Patent ID: 7890180

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a request for a type of communication session from a user into an external device, wherein the requested communication session includes a request for access to a first set of implantable medical device (IMD) assets from among a plurality of sets of IMD assets; determining with the external device a security protocol level required to access the first set of IMD assets from among a plurality of security protocol levels useable by that external device, wherein the security protocols have varying different levels of complexity according to a level of potential risk posed to patient health by the access to the set of IMD assets; communicating the request to the IMD, wherein the determined security protocol level is applied to the communication, wherein access to different respective sets of IMD assets is granted by the IMD upon the IMD determining satisfaction of the security protocols of different respective complexity levels; permitting, by the IMD to the external device, access to the first set of IMD assets when the security protocol meets a level of security required to access the first set of IMD assets; and preventing access to the set of IMD assets when the level of security of the security protocol does not meet the level of security required to access the IMD assets.