Implant with antenna array
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An implant device that is implantable inside an organism and adapted to wirelessly communicate with a device external to the organism, the implant device comprising:
- an electronic device configured to transmit wireless communications of implant device data via an antenna array using electromagnetic signals comprising a wavelength of λ
t in tissue inside the organism; and
the antenna array communicatively coupled with the electronic device and adapted to wirelessly transmit the implant device data external to the organism, the antenna array comprising two or more individual antenna elements configured in a substantially parallel alignment at a fixed distance with respect to one another of substantially n[(½
)λ
t], where n comprises a whole number selected from the set of positive whole numbers [1, 2, 3, . . . ], and [(½
)λ
t] is one half of the wavelength of λ
t in tissue inside the organism, wherein the configuration of the two or more individual antenna elements is thereby adapted to promote destructive interference of electromagnetic waves emitted by the individual antenna elements in a first plane, the first plane corresponding to a tissue plane when the implant device is implanted in the organism, and wherein the configuration of the two or more individual antenna elements is thereby adapted to promote constructive interference of the electromagnetic waves in a direction substantially normal to the first plane; and
a reflector and a spacer material separating the reflector and the antenna array, wherein the reflector is configured at a fixed reflecting distance with respect to the antenna array of [(λ
s/4)+(nλ
s/2)], where n comprises a whole number selected from the set of positive whole numbers [1, 2, 3, . . . ] and λ
s is a wavelength of electromagnetic signals transmitted by the antenna array in the spacer material, wherein the configuration of the reflector is thereby adapted to promote constructive interference of reflected electromagnetic waves with the electromagnetic waves emitted by the individual antenna elements in a direction substantially normal to the first plane.
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Abstract
Implant devices described herein may be adapted to communicate with other devices via an antenna array. The antenna array may be configured to minimize radiation to surrounding tissue and/or maximize signal power in a direction of device(s) with which the implant device communicates.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An implant device that is implantable inside an organism and adapted to wirelessly communicate with a device external to the organism, the implant device comprising:
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an electronic device configured to transmit wireless communications of implant device data via an antenna array using electromagnetic signals comprising a wavelength of λ
t in tissue inside the organism; andthe antenna array communicatively coupled with the electronic device and adapted to wirelessly transmit the implant device data external to the organism, the antenna array comprising two or more individual antenna elements configured in a substantially parallel alignment at a fixed distance with respect to one another of substantially n[(½
)λ
t], where n comprises a whole number selected from the set of positive whole numbers [1, 2, 3, . . . ], and [(½
)λ
t] is one half of the wavelength of λ
t in tissue inside the organism, wherein the configuration of the two or more individual antenna elements is thereby adapted to promote destructive interference of electromagnetic waves emitted by the individual antenna elements in a first plane, the first plane corresponding to a tissue plane when the implant device is implanted in the organism, and wherein the configuration of the two or more individual antenna elements is thereby adapted to promote constructive interference of the electromagnetic waves in a direction substantially normal to the first plane; anda reflector and a spacer material separating the reflector and the antenna array, wherein the reflector is configured at a fixed reflecting distance with respect to the antenna array of [(λ
s/4)+(nλ
s/2)], where n comprises a whole number selected from the set of positive whole numbers [1, 2, 3, . . . ] and λ
s is a wavelength of electromagnetic signals transmitted by the antenna array in the spacer material, wherein the configuration of the reflector is thereby adapted to promote constructive interference of reflected electromagnetic waves with the electromagnetic waves emitted by the individual antenna elements in a direction substantially normal to the first plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A implant device method to wirelessly communicate with a device external to an organism, the method comprising:
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transmitting, by an electronic device via an antenna array, wireless communications of implant device data using electromagnetic signals comprising a wavelength of λ
t in tissue inside the organism; andwirelessly transmitting the implant device data external to the organism by the antenna array communicatively coupled with the electronic device, the antenna array comprising two or more individual antenna elements configured in a substantially parallel alignment at a fixed distance with respect to one another of substantially n[(½
)λ
t], where n comprises a whole number selected from the set of positive whole numbers [1, 2, 3, . . . ], and [(½
)λ
t] is one half of the wavelength of λ
t in tissue inside the organism, wherein the configuration of the two or more individual antenna elements is thereby adapted to promote destructive interference of electromagnetic waves emitted by the individual antenna elements in a first plane, the first plane corresponding to a tissue plane when the implant device is implanted in the organism, and wherein the configuration of the two or more individual antenna elements is thereby adapted to promote constructive interference of the electromagnetic waves in a direction substantially normal to the first plane; andreflecting, by a reflector, electromagnetic waves emitted by the antenna array, wherein the reflector is separated by the antenna array by a spacer material, and wherein the reflector is configured at a fixed reflecting distance with respect to the antenna array of [(λ
s/4)+(nλ
s/2))], where n comprises a whole number selected from the set of positive whole numbers [1, 2, 3, . . . ] and λ
s is a wavelength of electromagnetic signals transmitted by the antenna array in the spacer material, wherein the configuration of the reflector is thereby adapted to promote constructive interference of reflected electromagnetic waves with the electromagnetic waves emitted by the individual antenna elements in a direction substantially normal to the first plane. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification