Power transfer to a medical implant located adjacent to tissue while preventing short circuits through the tissue
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A medical implant comprising:
- a first power storage device;
a first switching circuit configured to receive power from a power source of the medical implant via an implant connector electrically connected to the medical implant and transfer the received power to the first power storage device in a first power transfer stage;
a second power storage device; and
a second switching circuit configured to;
electrically isolate the first power storage device from tissue of a recipient of the medical implant during the first power transfer stage; and
transfer power from the first power storage device to the second power storage device in a second power transfer stage,wherein the first switching circuit is further configured to electrically isolate the first and second power storage devices from the implant connector during the second power transfer stage.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A medical implant, including a first power storage device, a first switching circuit for receiving power and transferring the received power from an implant connector electrically connected to the medical implant to the first power storage device in a first power transfer stage, a second power storage device, and a second switching circuit for transferring power from the first power storage device to the second power storage device in a second power transfer stage.
4 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A medical implant comprising:
-
a first power storage device; a first switching circuit configured to receive power from a power source of the medical implant via an implant connector electrically connected to the medical implant and transfer the received power to the first power storage device in a first power transfer stage; a second power storage device; and a second switching circuit configured to; electrically isolate the first power storage device from tissue of a recipient of the medical implant during the first power transfer stage; and transfer power from the first power storage device to the second power storage device in a second power transfer stage, wherein the first switching circuit is further configured to electrically isolate the first and second power storage devices from the implant connector during the second power transfer stage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A cochlear implant comprising:
-
a power source; an implant connector; a first power storage device; a first switching circuit configured to transfer power from the power source to the first power storage device via the implant connector during a first power transfer stage; a second power storage device; a second switching circuit configured to transfer power from the first power storage device to the second power storage device during a second power transfer stage; and a switching circuit control system configured to control the first and second switching circuits so that; the first power storage device is electrically isolated from the second power storage device and tissue of a recipient of the cochlear implant during the first power transfer stage when the first power storage device is electrically connected to the power source via the implant connector; and each of the first and second power storage devices is electrically isolated from the implant connector and the power source during the second power transfer stage when the first power storage device is electrically connected to the second power storage device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for transferring power between first and second power storage devices of a cochlear implant having first and second switching circuits, the method comprising:
-
receiving power from a power source of the medical implant via an implant connector electrically connected to the first switching circuit; charging the first power storage device by transferring the received power to the first power storage device via the first switching circuit; and transferring, via the second switching circuit, power from the first power storage device to the second power storage device during a second power transfer stage. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
Specification