Device for optimizing transmitting energy and transmitting position for an implantable electrical stimulator

• US 7,912,547 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Shieh, Pei Ying, Chou, Yu Kon, Tseng, Kuo Hua
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow; Scott M
• Assistant Examiner(s): HULBERT, AMANDA K
• Application Number:
  US11/907,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20080039899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 607 32- 33, 607 60- 61
• US Class Current: 607/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3603 Control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile

Abstract

A device for optimizing transmitting energy and transmitting position for an implantable electrical stimulator is provided. The device utilizes a design of a wireless energy transmitting and positioning device with an external energy-feedback control, which can automatically detect an optimum energy-transmitting position through an external antenna performing an adjustable energy transmission method, and through a wireless-feedback control method to provide the optimum energy. As such, the implantable electrical stimulator can exactly and effectively stimulate the nervous muscle.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing transmitting energy and transmitting position for an implantable electronic element, comprising:

activating an external energy-transmitting module having an energy-transmitting antenna to drive said energy-transmitting antenna to emit energy;

receiving said energy by an internal implantable module and determining by said internal implantable module based on said energy whether to drive said implantable electronic element or generate a feedback signal, wherein said implantable electronic element is driven if said energy is sufficient, and if said energy is insufficient, said feedback signal is generated;

receiving said feedback signal by said external energy-transmitting module to determine an optimum power control mode for transmitting energy, a position of said energy-transmitting antenna is only adjusted when said implantable electronic element is not being driven; and

transmitting energy based on said optimum power control mode for transmitting energy by said external energy-transmitting module;

wherein said external energy-transmitting module receives said feedback signal and determines based on said feedback signal the relative position and the distance of said implantable electronic element and said energy-transmitting antenna to determine the optimum power control mode for transmitting energy, and an optimum orientation of said energy-transmitting antenna and its optimum transmission energy are determined accordingly, the position of said energy-transmitting antenna is adjusted based on the optimum orientation if necessary.

2. The method for optimizing transmitting energy and transmitting position for an implantable electronic element of claim 1, wherein further comprising adjusting the position of said energy-transmitting antenna when said feedback signal has not been received by said external energy-transmitting module, until said feedback signal is received.

3. The method for optimizing transmitting energy and transmitting position for an implantable electronic element of claim 2, wherein further comprising displaying the optimum orientation and the optimum transmission energy for said energy-transmitting antenna based on said optimum power control mode for transmitting energy.

4. The method for optimizing transmitting energy and transmitting position for an implantable electronic element of claim 2, wherein said implantable electronic element is an implantable electrical stimulator.

5. The method for optimizing transmitting energy and transmitting position for an implantable electronic element of claim 1, wherein further comprising displaying the optimum orientation and the optimum transmission energy for said energy-transmitting antenna based on said optimum power control mode for transmitting energy.

6. The method for optimizing transmitting energy and transmitting position for an implantable electronic element of claim 1, wherein said implantable electronic element is an implantable electrical stimulator.

7. A method for optimizing transmitting energy and transmitting position for an implantable electronic element, comprising:

activating an external energy-transmitting module by a first energy-transmitting antenna approaching an internal implantable module to perform wireless energy transmission;

receiving the wireless energy transmission by a second-energy-transmitting antenna of the internal implantable module;

converting the wireless energy transmission into a second electronic signal and sending the second electronic signal to a feedback modulation control circuit;

determining based on the second electronic signal whether the energy is enough to drive an electrical stimulation control circuit and when the energy is enough, then driving the electrical stimulation control circuit and performing electrical stimulation;

detecting the voltage level of an energy-storing capacitor if the energy is not enough to drive the electrical stimulation control circuit;

determining a feedback signal based on the voltage level of the energy-storing capacitor;

activating the feedback modulation control circuit to transmit the feedback signal;

detecting the feedback signal by the first energy-transmitting antenna wherein if no feedback signal is detected, then, the position of the first energy-transmitting antenna is adjusted until the feedback signal is detected by the first energy-transmitting antenna;

converting the feedback signal into a first electronic signal;

sending the first electronic signal to an adjustable power control circuit;

determining inclination angle and distance of the second energy-transmitting antenna and the first energy-transmitting antenna;

determining the optimum power control mode based on inclination angle and distance of the second energy-transmitting antenna and the first energy-transmitting antenna; and

adjusting the position of the internal implantable module based on the optimum orientation.