Status indicator for implantable systems

• US 20040044383A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics LLC (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Hartley, Lee F., Woods, Carla Mann, Faltys, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,248,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/08 Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925

Abstract

A status indicator is provided for use with a medical device that employs a power transmitting coil. In one embodiment of the invention, the status indicator comprises a receiving coil and feedback element. The feedback element, such as a light emitting diode (LED) or liquid crystal display (LCD), is electrically coupled to the receiving coil. In another embodiment of the invention, a status indicator is incorporated into the medical device, which status indicator comprises a feedback element and electronic circuitry for detecting device function and program selection. The circuitry and feedback element are incorporated into the medical device such as on the earhook of a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing device.

Claims

1. A free-standing, status indicator for detecting current in a power transmitting coil which transmitting coil is used to transcutaneously power an implanted medical device and which transmitting coil is separate from the status indicator, the status indicator comprising:

a receiving coil wherein induced current is generated when the receiving coil is placed near the transmitting coil that has current running through the transmitting coil; and

a feedback element electrically coupled to the receiving coil, which feedback indicator is powered by the induced current generated in the receiving coil.

2. The status indicator of claim 1, wherein the feedback element is a visual indicator.

3. The status indicator of claim 2, wherein the visual indicator is selected from the group consisting of an LED and an LCD.

4. The status indicator of claim 1, wherein the feedback element is a sound producing device.

5. The status indicator of claim 1, wherein the transmitting coil is part of a BTE device.

6. The status indicator of claim 1, wherein the status indicator is in the form of a thin, flat pad having a first surface and a second surface, the pad comprised of:

a first thin sheet; and

a second thin sheet,

wherein the receiving coil is sandwiched between the first and second sheets; and

wherein the feedback element is attached to the first pad surface.

7. A status indicator for detecting current in a power transmitting coil that is used to transcutaneously power an implanted medical device, the status indicator comprising:

a receiving coil wherein induced current is generated when the receiving coil is placed near the transmitting coil that has current running through the transmitting coil; and

a feedback element electrically coupled to the receiving coil, which feedback indicator is powered by the induced current generated in the receiving coil,

wherein the status indicator is a hand-held wand.

8. The status indicator of claim 7, wherein the feedback element is a visual indicator.

9. The status indicator of claim 8, wherein the visual indicator is selected from the group consisting of an LED or and LCD.

10. The status indicator of claim 7, wherein the feedback element is a sound producing device.

11. The status indicator of claim 7, wherein the transmitting coil is connected to a BTE device.

12. A status indicator for detecting current in a power transmitting coil, which power transmitting coil is used to transcutaneously power an implanted cochlear stimulating device, the status indicator comprising:

a feedback element electrically coupled to a voltage source within a BTE device and the feedback element is attached to the BTE.

13. The status indicator of claim 12,

wherein the feedback element is a visual indicator placed on the BTE, which visual indicator is configured to illuminate when there is sufficient power and turned off when battery power falls below a minimum threshold current necessary to illuminate the visual indicator.

14. The status indicator of claim 13, wherein the visual indicator is selected from the group consisting of an LED and LCD.

15. The status indicator of claim 12,

wherein the feedback element is a sound producing device.

16. The status indicator of claim 12 further comprising:

a second feedback element; and

an electronic circuitry connected to the second feedback element, which circuitry can detect a telemetry link between the power transmitting coil and implanted medical device power receiving coil.

17. The status indicator of claim 12 further comprising:

an electronic circuitry connected to the feedback element, which circuitry can detect a function of the BTE,

and wherein the circuitry allows the feedback element to turn on and off, indicating the status of the medical device function.

18. The status indicator of claim 12 further comprising:

an electronic circuitry connected to the indicator, which circuitry can detect a selected program of the BTE,

and wherein the circuitry allows the feedback element to operate, indicating the status of the selected program.

19. The status indicator of claim 18, wherein each program has a designated whole number N,

wherein the circuitry allows the feedback element to repetitively turn on and off the exact number of times N representing the selected program number.

20. A method for detecting battery status of an external device having a transmitting coil, the method comprising:

placing a receiving coil over the transmitting coil; and

detecting induced current in the receiving coil with a feedback element, which feedback element is electrically connected to the receiving coil and powered by the induced current.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the feedback element is a visual indicator that indicates when there is sufficient induced current present in the receiving coil.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the feedback element is selected from the group consisting of an LED and an LCD.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the feedback element is an acoustic speaker that produces sound.