Direct inductive/acoustic converter for implantable medical device
First Claim
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1. A system for communicating with or powering one or more remote devices located within the body of a patient, the system comprising:
- an interrogator device located outside of the patient'"'"'s body, the interrogator device including an energy source and an inductor for transmitting an inductive or RF signal into the patient'"'"'s body;
an implantable medical device including an energy translator circuit, the energy translator circuit comprising an LC resonance loop formed by the inductance of an inductor in wireless communication with the inductor of the interrogator device and the capacitance of an ultrasonic transducer, wherein the LC resonance loop has an electrical resonance mode adapted to convert the inductive or RF signal received from the interrogator device into an acoustic signal for driving the ultrasonic transducer at or near a resonance frequency or natural harmonic frequency of the transducer; and
one or more remote devices adapted to sense a physiologic parameter within the body, at least one of the remote devices including an acoustic transducer adapted to receive an acoustic field transmitted by the implantable medical device.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for communicating with or powering implantable medical devices using a direct inductive/acoustic telemetry link are disclosed. An illustrative system includes an interrogator device located outside of the patient'"'"'s body, an implantable medical device including an energy translator circuit adapted to convert inductive or RF signals received from the interrogator device into an acoustic signal for driving an acoustic transducer, and a remote device adapted to sense one or more parameters within the body.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for communicating with or powering one or more remote devices located within the body of a patient, the system comprising:
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an interrogator device located outside of the patient'"'"'s body, the interrogator device including an energy source and an inductor for transmitting an inductive or RF signal into the patient'"'"'s body; an implantable medical device including an energy translator circuit, the energy translator circuit comprising an LC resonance loop formed by the inductance of an inductor in wireless communication with the inductor of the interrogator device and the capacitance of an ultrasonic transducer, wherein the LC resonance loop has an electrical resonance mode adapted to convert the inductive or RF signal received from the interrogator device into an acoustic signal for driving the ultrasonic transducer at or near a resonance frequency or natural harmonic frequency of the transducer; and one or more remote devices adapted to sense a physiologic parameter within the body, at least one of the remote devices including an acoustic transducer adapted to receive an acoustic field transmitted by the implantable medical device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for communicating with or powering one or more remote devices located within the body of a patient, the method comprising:
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transmitting an inductive or RF signal from an inductor of an interrogator device to an implantable medical device located within the body, the implantable medical device including an energy translator circuit comprising an LC resonance loop having an electrical resonance mode, wherein the LC resonance loop is formed by the inductance of an inductor in wireless communication with the inductor of the interrogation device and the capacitance of an ultrasonic transducer; converting, via the energy translator circuit, the inductive or RF signal received from the interrogator device into an acoustic signal for driving the ultrasonic transducer at or near a resonance frequency or natural harmonic frequency of the transducer; and transmitting an acoustic field to one or more remote devices located within the body for communicating with, powering, and/or recharging the remote devices. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A medical device implantable within the body of a patient, comprising:
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an energy translator circuit configured to convert inductive or RF signals received from one or more devices located outside of the patient'"'"'s body into an electrical signal, the energy translator circuit comprising an LC resonance loop formed by the inductance of an inductor coil and the capacitance of an ultrasound transducer in series or parallel with the inductor coil; wherein the inductor coil is magnetically coupled to an inductor coil located externally of the patient'"'"'s body; and wherein the ultrasonic transducer is electrically coupled to the inductor coil of the energy translator circuit and is configured to produce an acoustic field based on the electrical signal.
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Specification