signals based on the detected characteristic.

Implantable devices, such as artificial organs, increasingly incorporate hardware, software, firmware, and/or wireless communication capabilities. For example, such implantable devices can utilize wireless technology to allow for efficient configuration, maintenance, and operational analysis. As these implantable devices become more connected, electronic security will become more important. This disclosure relates to implantable devices that may utilize a secure boot process and secure communication, both between artificial devices in the human body and between these devices and the external world. This disclosure provides secure communication approaches for maintaining the digital privacy and integrity of artificial devices, for protecting the individual from malicious hacking of data, and for controlling of such implantable devices.

An implantable electrical stimulating device and system provides for a remote determination of the identity of the person in whom the stimulating device is implanted. The stimulating device may be a pacemaker, a defibrillator, another medical device or a non-medical device. The bases for the remote identification are (1) the commingling of (A) biologic identification information of the person linked to the stimulating device, and (B) information pertaining to a physiologic parameter (e.g. heart rate information) of that person, and (2) the modulation of the physiologic parameter by external information. Embodiments of the invention in which the stimulating device is external to the person are possible. By utilizing the apparatus providing for the remote identification of a person plus stimulating device, one aspect of secure communication—that based on reliable mutual identification of each participant in a communication—is achieved.

Implantable medical devices (IMDs), systems, and methods for use therewith are disclosed. One such method is for use by a leadless pacemaker (LP) configured to perform conductive communication with another implantable medical device (IMD). The method includes the LP storing information that specifies when, within a cardiac cycle, the LP and the other IMD implanted in a patient are likely oriented relative to one another such that conductive communication therebetween should be successful. The method also includes the LP sensing a signal indicative of cardiac activity of the patient over a plurality of cardiac cycles, and outputting one or more conductive communication pulses, during a portion of at least one of the cardiac cycles, wherein the portion of the at least one of the cardiac cycles is identified based on the signal that is sensed and the information that is stored.

Systems, apparatus, methods and computer-readable storage media facilitating management of operation of an implantable medical device (“IMD”) using a number of communication modes are provided. An IMD is configured to operate in a disabled mode wherein radio frequency (RF) telemetry communication is disabled, or operate in a first advertising mode using the RF telemetry communication. The IMD receives a clinician session request from a clinician device via an induction telemetry protocol while operating in the disabled mode or the first advertising mode, and transitions to operating from the disabled mode or the first advertising mode to operating in a second advertising mode based on receiving the clinician session request. From the second advertising mode, the IMD can establish a clinician telemetry session with the clinician device using the RF telemetry communication and a unique security mechanism facilitated by an identifier for the clinician device included in the clinician session request.

In various examples, a method of establishing a communication session between an external device and an implantable medical device is described. The method includes generating at the external device a first private key and a first public key. A start session order is sent over a long-range communication channel. Evidence of physical proximity is sent from the external device to the implantable medical device over a short-range communication channel. A second private key and a second public key are generated at the implantable medical device. A first shared key is generated by the implantable medical device using the first public key and the second private key. A second shared key is generated by the external device using the second public key and the first private key. The first and second shared keys are used to encrypt and decrypt one or more messages between the external device and the implantable medical device.

The present invention changes the magnet-mode of an active implantable medical device (AIMD) using a static strip magnet comprising at least a first, second and third magnet. The electronic circuits of the AIMD have been programmed to register when the static strip magnet has been swiped across the AIMD so that when the magnetic field-detection sensor detects a defined north and south polarity sequence of the first, second and third magnets, the electronic circuits have been programmed to enter into magnet-mode with electrical stimulation therapy of the body tissue and/or electrical sensing of biological signals from the body tissue being suspended, maintained in a preset mode, or placed in a programmed mode.

Systems, apparatus, methods and computer-readable storage media facilitating management of operation of an implantable medical device (“IMD”) using a number of communication modes are provided. An IMD is configured to operate in a disabled mode wherein radio frequency (RF) telemetry communication is disabled, or operate in a first advertising mode using the RF telemetry communication. The IMD receives a clinician session request from a clinician device via an induction telemetry protocol while operating in the disabled mode or the first advertising mode, and transitions to operating from the disabled mode or the first advertising mode to operating in a second advertising mode based on receiving the clinician session request. From the second advertising mode, the IMD can establish a clinician telemetry session with the clinician device using the RF telemetry communication and a unique security mechanism facilitated by an identifier for the clinician device included in the clinician session request.