RADIO FREQUENCY TRANSPONDER BASED IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL SYSTEM
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Abstract
An implantable medical device (IMD) system includes an IMD, a transceiver antenna lead for the IMD, and a wireless therapy delivery transponder or probe that is remotely activated by the IMD via the transceiver antenna lead. The IMD and the wireless probe communicate using wireless RF-based transponder techniques. The wireless probe includes a capacitor that is charged when the IMD emits an appropriate electromagnetic field from the transceiver antenna lead. The wireless probe delivers electrical therapy in the form of electrical pulses from the capacitor in response to RF activation signals emitted by the IMD via the transceiver antenna lead.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1-23. -23. (canceled)
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24. An implantable medical system comprising:
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an implantable medical device (IMD); a transceiver antenna lead comprising a first end configured for coupling to the IND and a radio frequency (RF) lead antenna proximate a second end thereof; and a plurality of wireless RF probes to communicate with the IMD, wherein each wireless RF probe comprises; an electrode arrangement to establish electrical contact with body tissue/fluid, a capacitor coupled to the electrode arrangement, an RF probe antenna to receive/transmit RF energy from/to the RF lead antenna, probe memory to store processing instructions, and a processing architecture to execute processing instructions stored in the probe memory to control delivery of therapy to body tissue/fluid or sensing of electromagnetic activity associated with body tissue/fluid. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of operation in an implantable medical system comprising:
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providing an implantable medical device (IMD), a transceiver antenna lead coupled to the IMD, and a plurality of wireless radio frequency (RF) probes, wherein each of the wireless RF probes includes an electrode arrangement to establish electrical contact with body tissue/fluid, a capacitor coupled to the electrode arrangement, an RF probe antenna, and a processing architecture; generating, with the IMD, a charge signal for energizing at least one of the plurality of wireless RF probes; transmitting the charge signal from the IMD, through the transceiver antenna lead, to charge the at least one wireless RF probe by energizing the capacitor thereof; and controlling, with the processing architecture of the at least one wireless RF probe executing instructions stored in memory, the delivery of therapy to body tissue/fluid or the sensing of electromagnetic activity associated with body tissue/fluid using the electrode arrangement for a period of time without intervention by the IMD. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An implantable medical system comprising:
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an implantable medical device (IMD); a transceiver antenna lead comprising a first end configured for coupling to the IMD and a radio frequency (RF) lead antenna proximate a second end thereof; and a plurality of wireless RF probes to communicate with the IMD, wherein each wireless RF probe of the plurality of wireless probes is associated with a unique probe identifier, and further wherein each wireless RF probe comprises; an electrode arrangement to establish electrical contact with body tissue/fluid, a capacitor coupled to the electrode arrangement, an RF probe antenna to receive/transmit RF energy from/to the RF lead antenna, and a processing architecture, wherein the IMD is configured to interrogate each of the plurality of wireless RF probes via their unique probe identifier to provide at least charge signals thereto for charging the capacitor thereof using RF energy, and further wherein at least one of the wireless RF probes is configured such that the energy of the capacitor thereof is replenished in response to RF energy used to interrogate other wireless RF probes using their unique probe identifiers even though the at least one wireless RF probe is not being interrogated using its own unique probe identifier. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method of operation in an implantable medical system comprising:
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providing a implantable medical device (IMD), a transceiver antenna lead coupled to the IMD, and a plurality of wireless radio frequency (RF) probes, wherein each of the wireless RF probes includes an electrode arrangement configured to establish electrical contact with body tissue/fluid, a capacitor coupled to the electrode arrangement, an RF probe antenna, and a processing architecture, and further wherein each wireless RF probe of the plurality of wireless probes is associated with a unique probe identifier; addressing, with the IMD, one or more of the wireless RF probes of the plurality of wireless RF probes using their unique probe identifiers to provide one or more charge signals thereto to initially charge the capacitors thereof; determining, after initial charging, whether a charge signal to wirelessly replenish the electrical energy in the capacitor of one or more of the wireless probes should be generated and generating one or more charge signals based thereon; and replenishing the energy in the capacitor of at least one wireless RF probe after initial charging with use of ambient RF energy available when the IMD addresses one or more other wireless RF probes using the unique probe identifiers to provide charge signals or activation signals comprising one or more commands to be executed by the addressed wireless RF probe. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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Specification