Wireless neural interface system

• US 10,674,914 B1
• Filed: 06/24/2016
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Modular Bionics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Modular Bionics, Inc.
• Inventors: Halpern, Ian Loren, Merlo, Mark William
• Primary Examiner(s): Messersmith, Eric J
• Application Number:
  US15/192,905
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7163 using impulse radio

Abstract

A device system and method for wirelessly communicating through tissue is provided. The device system comprises an implanted device with an array of antennas aligned with a tandem device with an array of antennas outside of the body. The two devices wirelessly communicate in a bi-directional manner. The implanted device can act as a physiological sensor and stimulator, and the external device can act as a controller and relay. Such configurations allow for a range of uses within research and clinical settings.

Claims

1. A neural interface, comprising:

a housing configured to be implanted at a location in a patient under a skull and proximate neural tissue, the housing having a longitudinal axis;

a first antenna within the housing and configured to transmit neural data wirelessly to an external device;

a second antenna within the housing and configured to transmit neural data wirelessly to the external device,

wherein the first antenna and the second antenna transmit the neural data on the same or an overlapping frequency spectrum,

wherein the housing comprises shielding partially surrounding the first antenna and second antenna,

wherein the housing comprises one or more shielding-free windows, each shielding-free window comprising a window axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the shielding-free windows configured to allow the first antenna and the second antenna to allow wireless transmission at angles between perpendicular to the window axis and aligned with the window axis.

2. The neural interface of claim 1, further comprising a third antenna, wherein the third antenna is unshielded, wherein the third antenna transmits data on a frequency spectrum different from that of the first antenna and the second antenna.

3. The neural interface of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are spaced apart and separated by a wall.

4. The neural interface of claim 3, wherein the wall is dynamically movable.

5. The neural interface of claim 1, wherein the shielding extends laterally beyond the first antenna and the second antenna.

6. The neural interface of claim 5, wherein the shielding extends laterally by a distance of between about 0.1 mm and about 10 mm.

7. The neural interface of claim 1, further comprising an air gap between the one or more windows and the antennas.

8. The neural interface of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna transmit the neural data via an ultra-wideband protocol.

9. The neural interface of claim 1, further comprising a third antenna and a fourth antenna forming a pair of antennas, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are configured to record data, and the third and fourth antennas are configured to send or receive stimulation commands, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth antennas are part of a closed-loop control system.

10. The neural interface of claim 1, comprising a first antenna array and a second antenna array, wherein the housing further comprises a processor configured to compare the frequency and/or modulation of a signal of communication of the first antenna array and the second antenna array.

11. The neural interface of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are oriented such that the first antenna comprises a first dead zone comprising a first non-transmissible or attenuated volume within the housing and the second antenna comprises a second dead zone comprising a second non-transmissible or attenuated volume within the housing, wherein the first volume and the second volume overlap by at least about 50%.

12. A neural interface, comprising:

a housing configured to be implanted at a location in a patient under a skull and proximate neural tissue, the housing having a longitudinal axis;

a first antenna within the housing and configured to transmit data wirelessly;

a second antenna within the housing and configured to transmit data wirelessly,

wherein the housing comprises shielding partially surrounding the first antenna and second antenna,

wherein the housing comprises one or more windows, each window comprising a window axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the one or more windows configure to allow the first antenna and the second antenna to allow wireless transmission at angles between perpendicular to the window axis and aligned with the window axis.

13. The neural interface of claim 12, further comprising a third antenna.

14. The neural interface of claim 13, wherein the third antenna transmits data on a frequency spectrum different from that of the first antenna and the second antenna.

15. The neural interface of claim 13, wherein the third antenna is unshielded.

16. The neural interface of claim 12, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are spaced apart.

17. The neural interface of claim 12, wherein the shielding extends laterally beyond the first antenna and the second antenna.

18. The neural interface of claim 12, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna transmit the neural data via an ultra-wideband protocol.

19. The neural interface of claim 12, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are configured to record data.

20. The neural interface of claim 12, wherein the housing further comprises a processor.