Methods and systems for providing a power signal to an implantable device

• US 8,099,169 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics LLC (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics LLC (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Karunasiri, Rankiri T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Evanisko, George
• Application Number:
  US12/782,009
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 607/136, 607/137, 607 55- 57, 607/33, 607/61, 607/32, 607/60
• US Class Current: 607/55
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37276 characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A push-pull amplifier efficiency provides a 4:1 (12 dB) course adjustment of power output by using a single digital control input. The amplifier is provided with an input voltage (VDD) having sixteen steps ranging from 1.25 volts to 3.00 volts. Based on the digital control, an integrated circuit switches between a high power mode and a low power mode. In the low power mode, the output voltage is equivalent to the input voltage. In the high power mode, the amplifier provides an output of twice the input voltage (or four times the power).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wide dynamic range power amplifier, a carrier signal, a data signal, and a control signal indicating one of a low power mode and a high power mode;

generating, by the wide dynamic range power amplifier, a first modulated signal based on the carrier signal and the data signal;

generating, by the wide dynamic range power amplifier, a second modulated signal based on the first modulated signal and the control signal, the second modulated signal being set to be equal to zero when the control signal indicates the low power mode and being set to be equal to a substantially 180-degree-phase shifted version of the first modulated signal when the control signal indicates the high power mode;

generating, by the wide dynamic range power amplifier, a first push-pull output signal based on the first modulated signal;

generating, by the wide dynamic range power amplifier, a second push-pull output signal based on the second modulated signal;

combining, by the wide dynamic range power amplifier, the first and second push-pull output signals to generate a primary voltage substantially equal to a voltage of the first push-pull output signal when the control signal indicates the low power mode and twice the voltage of the first push-pull output signal when the control signal indicates the high power mode; and

generating, by the wide dynamic range power amplifier, a power signal based on the primary voltage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a digital control signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the power signal based on the primary voltage comprises setting the power signal to have a first power level when the control signal indicates the low power mode and a second power level equal to four times the first power level when the control signal indicates the high power mode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the wide dynamic range power amplifier, the power signal to an implantable device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the first modulated signal comprises modulating the data signal onto the carrier signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modulated signal comprises a square wave.