Patent ID: 8315708

Claim:
A patient device for wireless data communication with an implant wherein said patient device comprises: a transceiver comprising a first receiver and transmitter configured for data communication wherein said first receiver is configured to receive an incoming data packet from an implant or another patient device and wherein said transmitter is configured to transmit an outgoing data packet to said implant or forward a packet to a further device; a volatile memory operatively connected to said first receiver, said volatile memory being configured to store an implant identification code; a non-volatile memory operatively connected to said first receiver, said non-volatile memory being configured to permanently store a patient device identification code; a timer; a control unit operatively connected to said first receiver, said volatile and non-volatile memories and said timer wherein said control unit is configured to control said first receiver to scan a predetermined data transmission band for a least used channel; control said transmitter to send said outgoing data packet over said least used channel wherein said outgoing data packet contains said patient device identification code and an unspecific implant identification code associated with no implant; wait for said incoming data packet having said implant identification code associated with a specific implant and said patient device identification code or an unspecific patient device identification code if said implant transmits said incoming data packet without a specific implant identification code set in said incoming data packet wherein said incoming data packet comprises a priority indicator; enter a tentative pairing state for a first predetermined period of time and return to an unpaired state if no further incoming data packet is received within said first predetermined period of time and enter a soft pairing state if another incoming data packet comprises said patient device identification that is associated with said patient device and not another patient device having a different patient device identification code and if said another incoming data packet comprises a predetermined bit or bits that indicates that said incoming data packet originates from an implant and not said another patient device and enter said unpaired state if for a second predetermined period of time no further incoming data packet containing said implant identification code is received, said second period of time being longer than said first redetermined period of time; respond differently to different incoming data packets, based on said priority indicator contained in said data packets and accept and to forward each incoming data packet containing a high priority indicator in said priority indicator regardless whether or not said data packet contains said specific implant identification code that is stored in said patient device and regardless of a state of pairing of said patient device.