External charger for an implantable medical device having at least one sense coil concentric with a charging coil for determining position
First Claim
1. An external charger for wirelessly providing energy to an implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:
- a charging coil configured to produce a magnetic field to wirelessly provide energy to the IMD; and
a first sense coil comprising one or more turns at a constant first radius and a second sense coil comprising one or more turns at a constant second radius larger than the constant first radius, wherein the first sense coil is configured to be induced by the magnetic field with a first induced signal with a first magnitude, and wherein the second sense coil is induced with a second induced signal with a second magnitude, wherein the first and second sense coils are concentric; and
control circuitry configured to determine from the first and second magnitudes the position of the charging coil with respect to the IMD.
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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. The magnitude of one or more voltages induced on the one or more sense coils can be measured to determine the position of the charging coil relative to the IMD, and in particular 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.
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Citations
15 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 configured to produce a magnetic field to wirelessly provide energy to the IMD; and a first sense coil comprising one or more turns at a constant first radius and a second sense coil comprising one or more turns at a constant second radius larger than the constant first radius, wherein the first sense coil is configured to be induced by the magnetic field with a first induced signal with a first magnitude, and wherein the second sense coil is induced with a second induced signal with a second magnitude, wherein the first and second sense coils are concentric; and control circuitry configured to determine from the first and second magnitudes the position of the charging coil with respect to the IMD. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An external charger for wirelessly providing energy to an implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:
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a charging coil configured to produce a magnetic field to wirelessly provide energy to the IMD; first and second sense coils, concentric with the charging coil, wherein the first sense coil comprises a circle comprising one or more turns at a constant first radius and is configured to be induced by the magnetic field with a first induced signal having a first magnitude affected by a position of the charging coil with respect to the IMD, and wherein the second sense coil comprises a circle comprising one or more turns at a constant second radius larger than the first radius and is configured to be induced by the magnetic field with a second induced signal having a second magnitude affected by a position of the charging coil with respect to the IMD; and control circuitry configured to determine from the first and second magnitudes the position of the charging coil with respect to the IMD. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification