Control unit having a deployable antenna

• US 7,983,760 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medos International Sarl (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Codman & Shurtleff Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Pipoz, Thierry, Ginggen, Alec
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram; Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US11/070,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,329 Days
• Field of Search: 607 59- 61, 607 30- 33
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

A control unit for an implantable medical device includes a housing and electronics within the housing. The electronics control an RF emission from the control unit. An antenna is pivotably connected to the housing. The antenna is movable between a stowed position where RF emission from the antenna is prevented and a deployed position where RF emission from the antenna is permitted. To use the external control unit to effect communication between an external control unit and an implanted medical device, the user places the external control unit within electronic communication range of the implanted medical device. The control unit antenna is moved from the stowed position to a deployed position where RF emission from the antenna is permitted. RF waves are emitted from the antenna to establish communication between the external control unit and the implanted medical device.

Claims

1. A method for effecting communication between an external control unit and an implanted medical device, wherein the external control unit has a housing;

electronics disposed on a pc board, for controlling an RF emission from the control unit, are disposed within the housing;

an arc shaped antenna is pivotably connected to the housing such that said antenna moves between a stowed position and a deployed position with respect to said housing in only one plane, the arc shaped antenna defines an antenna plane, in the stowed position the antenna plane is approximately coplanar with a plane defined by the pc board, in the stowed position the arc shaped antenna is both approximately coplanar with, and encircles the outer periphery of, the housing, said method comprising the steps of;

placing the external control unit within electronic communication range of the implanted medical device;

pivotably moving the control unit arc shaped antenna with respect to said housing in only one plane to a deployed position where RF emission from the arc shaped antenna is permitted; and

causing the emition of RF waves from the arc shaped antenna to establish communication between the external control unit and the implanted medical device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

causing the stopping of the emition of RF waves from the antenna; and

pivotably moving the control unit antenna with respect to said housing in only one plane to a stowed position where RF emission from the antenna is prevented.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

detecting the position of the antenna.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

preventing the emitting of RF waves from the antenna when the position of the antenna is detected to be in a stowed position.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

permitting the emitting of RF waves from the antenna when the position of the antenna is detected to be in a deployed position.

6. A method for effecting communication between an external control unit and an implanted medical device, wherein the external control unit has a housing;

electronics, for controlling an RF emission from the control unit, are disposed within an enclosed chamber of the housing;

an arc shaped antenna is pivotably connected to the housing such that said antenna moves with respect to said housing in only one plane, an arc shaped antenna is pivotably connected to the housing such that said antenna moves between a stowed position and a deployed position, in the stowed position the arc shaped antenna is both approximately coplanar with, and encircles the outer periphery of, the housing, said method comprising the steps of;

placing the external control unit within electronic communication range of the implanted medical device;

pivotably moving the control unit arc shaped antenna with respect to said housing in only one plane to a deployed position where RF emission from the antenna is permitted; and

causing the emition of RF waves from the arc shaped antenna to establish communication between the external control unit and the implanted medical device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

causing the stopping of the emition of RF waves from the antenna; and

pivotably moving the control unit antenna with respect to said housing in only one plane to a stowed position where RF emission from the antenna is prevented.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

detecting the position of the antenna.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

preventing the emitting of RF waves from the antenna when the position of the antenna is detected to be in a stowed position.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

permitting the emitting of RF waves from the antenna when the position of the antenna is detected to be in a deployed position.