SMART CHARGER ALIGNMENT INDICATOR

• US 20080288025A1
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Peterson, David K.L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,932,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

Electrical energy is transmitted to charge the implanted medical device, and an electrical parameter (e.g., a steady-state voltage) indicating a rate at which the implanted medical device is charged by the electrical energy is detected. A threshold (e.g., by modifying a stored threshold value) at which the charge strength indicator generates a user-discernible signal is adjusted based on the detected electrical parameter.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting a charge strength indicator for an implanted medical device, comprising:

transcutaneously transmitting electrical energy to charge the implanted medical device;

detecting an electrical parameter; and

adjusting a threshold at which the charge strength indicator generates a user-discernible signal based on the detected electrical parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical device is a neurostimulation device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the charge strength indicator is located on an external charger.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical parameter is a steady-state charging voltage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical parameter indicates a rate at which the implanted medical device is charged by the electrical energy.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold is adjusted by modifying a stored threshold value against which a subsequently detected electrical parameter is compared, the subsequently detected electrical parameter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-discernible signal is an audible signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-discernible signal is a binary signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-discernible signal is one of an alignment signal and a misalignment signal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold is manually adjusted.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold is adjusted based only on a currently detected electrical parameter.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy is transcutaneously conveyed repeatedly over a series of discrete time periods to charge the implanted medical device, the electrical parameter is detected during the discrete time periods, and the threshold is adjusted based on the detected electrical parameter during the discrete time periods.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining the value of the detected electrical parameter indicating a maximum charge rate during the discrete time periods, wherein the threshold is adjusted based on the determined electrical parameter value.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining the value of the detected electrical parameter indicating a most common charge rate during the discrete time periods, wherein the threshold is adjusted based on the determined electrical parameter value.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating an electrical parameter histogram over the discrete time periods, wherein the detected electrical parameter indicating the most common charge rate is determined from the electrical parameter histogram.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold is automatically adjusted in response to the detection of the electrical parameter.

17. An implantable medical system, comprising:

an implantable medical device;

an external charger configured for transcutaneously conveying electrical energy to charge the implanted medical device;

a charge strength indicator configured for generating a user-discernible signal;

a detector configured for detecting an electrical parameter; and

a processor configured for adjusting a threshold at which the charge strength indicator generates a user-discernible signal based on the detected electrical parameter.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the medical device is a neurostimulation device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the indicator, detector, and processor are contained within the external charger.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the electrical parameter is a steady-state charging voltage.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the electrical parameter indicates a rate at which the implanted medical device is charged by the electrical energy.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising memory configured for storing a threshold value, wherein the processor is configured for comparing a subsequently detected electrical parameter with the stored threshold value, and wherein the processor is configured for adjusting the threshold by modifying the stored threshold value.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the indicator is an audio transducer.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the indicator is a binary indicator.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the indicator is one of an alignment indicator and a misalignment indicator.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured for adjusting the threshold based only on a currently detected electrical parameter.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured for adjusting the threshold based on a detection of the electrical parameter during a series of discrete time periods.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured for determining the value of the detected electrical parameter indicating a maximum charge rate during the discrete time periods, and adjusting the threshold based on the determined electrical parameter value.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured for determining the value of the detected electrical parameter indicating a most common charge rate during the discrete time periods, and adjusting the threshold based on the determined electrical parameter value.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the processor is configured for generating an electrical parameter histogram over the discrete time periods, and determining the value of the detecting electrical parameter indicating the most common charge rate during the discrete time periods from the electrical parameter histogram.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured for automatically adjusting the threshold in response to the detection of the electrical parameter.

32. An external charger for an implantable medical device, comprising:

a source of electrical power;

an alternating current (AC) coil configured for transcutaneously conveying electrical energy from the electrical power source to charge the implanted medical device;

a charge strength indicator configured for generating a user-discernible signal;

a detector configured for detecting an electrical parameter; and

a processor configured for adjusting a threshold at which the charge strength indicator generates a user-discernible signal based on the detected electrical parameter.

33. The external charger of claim 32, further comprising a portable housing containing the electrical power source, AC coil, indicator, detector, and processor.

34. The external charger of claim 32, wherein the electrical parameter is a steady-state charging voltage.

35. The external charger of claim 32, wherein the electrical parameter indicates a rate at which the implanted medical device is charged by the electrical energy

36. The external charger of claim 32, further comprising memory configured for storing a threshold value, wherein the processor is configured for comparing a subsequently detected electrical parameter with the stored threshold value, and wherein the processor is configured for adjusting the threshold by modifying the stored threshold value.

37. The external charger of claim 32, wherein the indicator is an audio transducer.

38. The external charger of claim 32, wherein the indicator is a binary indicator.

39. The external charger of claim 32, wherein the indicator is one of an alignment indicator and a misalignment indicator.

40. The external charger of claim 32, wherein the processor is configured for adjusting the threshold based only on a currently detected electrical parameter.

41. The external charger of claim 32, wherein the processor is configured for adjusting the threshold based on a detection of the electrical parameter during a series of discrete time periods.

42. The external charger of claim 41, wherein the processor is configured for determining the value of the detected electrical parameter indicating a maximum charge rate during the discrete time periods, and adjusting the threshold based on the determined electrical parameter value.

43. The external charger of claim 41, wherein the processor is configured for determining the value of the detected electrical parameter indicating a most common charge rate during the discrete time periods, and adjusting the threshold based on the determined electrical parameter value.

44. The external charger of claim 43, wherein the processor is configured for generating an electrical parameter histogram over the discrete time periods, and determining the value of the detecting electrical parameter indicating the most common charge rate during the discrete time periods from the electrical parameter histogram.

45. The external charger of claim 38, wherein the processor is configured for automatically adjusting the threshold in response to the detection of the electrical parameter.