External charger for an implantable medical device having alignment and centering capabilities
First Claim
1. An external charger for wirelessly providing energy to an implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:
- a charging coil; and
controller circuitry configured to implement an algorithm, wherein the algorithm comprises the steps of;
(a) determining whether the charging coil is centered with respect to the IMD, wherein centered comprises a condition in which the coupling between the charging coil and the IMD is higher than a first coupling value;
(b) once the charging coil is centered with respect to the IMD, proceeding to step (c);
(c) producing for a time a first magnetic field from the charging coil to wirelessly provide energy to the IMD;
(d) after the time, determining whether the charging coil is misaligned with respect to the IMD, wherein misaligned comprises a condition in which the coupling between the charging coil and the IMD is less than or equal to a second coupling value less than the first coupling value;
(e) if the charging coil is not misaligned with respect to the IMD, returning to step (c); and
(f) if the charging coil is misaligned with respect to the IMD, returning to step (a).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A charging system for an Implantable Medical Device (IMD) is disclosed having a charging coil and one or more sense coils. The charging coil and one or more sense coils are preferably housed in a charging coil assembly coupled to an electronics module by a cable. The charging coil is preferably a wire winding, while the one or more sense coils are concentric with the charging coil and preferably formed in one or more traces of a circuit board. One or more voltages induced on the one or more sense coils can be used to determine whether the charging coil is (i) centered, (ii) not centered but not misaligned, or (iii) misaligned, with respect to the IMD being charged, which three conditions sequentially comprise lower coupling between the charging coil and the IMD. A charging algorithm is also disclosed that control charging dependent on these conditions.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An external charger for wirelessly providing energy to an implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:
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a charging coil; and controller circuitry configured to implement an algorithm, wherein the algorithm comprises the steps of; (a) determining whether the charging coil is centered with respect to the IMD, wherein centered comprises a condition in which the coupling between the charging coil and the IMD is higher than a first coupling value; (b) once the charging coil is centered with respect to the IMD, proceeding to step (c); (c) producing for a time a first magnetic field from the charging coil to wirelessly provide energy to the IMD; (d) after the time, determining whether the charging coil is misaligned with respect to the IMD, wherein misaligned comprises a condition in which the coupling between the charging coil and the IMD is less than or equal to a second coupling value less than the first coupling value; (e) if the charging coil is not misaligned with respect to the IMD, returning to step (c); and (f) if the charging coil is misaligned with respect to the IMD, returning to step (a). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification