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Medtronic Carelink Monitor

Started by peter0109, February 07, 2013, 02:03:35 PM

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peter0109

I am using OBI-100 with google voice at home. My son has a medtronic
pacemaker and we have to send information to the doctors through the phone
line. I have not been able to get the system to work. It is a Medtronic
Carelink Monitor and it sends the information through a phone line like a
fax machine (slow baud rate). You hear the dial tone and the loud noises but
it doesn't ever successfully send the data. I don't know if this is at all
related but I got my alarm system to work by changing the DTMFMethod to
InBand. Is there anything I can adjust to get the Medtronic Carelink Monitor
to work? Thank you.

QBZappy

peter0109,

Welcome,

Is this a routine (non-life threatening) thing you are trying to set up? Bring up the word 'pacemaker' and my imagination runs wild with what you are trying to accomplish.
Owner of the 1st OBi110/100 units in service in Canada & South America. 1st OBi202 on my street. 1st OBi1032 in Montreal.

Rick

#2
It is a routine data send for doctors to monitor the device without an actual visit.

Does it connect the call?  If yes, try changing DTMF settings and try again.  Also Google the device and VoIP.  There is a cellular option. http://www.medtronic.com/for-healthcare-professionals/products-therapies/cardiac-rhythm/patient-management-carelink/medtronic-carelink-network-for-cardiac-device-patients/index.htm#tab2

The issue is that your VoIP (OBi) line is digital.  Your Medtronic device is analog. 

You MIGHT find that the HAI C3 cellular device works.  You can use AT&T or TMobile with it, get a near free TMobile SIM card from them to test it out, then just keep it refilled.  Or, if you have AT&T or TMobile you could just move your SIM card, transmit the data, then move it back. 

peter0109

Yes, it is a routine data send for doctors to monitor without an actual visit. I have called Carelink and was familiar with the cellular option, but they charge a monthly fee of around $12 I believe. I was trying to avoid that for something I transmit once every three months.

So there isn't a device that can change the medtronic analog signal to digital?

It does connect the call and it sounds like it is sending, making the loud faxing noise but I don't know if the other side is hanging up or just not understanding.

What should I change the DTMF settings to?

Thank you!

Rick

I know of no device to change the analog to digital for this issue.

Since you know WHERE you are calling, you could work with them to see WHAT their unit is showing, i.e. they should have an error report of some type.

I have no idea what you should change your DTMF settings to, it would be trial and error. 

Go to ITSP Profile A, DTMFMethod, UNCHECK the box, and change it to Inband.  Click Submit, then REBOOT.  Try it.

If that doesn't work, set it back to Auto, and try going to Physical Interfaces, Phone Port, DTMFRxMode.  Uncheck the box, change to Software.  Click Submit, then REBOOT.  Try it.

In both cases, you really want the receiving location aware of your testing, with someone on that end monitoring and telling you the result.  Otherwise, you don't know if it worked or not.

Good luck!

giqcass

#5
The machine creates a digital file.
The file is turned into an analog sound.
The OBi is turning that sound into digital which is being transmitted via the internet.
The phone company is converting the sound back to analog at the other end.
The receiving computer is converting the analog sound to a digital file it can read.  
Similar to a Modem (modulator - demodulator).  

If the call is being connected at all the adjusting then baud rate as low as it goes and adjusting the codec to the least lossy possible should help.  I would be curious to know if the logs show the call is being connected and how long the call is.

If all else fails you could also try a traditional VOIP provider (something other then Google Voice) for these calls.  Many allow prepaid accounts which are very inexpensive.

The following are recommended for faxing with typical VOIP.  
G711U
9600 baud
Silence suppression off.

Just to clear something up here.  Sound is always analog so if you can hear the data it is being converted to analog. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_Sound_digital_or_analog
Long live our new ObiLords!

Shale

If you plug a regular phone into the Line of the Obi100, can you make calls?

If you dial the phone number of that the gadget calls, do you get a ringing signal followed by some kind of tones? Make sure that you don't get some kind of error message.

MikeHObi

An interesting example here.  Cisco AS5300 universal access server gateways support modem access, and have this note:
Quote
When the gateway detects a data modem, both the originating gateway and the terminating gateway roll over to G.711. The roll over to G.711 disables the high-pass filter, disables echo cancellation, and disables VAD. At the end of the modem call, the voice ports revert to the prior configuration and the digital signal processor (DSP) goes back to the state before switchover. You can configure the codec by selecting the g711alaw or g711ulaw option of the codec command.

Indicating that most voice configurations are non-optimal for data packet usage.  (Note that VAD is voice activity detection).
Obi202 user & Obi100 using Anveo and Callcentric.

Diana

If you only do this once every three months, could you use a neighbor's/friend's (even the school he attends) landline to transmit the signal?  Apart from the landline/cellular option, does Carelink offer the ability to download the information from the Device to your PC and send the file as an attachment via an email?

Is there a way to transmit at a lower baud rate or change other transmit parameters on the Monitor?  Maybe with the right data settings you could get this to work with your OBI/GV combination.  As mentioned before, a VOIP provider like Callcentric might be a better choice using their T.38 Fax protocol and they might help you troubleshoot the issue.  Why not shoot them an email and explain your problem and see if they can offer a solution.  They offer a free incoming DID from NY state and you could fund the account for outgoing calls.

Quote from: peter0109 on February 11, 2013, 04:59:43 AM
Yes, it is a routine data send for doctors to monitor without an actual visit. I have called Carelink and was familiar with the cellular option, but they charge a monthly fee of around $12 I believe. I was trying to avoid that for something I transmit once every three months.

So there isn't a device that can change the medtronic analog signal to digital?

It does connect the call and it sounds like it is sending, making the loud faxing noise but I don't know if the other side is hanging up or just not understanding.

What should I change the DTMF settings to?

Thank you!

n0uwy

  I do not know if anyone has answered the question or if this will help or not.  Today was the first time I attempted to use my Medtronic Carelink Monitor to send data over Obi to the doctor's office. I tried six times. 
      The monitor would dial and the doctor's office machine would answer.  The tones were sent but no connection was made. After about one minute the doctor's office machine would hang up.
       I went next door and used their phone to send the data. 
       Then I did a search on the Internet.
        Someone said to use G711 format.
        I see that in the list of Obi Start Code commands that you can enter "*4711 and it will use G711 for the next call. 
        Has anyone tried that command to see if it will work.
        I only send data each three months.  So I will try it in three months.

RFord

First off.  Are you using GV or other VOIP Provider?  Which OBi ATA do you have?

I do not use the Medtronic Carelink Monitor, but a couple of things you can try in the future is:

1.  Set DTMF to Inband [ Service Providers  >>  ITSP Profile A  >>  General  >>  DTMFMethod  >> InBand ]

2. Slow the Baud Rate of the Unit to about 9600 or less

3.  Turnoff/disable/enable any Error Correcting Mode (ECM) if available on the machine.


Quote from: n0uwy on July 15, 2013, 09:04:39 PM
  I do not know if anyone has answered the question or if this will help or not.  Today was the first time I attempted to use my Medtronic Carelink Monitor to send data over Obi to the doctor's office. I tried six times. 
      The monitor would dial and the doctor's office machine would answer.  The tones were sent but no connection was made. After about one minute the doctor's office machine would hang up.
       I went next door and used their phone to send the data. 
       Then I did a search on the Internet.
        Someone said to use G711 format.
        I see that in the list of Obi Start Code commands that you can enter "*4711 and it will use G711 for the next call. 
        Has anyone tried that command to see if it will work.
        I only send data each three months.  So I will try it in three months.


SteveInWA

How many techies does it take to screw in a lightbulb?  Or, in this case, send pacemaker data?

DTMF has nothing to do with this.  DTMF (aka "TouchTone") is only used for human interactions with IVRs or other systems that ask you to press a dialpad key.  Data modems (such as the one in the Medtronic device) have their own set of digital<-->analog modulation (CODEC) methods, totally unrelated to DTMF.

Google Voice already uses the G.711 PCM VoIP CODEC.  It's the only CODEC supported by GV.  There is no setting needed for this.

The real issue was already pointed out by MikeHObi:  the typical ATA has too many functions and settings, designed to optimize human voice conversations, interfering with the ability to reliably send modem data over a VoIP connection.  Furthermore, GV's VoIP routes are not very consistent nor reliable.   It's likely that the only VoIP provider that would work with a modem would be one such as Comcast, whereby the VoIP provider uses managed IP routes on Tier I networks, to minimize jitter, packet loss or latency.

Short answer:  use a POTS land line, or next best thing, a VoIP service provided directly by a fiber optic internet (FiOS) or cable company, on their own managed network.

Shale

When you call somebody, is the volume of the audio at the other end soft or loud? For me it was soft. Therefore, using OBiTalk "Expert Configuration", I  would try

Configuration
  Physical Interfaces
    Phone 1->ChannelRxGain
  = 12 (or 6 or 3 dB)

That would increase the volume of the modem tones being sent. Seems worth a try.

SteveInWA

Modems have automatic gain control (AGC).  Adjusting the gain on the OBi is certainly harmless, but cranking it up will likely only add more distortion to the signal.  You'd also have to fiddle with both the Tx and Rx gain, "flying blind", because you wouldn't know which side of the "conversation" between the modems is having problems.

Sometimes, the best solution to a problem is not a technical one, but a practical one...that's why I mentioned just giving in, and using a more reliable connection via POTS or managed IP.

idenphones

I have the same Medtronic unit in the bedroom. Medtronic told me that it would not work with VOIP and I absolutely had to have an analog phone line. Can't get it here and McDonalds won't let me use their line!

My first setup was with Vonage.................FAIL........Fail.............FAIL...........Did I mention Fail?

Magic Jack......................NOT!

Third was with a Cisco SPA 122 and Voip.ms...............PASS! Setup was easy

Currently working on setting up a OBIHAI 202 with Voip.ms and it will work too. Testing it right now.

You need to use the higher bandwidth codec G711U. I have a separate line and number for the Medtronics box. I use it like a fax line but without T.38 just fixed on G711U.

I am also using a mobile Internet connection with Bell Mobility and a very junky Netgear MBR1516 4G Turbo (they claim) hub.

For your information..................This is what I have seen with my units.

If you hold the antenna over your pacemaker/icd and push the button on the box, it will download the info from your device and call into the Medtronic office to verify that all is well.

When the device downloads by itself, it forces the Medtronics box to call another number to downlod the info to.

If all is well, the test call lasts about 3 minutes. A for real download last about 90 seconds.

At least that is the way mine seems to work. The doctor and Medtronic are happy with the downloads.

PLEASE VERIFY ALL OF WHAT I HAVE SUGGESTED BEFORE YOU TRUST IT!!!!!!!!

Everybody has been very secretive about what the Medtronic box does so I had to monitor the data and phone lines to figure it all out.

No magic. Just basic electronics.

Forget Google Voice and all the other free or almost free services.

Checkout the commercial services. Even with their premium services your charges will be very cheap and they will be reliable.

You need to keep that Timex Ticking properly!!