Medical applications using tunable metamaterial systems and methods
First Claim
1. A wireless medical device system, comprising:
- a first medical device for at least partial implantation within a patient to selectively perform a function within the patient, modeled as at least one lumped external port; and
an external interface device for wirelessly interfacing with the first medical device to cause the first medical device to perform the function within the patient, the external interface device comprising;
an antenna system with a plurality of sub-wavelength antenna elements in communication with a plurality of selectively variable impedance elements, and a control system to control radiation patterning of the antenna system based on a scattering matrix (S-Matrix) of electromagnetic field amplitudes for each of a plurality of lumped ports, wherein the lumped ports include;
a plurality of lumped antenna ports with impedance values corresponding to the impedance values of each of the plurality of selectively variable impedance elements; and
the at least one lumped external port corresponding to the first medical device at least partially implanted within the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This disclosure provides systems and methods relating to medical devices that utilize dynamically tunable antennas comprising a plurality of sub-wavelength antenna elements. In various embodiments, impedance elements associated with the sub-wavelength antenna elements are dynamically tuned to control radiation patterns of a tunable antenna, such as a metamaterial surface antenna technology (MSA-T) antenna. The radiation patterns produced by the tunable antenna are used, for example, for sending a control signal to an implanted medical device, directly controlling the movement of a medical device, causing a medical device to perform a specific function, powering a medical device, and/or otherwise interacting a medical device. In some embodiments, the implanted medical device may also include an antenna, such as an MSA-T antenna, for receiving and/or sending beam-formed electromagnetic radiation.
44 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A wireless medical device system, comprising:
- a first medical device for at least partial implantation within a patient to selectively perform a function within the patient, modeled as at least one lumped external port; and
an external interface device for wirelessly interfacing with the first medical device to cause the first medical device to perform the function within the patient, the external interface device comprising;
an antenna system with a plurality of sub-wavelength antenna elements in communication with a plurality of selectively variable impedance elements, and a control system to control radiation patterning of the antenna system based on a scattering matrix (S-Matrix) of electromagnetic field amplitudes for each of a plurality of lumped ports, wherein the lumped ports include;
a plurality of lumped antenna ports with impedance values corresponding to the impedance values of each of the plurality of selectively variable impedance elements; and
the at least one lumped external port corresponding to the first medical device at least partially implanted within the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
- a first medical device for at least partial implantation within a patient to selectively perform a function within the patient, modeled as at least one lumped external port; and
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41. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a receiver to wirelessly receive electromagnetic energy from an external interface device while the medical device is at least partially implanted within a patient, the received electromagnetic energy providing at least one of wireless power and wireless control signals to cause the medical device to perform a function while at least partially implanted within the patient based on at least one target location within the patient modeled as at least one lumped external port, wherein the receiver is further configured to; receive the electromagnetic energy from an antenna system with a plurality of sub-wavelength antenna elements in communication with a plurality of selectively variable impedance elements, wherein the antenna system is configured to be controlled by a control system configured to control radiation patterning of the antenna system based on a scattering matrix (S-Matrix) of electromagnetic field amplitudes for each of a plurality of lumped ports, wherein the lumped ports include; a plurality of lumped antenna ports with impedance values corresponding to the impedance values of each of the plurality of selectively variable impedance elements; and the at least one lumped external port corresponding to the at least one target location within the patient.
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42. A method, comprising:
- at least partially implanting a first medical device within a patient to selectively perform a function within the patient, wherein the first medical device is modeled as at least one lumped external port; and
wirelessly interfacing an external interface device with the first medical device to cause the first medical device to perform the function within the patient, wherein the external interface device includes an antenna system with a plurality of sub-wavelength antenna elements in communication with a plurality of selectively variable impedance elements, and a control system to control radiation patterning of the antenna system based on a scattering matrix (S-Matrix) of electromagnetic field amplitudes for each of a plurality of lumped ports, wherein the lumped ports include a plurality of lumped antenna ports with impedance values corresponding to the impedance values of each of the plurality of selectively variable impedance elements; and
the at least one lumped external port corresponding to the first medical device at least partially implanted within the patient.
- at least partially implanting a first medical device within a patient to selectively perform a function within the patient, wherein the first medical device is modeled as at least one lumped external port; and
Specification