EXTERNAL UNIT FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE COUPLED BY CORD

• US 20140148875A1
• Filed: 11/28/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bauhahn, Ruth E., Schommer, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,259,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/61
• 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

User interface for external power source, recharger, for an implantable medical device. At least some of patient controls and display icons of an energy transfer unit are common with at least some of the patient controls and the display icons of a patient control unit. An energy transfer unit is operable by the patient with less than three operative controls to control energy transfer from the external energy transfer unit to the implantable medical device. An external antenna having a primary coil can inductively transfer energy to a secondary coil of the implantable medical device when the external antenna is externally placed in proximity of the secondary coil. An energy transfer unit has an external telemetry coil allowing the energy transfer unit to communicate with the implantable medical device through the internal telemetry coil in order to at least partially control the therapeutic output of the implantable medical device.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device system, comprising:

an implantable medical device for providing a therapeutic output to a patient, said implantable medical device being configured to inductively couple energy with a secondary coil and configured to be transcutaneously controlled using an internal telemetry coil; and

an external antenna having a primary coil configured to inductively transfer energy to said secondary coil of said implantable medical device when said external antenna is externally placed in proximity of said secondary coil;

an external unit configured to be operatively coupled by a cord to said external antenna to inductively transfer energy to said implantable medical device;

said external unit having an external telemetry coil allowing said external unit to communicate with said implantable medical device through said internal telemetry coil in order to at least partially control said therapeutic output of said implantable medical device while transferring energy to said implantable medical device using said primary coil of said antenna.

2. The implantable medical device system as in claim 1 wherein said external unit comprises circuitry and wherein said circuitry of said external unit drives said external antenna to inductively transfer energy to said implantable medical device.

3. The implantable medical device system as in claim 1 wherein said external unit is configured to be attachable to said external antenna.

4. The system as in claim 1 wherein said external unit can control said implantable medical device to turn said therapeutic output on and off.

6. The system as in claim 1 wherein said implantable medical device has a rechargeable energy storage device and wherein said external unit charges said rechargeable energy storage device.

7. The system as in claim 1 wherein said external antenna comprises a temperature sensor operatively coupled to said external unit and wherein said external unit is configured to monitor a surface temperature of said external antenna.

8. The system as in claim 1 wherein said external unit comprises a display configured to display information regarding said system.

9. The system as in claim 8 wherein said display comprises a color display and wherein said information is displayed in a plurality of colors.

10. The system as in claim 9 wherein said plurality of colors comprises differing shades of gray.

11. The system as in claim 1 wherein said external unit comprises a rechargeable power source operatively coupled to said circuitry of said external unit.

12. The system as in claim 1 wherein said external unit is configured to be operated with said external unit lacking a screen and input buttons.

13. The system as in claim 1 wherein said external unit is configured to be operated without an internal power source.

14. The system as in claim 1 wherein said external unit is configured to be operated with said external unit lacking a screen and input buttons and without an internal power source.

5. (canceled)

15. An external energy transfer system configured to transcutaneously transfer energy to an implantable medical device for providing a therapeutic output to a patient, said implantable medical device capable of receiving inductively coupled energy with a secondary coil and being capable of being transcutaneously controlled using an internal telemetry coil, comprising:

an external antenna having a primary coil configured to inductively transfer energy to said secondary coil of said implantable medical device when said external antenna is externally placed in proximity of said secondary coil; and

an external unit configured to be operatively coupled by a cord to said external antenna driving said primary coil to inductively transfer energy to said implantable medical device;

said external unit having an external telemetry coil allowing said external unit to communicate with said implantable medical device through said internal telemetry coil in order to at least partially control said therapeutic output of said implantable medical device while transferring energy to said implantable medical device using said primary coil of said antenna.

16. The external energy transfer system as in claim 15 wherein said external unit comprises circuitry and wherein said circuitry of said external unit drives said external antenna to inductively transfer energy to said implantable medical device.

17. The external energy transfer system as in claim 15 wherein said external unit is configured to be attachable to said external antenna.

18. The external energy transfer system as in claim 15 wherein said external unit can control said implantable medical device to turn said therapeutic output on and off.

20. The external energy transfer system as in claim 15 wherein said implantable medical device has a rechargeable energy storage device and wherein said external unit charges said rechargeable energy storage device.

21. The external energy transfer system as in claim 15 wherein said external antenna comprises a temperature sensor operatively coupled to said external unit and wherein said external unit is configured to monitor a surface temperature of said external antenna.

22. The external energy transfer system as in claim 15 wherein said external unit comprises a display configured to display information regarding said system.

23. The external energy transfer system as in claim 22 wherein said display comprises a color display and wherein said information is displayed in a plurality of colors.

24. The external energy transfer system as in claim 23 wherein said plurality of colors comprises differing shades of gray.

25. The external energy transfer system as in claim 15 wherein said external unit comprises a rechargeable power source operatively coupled to said circuitry of said external unit.

26. The external energy transfer system as in claim 15 wherein said external unit is configured to be operated with said external unit lacking a screen and input buttons.

27. The external energy transfer system as in claim 15 wherein said external unit is configured to be operated without an internal power source.

28. The external energy transfer system as in claim 15 wherein said external unit is configured to be operated with said external unit lacking a screen and input buttons and without an internal power source.

19. (canceled)

29. A method of controlling an implantable medical device for providing a therapeutic output, said implantable medical device capable of receiving inductively coupled energy with a secondary coil and being capable of being transcutaneously controlled using an internal telemetry coil, comprising the steps of:

inductively transferring energy to said secondary coil with an external antenna having a primary coil when said external antenna is externally placed in proximity of said secondary coil;

driving said primary coil with an external unit operatively coupled by a cord to said external antenna to inductively transfer energy to said implantable medical device; and

communicating, simultaneous with said inductively transferring step, with an external telemetry coil in said external unit with said implantable medical device through said internal telemetry coil in order to at least partially control said therapeutic output of said implantable medical device.

30. The method as in claim 29 wherein said driving step further comprises driving said external antenna with circuitry of said external unit to inductively transfer energy to said implantable medical device.

31. The method as in claim 29 wherein said external unit is configured to be attachable to said external antenna.

32. The method as in claim 29 wherein said communicating step is operable to turn said therapeutic output on and off.

34. The method as in claim 29 wherein said implantable medical device has a rechargeable energy storage device and wherein said external unit charges said rechargeable energy storage device.

35. The method as in claim 29 further comprising the step of monitoring a surface temperature of said external antenna with a temperature sensor.

36. The method as in claim 29 further comprising the step of displaying information regarding said system using a display.

37. The method as in claim 36 wherein said display comprises a color display and wherein said displaying step displays said information in a plurality of colors.

38. The method as in claim 37 wherein said plurality of colors comprises differing shades of gray.

39. The method as in claim 29 wherein said external unit comprises a rechargeable power source operatively coupled to said circuitry of said external unit.

40. The method as in claim 29 wherein said external unit is configured to be operated with said external unit lacking a screen and input buttons.

41. The method as in claim 29 wherein said external unit is configured to be operated without an internal power source.

42. The method as in claim 29 wherein said external unit is configured to be operated with said external unit lacking a screen and input buttons and without an internal power source.

33. (canceled)