Electronic device with dual purpose inductive element

• US 7,657,320 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chadwick, Peter Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Manuel; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wieland; Robert N
• Application Number:
  US11/463,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20080039903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 607/60, 600/549, 600/561, 455/127.1, 455/572, 136/246, 290/1.A, 307/66, 315/247, 315/291, 315/308, 315/312, 322/24, 322/28, 323222-226, 323/235, 323/237, 323/247, 323/255, 323/283, 330/123, 330/126
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/248 provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device comprising an inductive element configured to function in a communication mode as an antenna for picking up communication signals, and in a power conversion mode as an inductive element configured to be the energy storage inductor in a switching regulator used for conditioning the power available from an internal power source to power for powering the device, and a controllable switch for switching between said communication mode and said power conversion mode. The communications system further comprises a controllable switch for connecting said inductive element to either said receiver or said power conversion circuit. The controllable switch switches the system between the communication mode and the power conversion mode by means of unipolar or bipolar transistor switches or by mechanical switches or relays. The communication system may be used in an in-vivo medical device.

Claims

1. An in-vivo electronic device, comprising:

a switching regulator power converter selected from the group consisting of a Buck converter and a Boost converter for converting energy extracted from a power source to powering the device having a first pair of terminals;

a common inductive element configured to function in a communication mode as an antenna for inductively picking up communication signals, and in a power conversion mode as an inductive element of the switching regulator power conversion, said inductive element having a second pair of terminals;

a receiver for receiving said inductively picked up communications signals having a third pair of terminals;

a controllable switch for switching respective terminals of said first pair of terminals between corresponding terminals of said second pair of terminals and said third pair of terminals on a time-multiplexed basis to change between said communication mode and said power conversion mode; and

a microcontroller for controlling said switch to select said second pair of terminals or said third pair of terminals according to the requirements of latency and length of the messages to be received.

2. An electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controllable switch comprises unipolar or bipolar transistor switches or mechanical switches or relays.

3. An electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a capacitor is connected between said third pair of terminals, said capacitor having a value selected to form a resonant circuit with said inductor when said respective terminals of said first pair of terminals are connected to said corresponding terminals of said third pair of terminals.