Radio frequency antenna in a header of an implantable medical device

• US 20050134520A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Rawat, Prashant, Von Arx, Jeffrey A., Hillukka, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 7,903,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/873
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

An apparatus and method for enabling far-field radio frequency communications with an implantable medical device in which an antenna structure is disposed within a header assembly of the device. The antenna structure, in various embodiments, includes a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, an inverted F antenna, a patch antenna and a slot antenna.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a header coupled to an implantable housing, the housing having an electronic circuit configured to communicate via a modulated radio frequency carrier; and

an antenna disposed within the header and coupled to the electronic circuit and configured to transmit far field radiation at the radio frequency carrier; and

wherein the antenna includes at least one of any combination of a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, an inverted F antenna, a slot antenna and a patch antenna.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a conductive surface configured to serve as a ground plane.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the antenna is electrically coupled to the conductive surface.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna has a resonant frequency of greater than approximately 300 MHz.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna has a resonant frequency of less than approximately 1 GHz.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna has at least two resonant frequencies.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna includes a conductor selected from at least one of any combination of iridium, platinum, gold, silver, niobium and stainless steel.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna includes a conductor coated with an oxide film.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the oxide film includes at least one of any combination of an oxide of titanium, an oxide of aluminum and barium strontium titanate.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna includes a planar conductor.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the header includes at least one of any combination of polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetheretherketone and a thermoplastic polyurethane.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the header includes an aromatic polyether based polyurethane.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the header includes a cavity configured to receive the antenna.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the cavity is filled with silicone.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna is disposed at least approximately 10 mils below a surface of the header.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna is disposed at least approximately 25 mils from a conductor electrically isolated from the antenna.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the antenna is disposed in substantially parallel alignment with a surface of the header.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuit includes an adjustable tuning circuit coupled to the antenna.

19. A method comprising:

providing a header assembly adapted to provide electrical connections with an implantable housing;

mating an antenna structure with the header assembly, wherein the antenna structure includes at least one of any combination of a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, an inverted F antenna, a slot antenna and a patch antenna; and

coupling an antenna feed line of the antenna to a radio frequency circuit within the housing.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein providing the header assembly includes forming a cavity to receive the antenna structure.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein providing the header assembly includes molding the header assembly.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein mating the antenna structure with the header assembly includes applying a silicone overlay to a trench.

23. The method of claim 19 further including coating the antenna structure with an oxide film.

24. The method of claim 19 further including electrically coupling a portion of the antenna to a ground plane.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein coupling the antenna feed line includes establishing two electrical connections with a dipole antenna.

26. The method of claim 19 further including matching an impedance of the antenna structure and an impedance of the radio frequency circuit.

27. The method of claim 19 further including forming the antenna structure using a planar conductor.

28. A system comprising:

a first radio frequency transceiver;

an implantable housing having the first radio frequency transceiver disposed therein;

a header having a plurality of electrical connectors each of which is coupled to circuitry within the housing; and

an antenna structure disposed within the header and electrically coupled to the first radio frequency transceiver; and

wherein the antenna structure includes at least one of any combination of a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, an inverted F antenna, a slot antenna and a patch antenna.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the circuitry includes at least one of any combination of a therapy circuit and a monitoring circuit.

30. The system of claim 28 further including an implantable electrical lead coupled to the header, the lead disposed external to the implantable housing.

31. The system of claim 28 further including a second radio frequency transceiver communicatively coupled with the first radio frequency transceiver.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein the antenna structure includes an oxide coated conductor.

33. The system of claim 28 wherein the header includes at least one of any combination of polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetheretherketone and a thermoplastic polyurethane.