Patent ID: 7280872

Claim:
A method for communication between an implantable medical device having a wireless receiver and a wireless transmitter and an external device having an external transmitter and an external receiver, the implantable medical device and the external device being configured to communicate wirelessly with one another via a plurality of communication channels each having a different frequency within a frequency band, the method comprising: attempting initiation of a present communication session between the implantable medical device and the external device using a preset communication channel selected from the plurality of communication channels; and switching to an alternate communication channel for the present communication session according to an order of priority if the wireless receiver of the implantable medical device does not detect a suitable signal from the external transmitter of the external device using the preset communication channel; wherein attempting initiation of the present communication session comprises selecting as the preset communication channel a last communication channel used in a last communication session immediately preceding the present communication session; and wherein switching to the alternate communication channel comprises selecting as the alternate communication channel a second-to-last communication channel used in a second-to-last communication session immediately preceding the last communication session.