Variable antenna matching network for an implantable antenna

• US 8,174,460 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2008
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Larson, Dennis E., Rawat, Prashant, Kollmann, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tho G
• Application Number:
  US12/182,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20080288028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 343/850, 343/860, 343/861, 607/36, 607/60, 607/61
• US Class Current: 343/861
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H

Abstract

An implantable medical device can include an implantable antenna for communication with external devices or other internal devices. Changes in the patient'"'"'s body position, weight, composition or other factors may change the efficiency of the implantable antenna and hinder communication. The disclosed circuit can calculate a value for a matching network for an implantable telemetry circuit to decrease an impedance difference between the implantable telemetry circuit and the implantable antenna or increase or maximize a communication power transfer value associated with the implantable medical device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an implantable medical device including;

an implantable telemetry circuit;

an implantable antenna;

a matching circuit, coupled to the antenna;

an impedance detector circuit, coupled between the implantable telemetry circuit and the matching circuit, the impedance detector circuit configured to detect an impedance of at least one of the implantable telemetry circuit or the implantable antenna; and

a control circuit, coupled to the impedance detector circuit and the matching circuit, the control circuit configured to use the detected impedance as a control input to calculate a value for the matching circuit that decreases an impedance difference between the implantable telemetry circuit and the implantable antenna or increases or maximizes a communication power transfer value associated with the implantable medical device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impedance detector circuit is configured to detect an impedance of the implantable telemetry circuit;

and

wherein the control circuit is configured to use the detected implantable telemetry circuit impedance as the control input.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impedance detector circuit is configured to detect an impedance of the implantable antenna;

and

wherein the control circuit is configured to use the detected implantable antenna impedance as the control input.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to use the detected impedance as a control input to calculate a value for the matching circuit that decreases an impedance difference between the implantable telemetry circuit and the implantable antenna.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to use the detected impedance as a control input to calculate a value for the matching circuit that increases or maximizes a communication power transfer value associated with the implantable medical device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impedance detector includes an impedance mismatch detector configured to detect an indication of an impedance mismatch between the implantable telemetry circuit and the implantable antenna;

and

wherein the control circuit is configured to use the indication of the impedance mismatch as a control input to calculate a value for the matching circuit that decreases the impedance mismatch.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impedance detector includes an impedance mismatch detector configured to detect an indication of an impedance mismatch between the implantable telemetry circuit and the implantable antenna;

and

wherein the control circuit is configured to use the indication of the impedance mismatch as a control input to calculate a value for the matching circuit that increases or maximizes a communication power transfer value associated with the implantable medical device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an effective impedance of the implantable antenna is variable dependent upon at least one of whether the implantable antenna is implanted into a subject, a location at which the implantable antenna is implanted into the subject, a body composition, or a body shape of the subject.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the effective impedance of the implantable antenna is variable dependent upon whether the implantable antenna is implanted into the subject.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the effective impedance of the implantable antenna is variable dependent upon the location at which the implantable antenna is implanted into the subject.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the effective impedance of the implantable antenna is variable dependent upon the body composition of the subject.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the effective impedance of the implantable antenna is variable dependent upon the body shape of the subject.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a reflected power detector circuit configured to detect an indication of a reflected power that is included in the indication of the impedance mismatch.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the reflected power detector circuit comprises a voltage standing wave ratio detector circuit to detect an indication of a voltage standing wave ratio that is included in the indication of the impedance mismatch.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the matching circuit includes at least one of an adjustable-value capacitor, an adjustable-value inductor, an adjustable-value resistor and a plurality of alternative transmission paths having different matching circuit values.

16. A method comprising:

detecting an impedance of at least one of an implantable telemetry circuit or an implantable antenna of an implantable medical device; and

using the detected impedance as a control input to calculate a value for the matching circuit that decreases an impedance difference between the implantable telemetry circuit and the implantable antenna or increases or maximizes a communication power transfer value associated with the implantable medical device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the detecting the impedance includes detecting the impedance of the implantable telemetry circuit;

and

wherein the using the detected impedance as the control input includes using the detected implantable telemetry circuit impedance.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the detecting the impedance includes detecting the impedance of the implantable antenna;

and

wherein the using the detected impedance as the control input includes using the detected implantable antenna impedance.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein an effective impedance of the implantable antenna is variable dependent upon at least one of whether the implantable antenna is implanted into a subject, a location at which the implantable antenna is implanted into the subject, and a body shape of the subject.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the using the detected impedance as the control input includes to calculate the value of the matching circuit that decreases an impedance difference between the implantable telemetry circuit and the implantable antenna.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the using the detected impedance as the control input includes to calculate the value of the matching circuit that increases or maximizes a communication power transfer value associated with the implantable medical device.