System and method for multiple antennas having a single core

• US 20060227060A1
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Morgan, Wayne A., Hess, Phillip B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,281,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/788
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/08 Ferrite rod or like elongated core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

A system and method for multiple antennas on a single core. The system may include a first core, a first winding wound about the first core for transmitting/receiving electromagnetic signals, and a second winding for transmitting/receiving electromagnetic signals wound about the first core and the first winding. The first winding and the second winding may be wound such that a direction of a first magnetic field generated by the first winding is different than a direction of a second magnetic field generated by the second winding. The system may also include activation circuitry connected to the first winding and the second winding. The activation circuitry may activate the first winding separately from the second winding. The system may be expanded to three or more coils/antennas disposed on a single core.

Claims

1. A method for implementing an antenna system comprising:

providing a core;

winding a first coil for transmitting/receiving electromagnetic signals about the core;

winding a second coil for transmitting/receiving electromagnetic signals about the core and the first coil; and

activating the first coil separately from the second coil.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the core provided is an air core.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the core provided is a ferrite core.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first coil is wound as a helical solenoid around the core.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first coil is wound as a rectangular solenoid around the core.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second coil is wound as a helical solenoid around the core.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second coil is wound as a rectangular solenoid around the core.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising winding a third coil for transmitting/receiving electromagnetic signals about the core, the first coil and the second coil.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the third coil is wound as a helical solenoid around the core.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the third coil is wound as a rectangular solenoid around the core.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first coil and the second coil are wound orthogonal to each other.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first coil, the second coil and the third coil are wound orthogonal to each other.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a first magnetic field with the first coil in response to a data signal; and

generating a second magnetic field with the second coil in response to the same data signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending the data signal to the first coil and to the second coil simultaneously.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending the data signal to the first coil at a first time and to the second coil at a second time different from the first time.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a magnetic field with the first coil, the magnetic field relating to information transmitted by a source; and

receiving the magnetic field with the second coil, the magnetic field relating to the same information transmitted by the source.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising activating only one of the first coil and the second coil at a time to receive the magnetic field.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprising:

activating both the first coil and the second coil to receive the magnetic field;

choosing a stronger of the received magnetic field at the first coil and the received magnetic signal at the second coil for processing; and

,

processing signals corresponding to the chosen received magnetic fields.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing the core on an implantable unit configured for implantation in a body of a medical patient.