Systems and methods for providing power to one or more implantable devices

• US 20060149340A1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics LLC (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Karunasiri, Rankiri Tissa
• Granted Patent: US 7,254,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

Systems for providing a power signal to one or more implantable devices include a number of dynamic range amplifiers each having a multiplicity of output drivers. Each of the output drivers is configured to generate an output signal. The systems further include control circuitry configured to select at least one of the amplifiers to provide a number of output signals used to generate the power signal that is to be provided to the one or more implantable devices. The control circuitry is further configured to disable the output drivers corresponding to a remaining number of amplifiers. A matching circuit is configured to generate the power signal based on the output signals provided by the at least one selected amplifier. Methods of providing a power signal to one or more implantable devices include providing a number of dynamic range amplifiers each comprising a multiplicity of output drivers. Each of the output drivers is configured to generate an output signal. The method further includes selecting at least one of the amplifiers to provide a number of output signals used to generate the power signal, disabling the output drivers corresponding to a remaining number of amplifiers; and generating the power signal based on the output signals provided by the at least one selected amplifier.

Claims

1. A system for providing a power signal to one or more implantable devices, said system comprising:

a number of dynamic range amplifiers each comprising a multiplicity of output drivers, said output drivers each being configured to generate an output signal;

control circuitry configured to select at least one of said amplifiers to provide a number of output signals used to generate said power signal and disable said output drivers corresponding to a remaining number of said amplifiers; and

a matching circuit configured to generate said power signal based on said output signals provided by said at least one selected amplifier.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitting coil configured to transmit said power signal to said one or more implantable devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of said dynamic range amplifiers further comprises:

a first output driver configured to generate a first output signal based on a first input signal;

a second output driver configured to generate a second output signal based on a second input signal, said second input signal comprising a substantially 180-degree-phase-shifted version of said first input signal; and

a processor configured to receive a control signal input;

wherein said processor is further configured to disable said second output driver when said control signal input indicates a low power mode and enable said second output driver when said control signal input indicates a high power mode.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said low power mode corresponds to a first power level and said high power mode corresponds to a second power level substantially equal to four times said first power level.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said matching circuit comprises a primary coil inductively coupled to a secondary coil.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said output drivers comprises a number of inverter stages beginning with a first inverter stage and ending with a last modified inverter stage, wherein said last modified inverter stage is coupled to said control circuitry.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said last modified inverter stage comprises a bank of PMOS transistors and a bank of NMOS transistors, wherein said control circuitry is configured to disable said last modified inverter stage by applying a logic high signal to a gate input of each of said PMOS transistors and a logic low signal to a gate input of each of said NMOS transistors.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said one or more implantable device comprise at least one or more of a cochlear implant stimulator, a spinal cord stimulator, a microstimulator, a deep brain stimulator, an implantable pulse generator, a pump, a pacemaker, and a sensor.

9. A method of providing a power signal to one or more implantable devices, said method comprising:

providing a number of dynamic range amplifiers each comprising a multiplicity of output drivers, said output drivers each configured to generate an output signal;

selecting at least one of said amplifiers to provide a number of output signals used to generate said power signal;

disabling said output drivers corresponding to a remaining number of said amplifiers; and

generating said power signal based on said output signals provided by said at least one selected amplifier.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting said power signal to said one or more implantable devices.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein one or more of said dynamic range amplifiers further comprises:

a first output driver configured to generate a first output signal based on a first input signal;

a second output driver configured to generate a second output signal based on a second input signal, said second input signal comprising a substantially 180-degree-phase-shifted version of said first input signal; and

a processor configured to receive a control signal input;

wherein said method further comprises disabling said second output driver when said control signal input indicates a low power mode and enabling said second output driver when said control signal input indicates a high power mode.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said low power mode corresponds to a first power level and said high power mode corresponds to a second power level substantially equal to four times said first power level.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said generating said power signal based on said output signals comprises adding said output signal generated by said first output driver to said output signal generated by said second output driver.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein each of said output drivers comprises a number of inverter stages beginning with a first inverter stage and ending with a last modified inverter stage, wherein said method further comprises coupling said last modified inverter stage to said control circuitry.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said last modified inverter stage comprises a bank of PMOS transistors and a bank of NMOS transistors, wherein said disabling said output drivers comprises applying a logic high signal to a gate input of each of said PMOS transistors and a logic low signal to a gate input of each of said NMOS transistors.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said one or more implantable device comprise at least one or more of a cochlear implant stimulator, a spinal cord stimulator, a microstimulator, a deep brain stimulator, an implantable pulse generator, a pump, a pacemaker, and a sensor.

17. A system for providing a power signal to one or more implantable devices, said system comprising:

a number of dynamic range amplifiers each comprising a multiplicity of output drivers, said output drivers each configured to generate an output signal;

means for selecting at least one of said amplifiers to provide a number of output signals used to generate said power signal;

means for disabling said output drivers corresponding to a remaining number of said amplifiers; and

means for generating said power signal based on said output signals provided by said at least one selected amplifier.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for transmitting said power signal to said one or more implantable devices.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein one or more of said dynamic range amplifiers further comprises:

a first output driver configured to generate a first output signal based on a first input signal;

a second output driver configured to generate a second output signal based on a second input signal, said second input signal comprising a substantially 180-degree-phase-shifted version of said first input signal;

a processor configured to receive a control signal input;

wherein said system further comprises means for disabling said second output driver when said control signal input indicates a low power mode and means for enabling said second output driver when said control signal input indicates a high power mode.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein each of said output drivers comprises a number of inverter stages beginning with a first inverter stage and ending with a last modified inverter stage, wherein said last modified inverter stage comprises a bank of PMOS transistors and a bank of NMOS transistors, wherein said means for disabling said output drivers comprises means for applying a logic high signal to a gate input of each of said PMOS transistors and a logic low signal to a gate input of each of said NMOS transistors.