Method and System for Powering an Electronic Device

• US 20150094555A1
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: He, Lei
• Granted Patent: US 9,380,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/347
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1451 for interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14865 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing a power supply to a device, including an inductive rechargeable power supply for a data monitoring and management system in which a high frequency magnetic field is generated to provide power supply to a rechargeable power source such as a battery of a transmitter unit in the data monitoring and management system are provided.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a magnetic field at a receiver unit during a time period associated with data communication between sensor electronics and the receiver unit, wherein generating the magnetic field is programmed to turn on or turn off only during the time period, and wherein the sensor electronics is operatively coupled to an analyte sensor in fluid contact with interstitial fluid, wherein one or more signals are generated by the analyte sensor and associated with a monitored analyte level;

inductively coupling a rechargeable power source of the sensor electronics when the sensor electronics is placed within a predetermined distance from the generated magnetic field during the time period associated with the data communication; and

communicating data associated with the monitored analyte level from the sensor electronics to the receiver unit during the time period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing wireless communication between the sensor electronics and the receiver unit during the time period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing the wireless communication includes determining a signal strength from the sensor electronics and comparing the determined signal strength to a signal strength threshold level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the magnetic field is programmed to automatically turn on or turn off during the time period in response to a manual input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the time period includes a time to transmit two or more signals from the sensor electronics to the receiver unit.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the magnetic field in response to receiving a command at the receiver unit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more signals are communicated over a radio frequency (RF) communication link.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyte sensor includes a glucose sensor having a plurality of electrodes including a working electrode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the working electrode comprises an analyte-responsive enzyme and a mediator, wherein at least one of the analyte-responsive enzyme and the mediator is chemically bonded to a polymer disposed on the working electrode, and wherein at least one of the analyte-responsive enzyme and the mediator is crosslinked with the polymer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored analyte level includes a monitored glucose level, a monitored lactate level, or a monitored ketone level.

11. An analyte monitoring system, comprising:

an analyte sensor positioned in fluid contact with interstitial fluid under a skin layer, the analyte sensor configured to generate signals associated with monitored analyte level in the interstitial fluid;

a receiver unit including a magnetic field generator unit configured to generate a magnetic field for a predetermined time period in response to a command; and

sensor electronics coupled to the analyte sensor for processing the signals generated by the analyte sensor, the sensor electronics configured to inductively couple to the receiver unit when positioned at a predetermined distance from the generated magnetic field of the receiver unit during the predetermined time period;

wherein the magnetic field generator unit is configured to turn on or turn off the generation of the magnetic field only during the predetermined time period to inductively couple the sensor electronics and the receiver unit.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the receiver unit is configured to establish a wireless communication range with the sensor electronics.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the receiver unit is configured to establish the wireless communication range by determining a signal strength from the sensor electronics and comparing the determined signal strength to a signal strength threshold level.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the receiver unit includes an input unit for manual input of the command.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the predetermined time period includes a time to transmit two or more signals from the sensor electronics to the receiver unit.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the magnetic field generator unit is configured to generate the magnetic field in response to receiving the manual command.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more signals are communicated over a radio frequency (RF) communication link.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the analyte sensor includes a glucose sensor having a plurality of electrodes including a working electrode.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the working electrode comprises an analyte-responsive enzyme and a mediator, wherein at least one of the analyte-responsive enzyme and the mediator is chemically bonded to a polymer disposed on the working electrode, and wherein at least one of the analyte-responsive enzyme and the mediator is crosslinked with the polymer.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more signals are associated with a monitored glucose level, a monitored lactate level, or a monitored ketone level.