Devices and methods for wirelessly recharging a rechargeable battery of an implantable medical device
First Claim
1. A charging system for remotely charging a rechargeable battery of an implantable medical device, comprising:
- a transmitter configured to transmit radiative Electro-Magnetic (EM) energy from outside of a patient'"'"'s body to inside of the patient'"'"'s body; and
an implantable medical device configured to be implanted inside of the patient'"'"'s body, wherein the implantable medical device includes a rechargeable battery, the implantable medical device being powered at least in part by the rechargeable battery, the implantable medical device configured to receive at least part of the radiative EM energy transmitted by the transmitter and to use the received radiative EM energy to charge the rechargeable battery of the implantable medical device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Implantable medical devices such as leadless cardiac pacemakers may include a rechargeable battery, and a receiving antenna for receiving radiative energy from an external transmitter. Energy captured by the receiving antenna of the implantable medical device may be converted into electrical energy that may be used to recharge the rechargeable battery of the implantable medical device. Since the rechargeable battery does not have to initially store sufficient energy to power the implantable medical device over its entire useful life, the battery itself and thus the implanted medical device can be made smaller while still achieving device longevity expectations.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A charging system for remotely charging a rechargeable battery of an implantable medical device, comprising:
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a transmitter configured to transmit radiative Electro-Magnetic (EM) energy from outside of a patient'"'"'s body to inside of the patient'"'"'s body; and an implantable medical device configured to be implanted inside of the patient'"'"'s body, wherein the implantable medical device includes a rechargeable battery, the implantable medical device being powered at least in part by the rechargeable battery, the implantable medical device configured to receive at least part of the radiative EM energy transmitted by the transmitter and to use the received radiative EM energy to charge the rechargeable battery of the implantable medical device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An implantable medical device sized to be implanted within a patient'"'"'s heart, the implantable medical device comprising:
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a housing; circuitry disposed within the housing; two or more electrodes exposed external to the housing, the two or more electrodes operatively coupled to the circuitry; a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing and configured to power the circuitry; a receiving antenna operatively coupled to the circuitry and configured to receive transmitted radiative Electro-Magnetic (EM) energy through the patient'"'"'s body; and the circuitry configured to use the received radiative EM energy to charge the rechargeable battery of the implantable medical device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An antenna assembly, comprising:
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an antenna sized to be carried by an implantable medical device, wherein the implantable medical device is sized to be implanted in a heart of a human patient and includes a rechargeable battery for powering the implantable medical device; the antenna tuned to a wavelength band of radiative Electro-Magnetic (EM) energy that can be transmitted through the human patient; the antenna is configured to receive sufficient radiative EM energy from the wavelength band of radiative Electro-Magnetic (EM) to recharge the rechargeable battery of the implantable medical device at a rate faster than the rechargeable battery is depleted by powering the implantable medical device when the wavelength band of radiative Electro-Magnetic (EM) energy is transmitted at an intensity that is low enough to not cause heat damage to the human patient; and one or more antenna output terminals for delivering the received radiative EM energy to the implantable medical device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification