Multi-antenna for an implantable medical device

• US 8,369,961 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Christman, Timothy J., Edwardson, Jason J., Carey, Bart A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): MALAMUD, DEBORAH LESLIE
• Application Number:
  US12/565,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20100016925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 607 1- 2, 607/32, 607/36, 607/60, 607115-116, 343/718, 343/845, 343872-873
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for enabling telemetry in implantable medical devices is provided. An implantable medical device has radio-frequency telemetry capabilities. The device includes a housing and electronic circuitry contained within the housing. The device also includes an array of antennas connected to the electronic circuitry. According to various embodiments, the array and circuitry are adapted to facilitate far-field transmission and reception of modulated radio-frequency energy at one or more specified carrier frequencies. Individual antenna elements in the array are connected simultaneously or in a mutually exclusive manner to electronic circuitry, according to various embodiments. Individual antenna element geometries are sized to optimize individual antennas each for a different range of operating frequencies, according to various embodiments. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a housing;

electronic circuitry at least partially contained within the housing;

at least two antennas electrically connected to the electronic circuitry, wherein the at least two antennas and electronic circuitry are configured to wirelessly transfer information using modulated radio-frequency energy; and

wherein the at least two antennas comprise;

a first antenna configured to wirelessly transfer information at a specified first range of operating frequencies when the first antenna is substantially surrounded by a specified first medium; and

a second antenna configured to wirelessly transfer information at a specified second range of operating frequencies when the second antenna is substantially surrounded by a specified second medium different than the first medium.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second specified ranges of operating frequencies at least partially overlap.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the specified first medium includes air.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the specified second medium includes a tissue medium selected from a list including fatty tissue or muscle tissue.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two antennas is configured to be selectively electrically connected to the electronic circuitry.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to wirelessly transfer information using the at least one antenna exclusively, when the at least one antenna is selected.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to wirelessly transfer information using the at least one antenna simultaneously with one or more of the at least two antennas, when the at least one antenna is selected.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to detect a condition and to select at least one of the at least two antennas for use in wireless information transfer in response to the detected condition.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the electronic circuitry includes an error rate detector, wherein the error rate detector is configured to detect a wireless information transfer error rate, and wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to select at least one of the at least two antennas for use in wireless information transfer in response to the wireless information transfer error rate detected at or in excess of a specified error rate threshold.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to detect a loss of wireless information transfer between the implantable device and at least one other device separate from the implantable device, and wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to select at least one of the at least two antennas to reestablish wireless information transfer in response to the detected loss of wireless information transfer.