Antenna on ceramic case
First Claim
1. A dipole antenna formed on an implantable microdevice, said implantable microdevice having a case, said case being a hollow cylinder having an inner and an outer surface and adapted for housing communications circuitry, said dipole antenna comprising:
- at least two radiating elements, wherein said radiating elements are electrically conducting and are formed of a thick film layer on said outer surface;
wherein said dipole antenna is electrically coupled to said communications circuitry to create a telemetry system for said implantable microdevice; and
wherein said case is comprised of a ceramic from the group consisting of alumina, glass, titania, zirconia, stabilized-zirconia, partially-stabilized zirconia, tetragonal zirconia, magnesia-stabilized zirconia, ceria-stabilized zirconia, calcia-stabilized zirconia, and yttria-stabilized zirconia.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is an antenna for use with an implantable microdevice, such as a microstimulator or microsensor, having a dipole antenna that is formed by ceramic processes on the inner or outer surface of the ceramic case of the microdevice. The antenna receives data transmitted from an external device, and transmits data to an external device. A dipole antenna may be formed from two radiating elements separated by an insulating material. A tuning circuit comprising capacitors and/or inductors is used to obtain resonance in the dipole antenna. In a preferred embodiment, the antenna is formed of a biocompatible material by applying a metal-containing paste to the ceramic case of the microdevice and thermally processing it.
59 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A dipole antenna formed on an implantable microdevice, said implantable microdevice having a case, said case being a hollow cylinder having an inner and an outer surface and adapted for housing communications circuitry, said dipole antenna comprising:
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at least two radiating elements, wherein said radiating elements are electrically conducting and are formed of a thick film layer on said outer surface; wherein said dipole antenna is electrically coupled to said communications circuitry to create a telemetry system for said implantable microdevice; and wherein said case is comprised of a ceramic from the group consisting of alumina, glass, titania, zirconia, stabilized-zirconia, partially-stabilized zirconia, tetragonal zirconia, magnesia-stabilized zirconia, ceria-stabilized zirconia, calcia-stabilized zirconia, and yttria-stabilized zirconia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A dipole antenna formed on the outer surface of a case, comprising:
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a tuning element that is electrically coupled to a radiating element, wherein said tuning element and said radiating element combine to form a resonant circuit; at least two radiating elements, wherein said radiating elements are electrically conducting and are formed of a thick film layer on the outer surface of the case; and
wherein said dipole antenna forms a loop antenna when immersed in electrically conductive living tissue; andwherein said case is comprised of a ceramic from the group consisting of alumina, glass, titania, zirconia, stabilized-zirconia, partially-stabilized zirconia, tetragonal zirconia, magnesia-stabilized zirconia, ceria-stabilized zirconia, calcia-stabilized zirconia, and yttria-stabilized zirconia.
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Specification