Platform for secure communications with medical device

Abstract

A communication platform at least partially implements secure communications between a medical device and a trusted authority (TA) service provider. The secure communications prevent access to the secure communications by the communication platform while permitting access to the secure communications at the medical device and/or at the trusted authority service provider.

1 . An application comprising machine readable instructions stored in a non-transitory medium and executable via a communication platform to:
 receive and display information associated with an implantable medical device (IMD); and   cause the communication platform to at least partially implement first secure communications between the implantable medical device and a trusted authority service provider, the first secure communications to prevent access, by the application and by the communication platform, to at least content of the first secure communications.   
     
     
         2 . The application of  claim 1 , the first secure communications to include use information regarding the implantable medical device. 
     
     
         3 . The application of  claim 1 , the instructions to enable second secure communications between the application and the trusted authority service provider regarding information associated with the implantable medical device. 
     
     
         4 . The application of  claim 3 , wherein at least some of the second secure communications comprise data from the first secure communications, and wherein the first secure communications are independent of, and separate from, the second secure communications. 
     
     
         5 . The application of  claim 3 , the instructions to form a user interface including an input mechanism to receive user input to modify at least some operations of the IMD to enable at least partial user control over the IMD. 
     
     
         6 . The application of  claim 5 , wherein the user interface prevents user awareness of the second secure communications such that the application appears to provide direct control over the IMD via the user interface. 
     
     
         7 . The application of  claim 1 , the instructions to directly control, via delegated authority received from the trusted authority service provider, at least some operations of the implantable medical device via the communication platform for at least a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         8 . The application of  claim 7 , the instructions to form a user interface including an input mechanism to receive user input to implement at least partial user control over the IMD via direct communication between the application and the implantable medical device. 
     
     
         9 . The application of  claim 1 , the instructions to form a user interface including a status function to indicate that at least one communication link associated with the first secure communications is active. 
     
     
         10 . The application of  claim 1 , wherein the application is formatted for installation on a non-IMD-dedicated device. 
     
     
         11 . The application of  claim 12 , wherein the non-IMD-dedicated device is a smart phone. 
     
     
         12 . The application of  claim 1 , wherein the IMD includes at least a first element implanted into a body of a patient and a second element not implanted into the body of the patient. 
     
     
         13 . The application of  claim 1 , wherein the first secure communications is a communication originating from the trusted authority service provider. 
     
     
         14 . The application of  claim 1 , wherein the first secure communication is a communication originating from the IMD. 
     
     
         15 . The application of  claim 1 , wherein the communications platform comprises a combination of a mobile device communicating with a dongle. 
     
     
         16 . The application of  claim 1 , wherein the communication platform comprises at least one of:
 at least two components arranged in series; and   at least two components arranged in parallel.   
     
     
         17 . The application of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions at least partially implement the first secure communication via wireless communication with a device other than the IMD. 
     
     
         18 . The application of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the communication platform to act as an intermediary between the implantable medical device and the trusted authority service provider. 
     
     
         19 . The application of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions form a communication link for a separate application to communicate with at least one of the trusted authority service provider and the IMD. 
     
     
         20 . The application of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are implemented in an at least partially distributed arrangement on the communication platform to represent a first IMD application and a second IMD application.