External Charger for an Implantable Medical Device System Having a Coil for Communication and Charging

• US 20160096028A1
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• 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 9,968,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

Disclosed in an improved medical implantable device system including an improved external charger that is able to communicate with an external controller and IPG using the communication protocol (e.g., FSK) used to implement communications between the external controller and the implant. The external controller as modified uses its charging coil to charge the implant, and also to communicate with the other devices in the system. As such, the external charger is provided with transceiver circuitry operating in accordance with the protocol, and also includes tuning circuitry to tune the coil as necessary for communications or charging. Communication or charging access to the charging coil in the external charger is time multiplexed. The disclosed system allows charging information to be provided to the user interface of the external controller so that it can be reviewed by the user, who may take corrective action if necessary. Also disclosed are schemes for synchronizing and arbitrating communications between the devices in the system.

Claims

1. A method for operating an implantable medical device system, comprising:

charging an implantable medical device with a charging field generated from a coil in an external charger; and

communicating, using the coil in the external charger, with an external controller,

wherein a proportion of time that the coil in the external charger is used for the act of communicating is determined based on a degree of alignment between the external charger and the implantable medical device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the proportion of time during which the coil in the external charger is used for the act of communicating is greater when the degree of alignment between the external charger and the implantable medical device is lower.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of communicating comprises sending charging information to the external controller.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising conveying the charging information to a user via a user interface of the external controller.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of communicating comprises operating in one of two data transmit modes, comprising:

a fast data transmit mode in which a first proportion of time is used for the act of communicating; and

a slow data transmit mode in which a second proportion of time is used for the act of communicating, wherein the second proportion is smaller than the first proportion.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the act of communicating comprises initializing communications between the external charger and the external controller.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the act of communicating comprises defaulting to the fast data transmit mode after the communications are initialized.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of communicating comprises transitioning to the slow data transmit mode when a determined degree of alignment is observed.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the act of communicating comprises sending information regarding the alignment between the external charger and the implantable medical device in the fast data transmit mode.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of communicating comprises periodically interrupting the act of charging to listen for communications from the external controller.

12. An implantable medical device system, comprising:

an implantable medical device;

an external controller for communicating with the implantable medical device; and

an external charger comprising a coil, the external charger configured to;

generate a charging field, using the coil, for providing energy to the implantable medical device; and

periodically suspend generation of the charging field to communicate with the external controller using the coil, wherein a proportion of time during which generation of the charging field is suspended is determined based on a degree of alignment between the external charger and the implantable medical device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the proportion of time during which generation of the charging field is suspended is greater when the degree of alignment between the external charger and the implantable medical device is lower.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the external charger is configured to communicate charging information to the external controller during the suspension of the generation of the charging field.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the charging information comprises information regarding the degree of alignment between the external charger and the implantable medical device.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the external charger comprises a tuning circuit coupled to the coil, wherein the tuning circuit is configured to tune the coil to a first frequency for generating the charging field and a second frequency for communicating with the external controller.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the external charger is configured to generate the charging field and to periodically suspend generating the charging field in accordance with one of two operational modes, comprising:

a fast data transmit mode in which the generation of the charging field is suspended for a first proportion of time; and

a slow data transmit mode in which the generation of the charging field is suspended for a second proportion of time, wherein the second proportion is smaller than the first proportion.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the external charger is configured to communicate information regarding the degree of alignment between the external charger and the implantable medical device using the fast data transmit mode.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the external charger is configured to communicate charging information to the external controller using the slow data transmit mode.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the external controller comprises a user interface for conveying the charging information to a user.