Patent ID: 7214189

Claim:
A method for controlling one or more satellite units which reside along a carrier located in a subject's body, wherein each satellite unit includes a number of electrodes and circuitry that is coupled to a bus, and the bus includes first and second conduction paths with at least the first conduction path being insulated from the subject's body when the carrier is located within the subject's body, the method comprising: supplying power to one or more of the satellite units over the bus; transmitting a bit sequence over the bus; storing information in at least one satellite unit based on the bit sequence to configure said electrodes of said satellite; ceasing to transmit bit sequences; ceasing to supply power to the satellite units, wherein ceasing to supply power to the satellite units includes transmitting a sleep command on the bus to the satellite units so that a certain part of the control circuit within each satellite unit is turned off while the electrodes therein remain in their configured states, hence reducing the rower consumption by the satellite units; and sending pacing pulses to the configured electrodes and/or detecting analog signals through the configured electrodes.