Neurostimulator programmer with internal antenna

• US 7,561,921 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Phillips, William C., Forsberg, John W., Olson, David P., Schommer, Mark E., Lewis, Charles R. Jr., Toy, Alex C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heller; Tammie K.
• Application Number:
  US10/693,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20050075691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 607 30- 32, 607 59- 60, 128903-904, 361/142, 361/625, 455/75, 455/100
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• 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: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

In general, the invention is directed to a patient programmer for an implantable medical device. The patient programmer may include one or more of a variety of features that may enhance performance, support mobility and compactness, or promote patient convenience. For example, the patient programmer may include an internal antenna for RF telemetry with the implantable medical device. The internal antenna may have a loop-like structure that defines a central aperture. A battery bay may extend at least partially into the antenna aperture from the patient programmer housing. One or more batteries may be mounted in the battery bay within the antenna aperture. In some cases, the batteries may contribute favorably to the RF load presented to the internal antenna. In particular, the batteries may present an additional load to the internal antenna, enhancing immunity to electrical and electromagnetic interference during telemetry sessions with the implantable medical device.

Claims

1. A programmer for a medical device, the programmer comprising:

a first housing member;

a first circuit board within the first housing member;

an internal antenna mounted within the first housing member, wherein the internal antenna defines an aperture;

a second circuit board disposed over the first circuit board within the first housing member;

a battery bay that extends into the programmer in substantial alignment with the aperture, wherein the battery bay extends at least partially into the aperture; and

a second housing member disposed over the second circuit board to substantially enclose the first and second circuit boards, wherein the first housing member includes an area that defines the battery bay adjacent the first circuit board.

2. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the battery bay is oriented such that batteries placed in the battery bay present a load to the internal antenna.

3. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the battery bay is sized to accommodate AAA batteries.

4. The programmer of claim 1, further comprising an access opening in the first housing member to gain access to the battery bay for placement of batteries within the battery bay.

5. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the internal antenna is displaced from the first circuit board and coupled to the first circuit board via a connector.

6. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the internal antenna is mounted to the first circuit board on a side of the first circuit board opposite the second circuit board, and a display is mounted to the second circuit board on a side of the second circuit board opposite the first circuit board.

7. The programmer of claim 6, wherein the first circuit board includes telemetry circuitry and the second circuit board includes control circuitry to control the display and the telemetry circuitry, the programmer further comprising an electrical interface between the first and second circuit boards.

8. The programmer of claim 7, wherein the medical device is an implantable neurostimulator, and wherein the telemetry circuitry transmits signals to the implantable neurostimulator via the antenna and processes signals received from the implantable neurostimulator via the antenna.

9. The programmer of claim 7, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

10. The programmer of claim 1, further comprising an external antenna coupled to the programmer via a cable.

11. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the internal antenna comprises a plastic frame wound with conductive winding.

12. The programmer of claim 11, wherein the internal antenna comprises copper braid shielding substantially surrounding the plastic frame and the conductive winding.

14. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the medical device is an implantable neurostimulator.

15. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the internal antenna is mounted to the first circuit board, and a space between the internal antenna and the first circuit board is substantially filled by the battery bay extending into the antenna aperture.

16. The programmer of claim 1, further comprising a telemetry interface coupled to the internal antenna, wherein the telemetry interface drives the internal antenna to transmit instructions to the medical device and processes signals received from the medical device via the internal antenna.

17. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the internal antenna defines a substantially closed loop.

18. The programmer of claim 17, wherein the aperture defined by the internal antenna is substantially central within the closed loop.

13. The programmer of clam 1, wherein the internal antenna comprises a loop-like shape that defines the aperture.

19. A programmer for a medical device, the programmer comprising:

a programmer housing;

a circuit board within the programmer housing;

an internal antenna mounted within the programmer housing and connected to the circuit board via a connector, wherein the internal antenna defines an aperture, and wherein the internal antenna is displaced from the circuit board; and

a battery bay formed within the programmer housing, the battery bay being aligned substantially concentrically with the aperture, wherein the battery bay extends at least partially into the aperture.

20. The programmer of claim 19, wherein the battery bay is oriented such that batteries placed in the battery bay present a load to the internal antenna.

21. The programmer of claim 19, wherein the battery bay is sized to accommodate AAA batteries.

22. The programmer of claim 19, wherein the circuit board comprises a first circuit board, and wherein the programmer housing comprises:

a first housing member, wherein the first circuit board is within the first housing member, and

a second housing member, the programmer further comprising a second circuit board disposed over the first circuit board within the first housing member, wherein the second housing member is disposed over the second circuit board to substantially enclose the first and second circuit boards, and wherein the first housing member includes a molded area that defines the battery bay adjacent the first circuit board.

23. The programmer of claim 22, further comprising an access opening in the first housing member to gain access to the battery bay for placement of batteries within the battery bay.

24. The programmer of claim 22, wherein the internal antenna is mounted to the first circuit board on a side of the first circuit board opposite the second circuit board, and a display is mounted to the second circuit board on a side of the second circuit board opposite the first circuit board.

25. The programmer of claim 24, wherein the first circuit board includes telemetry circuitry and the second circuit board includes control circuitry to control the display and the telemetry circuitry, the programmer further comprising an electrical interface between the first and second circuit boards.

26. The programmer of claim 24, wherein the medical device is an implantable neurostimulator, and wherein the telemetry circuitry transmits signals to the implantable neurostimulator via the antenna and processes signals received from the medical device via the antenna.

27. The programmer of claim 24, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

28. The programmer of claim 19, further comprising an external antenna coupled to the programmer via a cable.

29. The programmer of claim 19, wherein the internal antenna comprises a plastic frame wound with conductive winding.

30. The programmer of claim 29, wherein the internal antenna comprises copper braid shielding substantially surrounding the plastic frame and the conductive winding.

31. The programmer of claim 19, wherein the internal antenna comprises a loop-like shape that defines the aperture.

32. The programmer of claim 19, wherein the medical device is an implantable neurostimulator.

33. The programmer of claim 19, wherein a space between the antenna and the circuit board is substantially filled by the battery bay extending into the antenna aperture.

34. A programmer for a medical device, the programmer comprising:

a first housing member;

a first circuit board within the first housing member;

an internal antenna that defines an aperture, the internal antenna being mounted to the first circuit board;

a battery bay formed in the first housing member adjacent the first circuit board, wherein the battery bay extends into the programmer in substantial alignment with the aperture of the internal antenna, and wherein the battery bay is aligned substantially concentrically with the aperture, and extends at least partially into the aperture;

an access opening in the first housing member to gain access to the battery bay for placement of batteries in the battery bay;

a second circuit board disposed over the first circuit board within the first housing member; and

a second housing member disposed over the second circuit board to substantially enclose the first and second circuit boards.