Selectable Boost Converter and Charge Pump for Compliance Voltage Generation in an Implantable Stimulator Device
First Claim
1. A medical device, comprising:
- a first converter circuit for converting a first voltage to a compliance voltage when enabled;
a second converter circuit for converting a second voltage to the compliance voltage when enabled,wherein the first converter circuit is enabled during periods of telemetry to or from the medical device, and wherein the second converter circuit is enabled during periods of no telemetry to or from the medical device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Improved compliance voltage generation circuitry for a medical device is disclosed. The improved circuitry in one embodiment comprises a boost converter and a charge pump, either of which is capable of generating an appropriate compliance voltage from the voltage of the battery in the device. A telemetry enable signal indicating whether the implant'"'"'s transmitter, receiver, or both, have been enabled is received. A “boost” signal from compliance voltage monitor-and-adjust logic circuitry is processed with the telemetry enable signal and its inverse to selectively enable either the charge pump or the boost converter: if the telemetry enable signal is not active, the boost converter is used to generate the compliance voltage; if the telemetry enable signal is active, the charge pump is used. Because the charge pump circuitry does not produce a magnetic field, the charge pump will not interfere with magnetically-coupled telemetry between the implant and an external controller. By contrast, the boost converter is allowed to operate during periods of no telemetry, when magnetic interference is not a concern, while obtaining the advantage of higher power efficiency.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A medical device, comprising:
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a first converter circuit for converting a first voltage to a compliance voltage when enabled; a second converter circuit for converting a second voltage to the compliance voltage when enabled, wherein the first converter circuit is enabled during periods of telemetry to or from the medical device, and wherein the second converter circuit is enabled during periods of no telemetry to or from the medical device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A medical device, comprising:
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a first converter circuit for converting a first voltage to a compliance voltage when enabled; a second converter circuit for converting a second voltage to the compliance voltage when enabled, wherein the first converter circuit and second converter circuits are not simultaneously enabled. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A medical device, comprising:
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a battery having a battery voltage, a charge pump for producing a compliance voltage from the battery voltage when enabled; a boost converter for producing the compliance voltage from the battery voltage when enabled, current generation circuitry for receiving the compliance voltage and for providing a stimulation current to at least one electrode on the device to stimulate a patient'"'"'s tissue; wherein the charge pump circuit is enabled during periods of telemetry to or from the medical device, and wherein the boost converter is enabled during periods of no telemetry to or from the medical device. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for generating a compliance voltage in a medical device, comprising:
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determining the status of telemetry to or from the medical device; if such determination indicates telemetry, enabling a first converter circuit to produce a compliance voltage from a battery voltage in the device; and if such determination does not indicates telemetry, enabling a second converter circuit to produce the compliance voltage from the battery voltage in the device. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification