Patent ID: 8706251

Claim:
A method for implementing communications between an implantable medical device (IMD) and an external device (ED) over a telemetry channel, comprising: limiting data communications between the IMD and ED over a long range telemetry channel not requiring physical proximity to the IMD until a telemetry interlock has been released, wherein the telemetry interlock is released when the IMD receives an enable command via a short-range communications channel requiring physical proximity to the IMD; authenticating the long range telemetry channel by transmitting a first encrypted communication from the IMD via the long range telemetry channel and receiving a second encrypted communication with the IMD via the long range telemetry channel, wherein the second message evidences that the sending device encrypted the second message using an expected encryption key; and allowing data communications over the long range telemetry channel between the IMD and the ED but preventing programming of the IMD over the long range telemetry channel until the telemetry interlock is released and the long range telemetry channel is authenticated.