High value capacitive, replenishable power source

• US 5,769,877 A
• Filed: 09/10/1996
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Plexus Corporation
• Inventors: Barreras, Francisco Jose Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US08/711,038
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/32, 607/33, 607/61
• US Class Current: 607/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

The implantable device includes a power supply including a high value, small sized capacitor having at least a capacitive rating of 0.1 farads which is completely contained within the implantable device. This high value, small size capacitor or series of capacitors enables the implantable device to deliver, on a controlled and continual basis, electric energy over at least an eight hour period. Further, the capacitive power source is replenished via an external, RF coupled device on a daily or other long term periodic basis. During the replenishing cycle, the energy contained in the battery of the external transmitter is transferred to the internal capacitive power source in the implantable device. The method includes providing, on an exclusive basis, power to an implantable device via a high value capacitive source during at least an eight hour cycle of substantially continual delivery of electric energy. The method includes incorporating and containing a capacitive device in the implantable device wherein the capacitive device has a capacitive rating of at least 0.1 farads. The capacitive device captures and stores a pre-determined amount of coulombs of electrical energy. This electrical energy is utilized to power the implantable device during at least an eight hour cycle during substantial continual delivery of electrical energy. The replenishment unit can be programmed to interrogate the implanted device and reprogram the implanted device upon detection of a lower power status signal. Also, automatic as well as manually commanded replenishment routines are established between the replenishment unit and the implanted device. Data transmission, error detection routines are established for the programming of the implanted device.

Claims

1. A replenishable, power supply system contained within an implantable device, sufficient to supply power to said implantable device on an exclusive basis over at least a portion of a day, said power source including a high value, small size capacitive energy storage unit having a capacitive rating of at least 0.1 farads;

an inductor coil adapted to gather emf power transmissions, rectifying means and means for controlling the level of charge in said capacitive energy storage unit, all electrically coupled to said capacitive energy storage unit and incorporated into said implantable stimulator;

a low level charge detector, electrically coupled to said capacitive energy source, for detecting and issuing a "charge" low command signal when the charge in said capacitive energy source falls below a predetermined level,

a telemetry circuit coupled to said detector and receiving said "charge" low command signal, said telemetry circuit transmitting a signal representative of said command signal;

means, external to said implantable device and not adapted for implantation, for replenishing said capacitive energy storage unit up to its maximum rated voltage by generating said emf power transmissions near said inductor coil;

said replenishing means having a corresponding telemetry circuits said corresponding telemetry circuit receiving said signal representative of said "charge" low command signal; and

,

means for controlling said means for replenishing, said means for controlling being coupled to said corresponding telemetry circuit and activating said means for replenishing upon receipt of said signal representative of said "charge" low command signal.

2. A power source contained within an implantable device and being sufficient to supply power to said implantable device on an exclusive basis over at least part of a day, said power source including a high value, small size capacitive energy storage unit having a capacitive rating of at least 0.1 farads;

an inductor coil adapted to gather emf power transmissions, a rectifier and charge level control means, all electrically coupled to said capacitive energy storage unit and incorporated into said implantable device;

a "charge" high detector, electrically coupled to said capacitive energy source, for detecting and issuing a "charge" high command signal when the charge in said capacitive energy source exceeds a predetermined level,

a telemetry circuit coupled to said detector and receiving said "charge" high command signal, said telemetry circuit transmitting a signal representative of said "charge" high command signal;

means, external to said implantable device and not adapted for implantation, for replenishing said capacitive energy storage unit up to its maximum rated voltage by generating said emf power transmissions near said inductor coil;

said replenishing means having a corresponding telemetry circuit, said corresponding telemetry circuit receiving said signal representative of said "charge" high command signal; and

,

means for controlling said means for replenishing, said means for controlling coupled to said corresponding telemetry circuit and deactivating said means for replenishing upon receipt of said signal representative of said "charge" high command signal.

3. A power source contained within an implantable device and being sufficient to supply power to said implantable device on an exclusive basis over at least a portion of a day, said power source including a high value, small size capacitive energy storage unit having a capacitive rating of at least 0.1 farads;

and

an inductor coil adapted to gather emf power transmissions, rectifying means and charge level control means, all electrically coupled to said capacitive energy storage unit and incorporated into said implantable device, for supplying replenishing current to said capacitive energy storage unit.

4. A power source as claimed in claim 3 wherein said capacitive energy storage unit has a large enough capacitive rating to exclusively and solely provide power to all portions of said implantable device during at least an 8 hour period.

5. A power source as claimed in claim 3 combined with an external means for replenishing said capacitive power source unit up to its maximum rated voltage by generating said emf power transmissions near said inductor coil.

6. A power source combined with external means for replenishing said capacitor energy source unit as claimed in claim 5 wherein said external means for replenishing said capacitive energy source unit up to its maximum rated voltage replenishes said capacitive energy storage unit within two hours or less in the presence of said EMF power transmission near said inductor coil.

7. A power source combined with external means for replenishing said capacitive energy storage unit defining a power system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said external means for replenishing is powered by one of a primary or rechargeable battery, and is capable of non-invasively transferring the energy from its battery to the capacitive power source within said implanted device utilizing EMF power transmissions within a frequency spectrum from 50 Hertz to 500 KiloHertz.

8. A power source system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said implantable device includes means, coupled to said means for detecting, for signaling to said external means for replenishing via specific telemetry code, the completion of the replenishing cycle.

9. A power source system as claimed in claim 7 including means disposed in said external means for replenishing for detecting said telemetry signal generated by said implantable device to indicate completion of the replenishing cycle.

10. A power source system as claimed in claim 7 including one of an audible and visual indicator for alerting the user of completion of the replenishing cycle as part of said means for replenishing.

11. A power source as claimed in claim 3 wherein said capacitor is a single, high value, small size capacitor.

12. A power source as claimed in claim 3 wherein said capacitor is a plurality of high value, small size capacitors electrically coupled together in parallel wherein said plurality of capacitors, as a single electronic unit have a capacitive rating of at least 0.1 farads or higher.

13. A power source as claimed in claim 3 wherein said small size capacitive energy storage unit has a volumetric size less than 4.0 cubic centimeters, and is contained within said implantable device.

14. A power source as claimed in claim 3 including means, coupled to said capacitive energy storage unit, for detecting when charge in said capacitive energy storage unit, has exceeded a threshold level indicative of a full capacitive power source.

15. A power source system, contained within an implantable device, sufficient to supply power to said implantable device on an exclusive basis over at least a portion of a day, said power source including a high value, small size capacitive energy storage unit having a capacitive rating of at least 0.1 farads;

an inductor coil adapted to gather emf power transmissions, a rectifier and charge level control means, all electrically coupled to said capacitive energy storage unit and incorporated into said implantable device;

a "charge" low detector, electrically coupled to said capacitive energy source, for detecting and issuing a command signal when the charge in said capacitive energy source falls below a predetermined level;

a telemetry circuit coupled to said detector and receiving said "charge" low command signal, said telemetry circuit transmitting a signal representative of said "charge" low command signal; and

,

a micro-controller with a non-volatile memory storing a program and providing means for controlling the delivery of medical therapy or diagnostic function based upon the stored program;

means, external to said implantable device and not adapted for implantation, for replenishing said capacitive energy storage unit up to its maximum rated voltage by generating said emf power transmissions near said inductor coil;

said replenishing means having;

a corresponding telemetry circuit;

a corresponding micro-controller with a memory storing a primary program for said implantable device;

said corresponding telemetry circuit receiving said signal representative of said low charge and passing said representative "charge" low signal to said corresponding micro-controller;

said corresponding micro-controller having means for responding to said representative low charge signal and means for up loading said primary program via said corresponding telemetry circuit, said micro-controller controlling said means for replenishing said capacitive energy storage unit up to its maximum rated voltage and activating the same upon receipt of said representative low charge signal.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said external means for replenishing includes a user actuable control and means to increase, diminish, start or stop the operating parameters via commands based upon user actuation of said user actuable control, and said corresponding micro-controller having means to transfer said commands to the implanted microcontroller via said telemetry circuits, said implanted microcontroller having means for altering said operating parameters in the program based upon said specific commands.

17. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said external means for replenishing and said implantable device includes means for checking the exchange of telemetry data and commands therebetween.

18. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said external means for replenishing and said implantable device includes means for checking the validity of telemetry data and commands therebetween, a respective means for checking utilizing said implanted micro-controller and memory and said corresponding micro-controller and memory in said means for replenishing.

19. A system as claimed in claim 18 wherein said means to interrogate includes means to re-program said implant micro-controller and memory upon detection of an invalid program.

20. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said external means for replenishing includes, as part of said corresponding micro-controller and memory, means to interrogate said implant micro-controller and memory in order to ascertain the validity of said operating parameters stored therein.

21. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein, said implantable device includes:

a "charge" high detector, electrically coupled to said capacitive energy source, for detecting and issuing a "charge" high command signal when the charge in said capacitive energy source exceeds a predetermined high level; and

,

said telemetry circuit includes means to transmit a signal representative of said "charge" high command signal; and

,

said means for replenishing includes;

means, as part of said means for controlling, for deactivating said means for replenishing upon receipt of said signal representative of said "charge" high command signal.

22. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said implantable device includes a voltage level detection circuit, coupled to said power source, said voltage level detection circuit having means for determining the voltage across said power source.

23. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said implantable device includes means for electrically decoupling said inductor coil from said power source upon detecting a maximum voltage level from said voltage level detection circuit.

24. A power source contained within an implantable device having an electrical apparatus therein and being sufficient to supply power to said electrical apparatus, said power source including a high value, small size replenishable capacitive energy storage unit;

a receiving inductor coil situated in said implantable device and adapted to gather emf power transmissions;

rectifying means coupled electrically to said inductor coil;

and charge level control means electrically coupled a) between said rectifying means and said electrical apparatus for supplying electric power directly to said electrical apparatus and/or b) between said rectifying means and said replenishable capacitive energy storage unit for supplying replenishing electric power simultaneously to or only to said replenishable capacitive energy storage unit at a constant voltage.

25. The power source of claim 24 including a separate replenishing apparatus including a power supply, alternating voltage generating means coupled to said power supply and a transmitting inductor coil coupled to said alternating voltage generating means, said replenishing apparatus being positionable adjacent to said implanted device for supplying emf power transmissions to said receiving inductor coil.

26. The replenishing apparatus of claim 25 wherein said power supply includes a battery and an AC-DC converter unit coupled to said battery.

27. The power source of claim 24 wherein said electrical apparatus includes control circuitry for disabling said electrical apparatus when the charge level supplied thereto drops below a predetermined value and for enabling said electrical apparatus when the charge level supplied thereto from said charge level control means rises above a predetermined level as a result of said receiving inductor coil gathering emf power transmissions.

28. The power source of claim 24 wherein said electrical apparatus is automatically powered by said capacitive energy storage apparatus when said receiving inductor coil stops gathering emf power transmissions.

29. The power source of claim 24 wherein said implanted medical device is a tissue/nerve stimulator.

30. The power source of claim 24 wherein said implanted medical device is a pacemaker.

31. The power source of claim 24 wherein said implanted medical device is a drug delivery device.

32. The power source of claim 24 wherein said implanted medical device is a diagnostic device.

33. The power source of claim 24 wherein said implanted medical device is a defibrillator.