Patent ID: 7818061

Claim:
A system comprising: an implantable device comprising a back-telemetry transmitter configured to transmit one or more signals; and an external device comprising a receiver configured to receive said one or more signals transmitted by said back-telemetry transmitter; wherein said external device powers up said implantable device, verifies functionality of said implantable device by detecting a fault signal transmitted by said back-telemetry transmitter, and disables said back-telemetry transmitter after the functionality of said implantable device is verified; and wherein said implantable device comprises circuitry that transmits said fault signal with said back-telemetry transmitter to said external device when said external device powers up said implantable device; detects an error associated with said implantable device while the back-telemetry transmitter is disabled; generates another fault signal when said error is detected; enables said disabled back-telemetry transmitter when said error is detected; and transmits said another fault signal with said enabled back-telemetry transmitter to said external device; and disables the back-telemetry transmitter after the another fault signal is received by the external device.