External charger usable with an implantable medical device having a programmable or time-varying temperature set point

• US 8,792,990 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2013
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Aghassian, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Stice, Paula J
• Application Number:
  US14/058,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20140046403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 607 60- 61
• US Class Current: 607/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

An improved external charger for charging the battery within or providing power to an implantable medical device is disclosed. The improved external charger includes circuitry for detecting the temperature of the external charger and for controlling charging to prevent exceeding a maximum temperature. The external charger in some embodiments includes a user interface for allowing a patient to set the external charger'"'"'s maximum temperature. The user interface can be used to select either constant maximum temperatures, or can allow the user to choose from a number of stored charging programs, which programs can control the maximum temperature to vary over time. Alternatively, a charging program in the external charger can vary the maximum temperature set point automatically. By controlling the maximum temperature of the external charger during charging in these manners, the time needed to charge can be minimized while still ensuring a temperature that is comfortable for that patient.

Claims

1. An external charger for producing energy to power or charge an implantable medical device during a charging session, comprising:

temperature sensing circuitry configured to determine a temperature of the external charger during the charging session;

a user interface configured to provide a plurality of options selectable by a user, wherein each user selection provides at least one temperature set point; and

control circuitry configured to control the energy produced to power or charge the implantable medical device in accordance with the provided at least one temperature set point and the determined temperature.

2. The external charger of claim 1, further comprising a coil, wherein the coil is configured to produce the energy.

3. The external charger of claim 2, wherein the energy comprises a magnetic field.

4. The external charger of claim 2, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the energy produced by adjusting a current through the coil.

5. The external charger of claim 2, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the energy produced by adjusting a duty cycle of a current through the coil.

6. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the provided at least one temperature set point is provided during the charging session.

7. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the provided at least one temperature set point is provided before the charging session.

8. The external charger of claim 1, further comprising a memory comprising the temperature set points, wherein each selection provides at least one temperature set point by retrieving the at least one temperature set point from the memory.

9. The external charger of claim 1, further comprising a memory comprising a plurality of temperature programs, wherein each temperature program comprises the at least one temperature set point for each selection, wherein each selection provides at least one temperature set point by executing one of the temperature programs from the memory.

10. The external charger of claim 9, wherein at least one of the temperature programs provides a constant temperature set point during the charging session.

11. The external charger of claim 9, wherein at least one of the temperature programs varies the provided temperature set point during the charging session.

12. The external charger of claim 9, wherein at least one of the temperature programs provides a plurality of temperature set points during the charging session.

13. The external charger of claim 9, wherein at least one of the temperature programs provides a first constant temperature set point during a first time period during the charging session, and provides a second constant temperature set point during a second time period during the charging session.

14. The external charger of claim 9, wherein at least one of the temperature programs automatically executes at a beginning of the charging session.

15. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the plurality of options are provided by the user interface via a display, or one or more switches or buttons, on the external device.

16. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the plurality of options are selectable by the user via a display, or one or more switches or buttons, on the external device.

17. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the plurality of options allow the user to change an intensity of the energy produced.

18. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the provided at least one temperature set point varies during the charging session.

19. The external charger of claim 18, wherein the provided at least one temperature set point automatically varies during the charging session.

20. The external charger of claim 18, wherein the provided at least one temperature set point decreases during the charging session.

21. The external charger of claim 18, wherein the provided at least one temperature set point comprises a first temperature during a first time period during the charging session, and comprises a second temperature during a second time period during the charging session.

22. The external charger of claim 21, wherein the first temperature is greater than the second temperature.

23. The external charger of claim 22, wherein the first time period is less than the second time period.

24. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to disable or reduce the energy produced if the determined temperature is greater than the provided at least one temperature set point.

25. The external charger of claim 24, wherein the control circuitry is configured to enable or increase the energy produced if the determined temperature is lower than the provided at least one temperature set point.

26. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to disable or reduce the energy produced if the determined temperature is greater than the provided at least one temperature set point, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to enable or increase the energy produced if the determined temperature is lower than a minimum temperature set point.

27. The external charger of claim 26, wherein the minimum temperature set point is lower than the provided at least one temperature set point by a fixed amount.

28. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to disable the energy produced after a predetermined time.

29. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry comprises a microcontroller.