Patent ID: 7743151

Claim:
A system for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network, comprising: a physical protocol layer logically defined in a plurality of implantable devices in an intra-body network with an identifier uniquely assigned to each such implantable device; and functions specified within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface, comprising: an activation state to activate a slave implantable device in response to an activation signal transmitted through the wireless interface by a master implantable device; an identification state to establish a wireless communications link between the slave implantable device and the master implantable device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the slave implantable device; an authentication state to mutually authenticate the slave implantable device and the master implantable device prior to initiating the wireless communications link; a command state to communicate data intra-bodily over the communications link; and an arbitration state for the purpose of preventing overlapping communication to arbitrate control of the communications link between master implantable devices participating in the intra-body network.