External Controller/Charger System for an Implantable Medical Device Capable of Automatically Providing Data Telemetry Through a Charging Coil During a Charging Session

• US 20110112611A1
• Filed: 11/11/2009
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Aghassian, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• 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: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

An improved external controller/charger system for an implantable medical device is described herein, in which the external controller/charger system provides automatic switching between telemetry and charging without any manual intervention by the patient. The external controller/charger system includes an external controller which houses a telemetry coil and an external charging coil coupled to the external controller. Normally, a charging session is carried out using the external charging coil, and a telemetry session is carried out using the telemetry coil. However, when a patient requests to carry out telemetry during a charging session, the external charging coil is used instead of the internal telemetry coil. Specifically, in one embodiment, the external controller/charger system automatically decouples the external charging coil from the charging circuitry and couples it to the telemetry circuitry. The device and the implantable medical device then carry out the desired telemetry via the external charging coil. After a predetermined time, or after the telemetry session is complete, the external controller/charger system automatically decouples the external coil from the telemetry circuitry and recouples it to the charging circuitry.

Claims

1. An external system for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:

a data telemetry coil for communicating data to the implantable medical device; and

a charging coil for providing power to the implantable medical device during a charging session, wherein the charging coil additionally communicates data to the implantable medical device during the charging session.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising data telemetry circuitry, wherein the data telemetry circuitry is coupleable to either of the data telemetry coil or the charging coil.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data telemetry coil and the charging coil are contained in separate housings, and wherein the housings are connected by a cable.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data telemetry coil and the charging coil are contained in a single housing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data telemetry coil and the charging coil communicate data to the implantable medical device using the same communication protocol.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the communication protocol comprises Frequency Shift Keying.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the power comprises a non-modulated magnetic field.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging coil provides power at a first frequency and communicates the data at a second frequency.

9. An external system for an implantable medical device system, comprising:

a first coil for communicating with a third coil in the implantable medical device; and

a second coil for providing power to the implantable medical device and for communicating with the third coil in the implantable medical device.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising data telemetry circuitry, wherein the data telemetry circuitry is coupleable to either of the first coil or the second coil.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first coil and the second coil are contained in separate housings, and wherein the housings are connected by a cable.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first coil and the second coil are contained in a single housing.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first coil and the second coil communicate data with the implantable medical device using the same communication protocol.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication protocol comprises Frequency Shift Keying.

15. An implantable medical device system, comprising:

an external system; and

an implantable medical device,

wherein the external system comprises;

a first data telemetry coil for communicating with the implantable medical device; and

a first charging coil for providing power to the implantable medical device and for communicating with the implantable medical device.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising data telemetry circuitry, wherein the data telemetry circuitry couples to either of the first data telemetry coil or the first charging coil.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first data telemetry coil and the first charging coil communicate data with the implantable medical device using the same communication protocol.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication protocol comprises Frequency Shift Keying.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the power comprises a non-modulated magnetic field.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the first charging coil provides power at a first frequency and communicates at a second frequency.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first data telemetry coil communicates at the second frequency.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the first data telemetry coil communicates with a second data telemetry coil in the implantable medical device, wherein the first charging coil provides power to a second charging coil in the implantable medical device and communicates with the second data telemetry coil in the implantable medical device, and wherein the implantable device comprises the second data telemetry coil and the second charging coil.

23. An external system for communicating with an implantable medical device, comprising:

a data telemetry coil for communicating with the implantable medical device;

a charging coil for providing power to the implantable medical device during a charging session; and

data telemetry circuitry for transmitting data to the implantable medical device, wherein the data telemetry circuitry can be coupled to either the data telemetry coil or the charging coil.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the data telemetry circuitry is further for receiving data from the implantable medical device.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising tuning circuitry for tuning the charging coil to a first frequency when providing power to the implantable medical device, and for tuning the charging coil to a second frequency when coupled to the data telemetry circuitry.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the data telemetry coil is also tuned to the second frequency.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the data telemetry circuitry operates in accordance with a Frequency Shift Keying protocol.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein whether the data telemetry circuitry is coupled to the data telemetry coil or the charging coil depends on whether the charging session is currently active.

29. A method for communicating with an implantable medical device using an external system, comprising:

receiving a data telemetry request at the external system, wherein the data telemetry request involves data to be transmitted to or received from the implantable medical device; and

in response to the data telemetry request;

if the external system is not engaged in a charging session to provide power to the implantable medical device, transmitting or receiving the data through a telemetry coil in the external system;

if the external system is engaged in a charging session to provide power to the implantable medical device though a charging coil in the external system, transmitting or receiving the data through the charging coil in the external system.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the data telemetry request is generated automatically at the external system.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the data telemetry request results from a patient'"'"'s interaction with the external system.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein data is transmitted or received through the telemetry coil and the charging coil at the same frequency.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein data is transmitted or received through the telemetry coil and the charging coil using the same communication protocol.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein data is transmitted or received through the telemetry coil and the charging coil by coupling the telemetry coil and the charging coil to the same data telemetry circuitry in the external system.

35. A method for communicating with an implantable medical device using an external system, comprising:

providing power to the implantable medical system through a coil in the external system during a charging session;

receiving a data telemetry request at the external system to conduct a data telemetry session with the implantable medical device, wherein the data telemetry session comprises data to be transmitted to or received from the implantable medical device; and

interrupting the charging session to conduct at least a portion of the data telemetry session through the coil.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the data telemetry request is generated automatically at the external system.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the data telemetry request results from a patient'"'"'s interaction with the external system.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein interrupting the charging session comprising conducting the entire data telemetry session, and then resuming the charging session.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein interrupting the charging session comprising interleaving the data telemetry session and the charging session.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the coil is tuned to a first frequency during the charging session and is tuned to a second frequency when conducting the at least a portion of the data telemetry session.