Miniature hermetically sealed RFID microelectronic chip connected to a biocompatible RFID antenna for use in conjunction with an AIMD

• US 8,810,405 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stevenson, Robert A., Frysz, Christine A., Kelley, Scott W., Tyers, Geddes Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY III, EDWIN C
• Application Number:
  US12/887,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20110001610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/539.12, 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 340/572.8
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card

Abstract

An implantable radio frequency identification (RFID) tag includes a hermetically sealed biocompatible container, an RFID microelectronics chip is disposed within the container, and a biocompatible antenna extends from the RFID microelectronic chip and exteriorly of the container. In an exemplary embodiment the container comprises a housing for an active implantable medical device (AIMD). In another exemplary embodiment the RFID tag is associated with an AIMD. The AIMD may comprise a lead system. The RFID tag may be disposed within a non-hermetically sealed portion of the AIMD, such a header block, and may include information pertaining to the AIMD. Another exemplary embodiment may include a sensor conductively coupled to the RFID microelectronics chip. The sensor may be disposed exterior of or within the container. The sensor measures properties and activities of the human body and the RFID tag is capable of transmitting said measured properties in real time.

Claims

1. An implantable radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising:

a) a hermetically sealed biocompatible container comprising a container sidewall;

b) an RFID microelectronics chip disposed within the container;

c) a first hermetic seal comprising a first terminal pin extending through the container sidewall from a first inner pin portion inside the container to a first outer pin portion outside the container;

d) a second hermetic seal comprising a second terminal pin extending through the container sidewall from a second inner pin portion inside the container to a second outer pin portion outside the container; and

e) a biocompatible antenna, wherein a first end of the antenna is electrically connected to the first outer pin portion of the first terminal pin and a second end of the antenna is electrically connected to the second outer pin portion of the second terminal pin, and

f) wherein the first and second inner pin portions of the respective first and second terminal pins are electrically connected to the RFID microelectronics chip.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a housing for an active implantable medical device (AIMD).

3. The RFID tag of claim 2 wherein the AIMD is connected to a lead system.

4. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is configured to be interrogatable by an external interrogator.

5. The RFID tag of claim 1, including a sensor conductively coupled to the RFID microelectronics chip.

6. The RFID tag of claim 5, wherein the sensor is disposed exterior of the container.

7. The RFID tag of claim 5, wherein the sensor is disposed within the container.

8. The RFID tag of claim 5, wherein the sensor is configured to measure properties and the RFID tag is configured to transmit the measured properties in real time.

9. The RFID tag of claim 8, wherein the measured properties comprise activities within a human body.

10. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the biocompatible antenna comprises at least one biocompatible conductive material selected from the group consisting of:

titanium, platinum and platinum/iridium alloys, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, hafnium, nitinol, Co—

Cr—

Ni alloys such as MP35N, Havar®

, Elgiloy®

, stainless steel, gold and its various alloys, palladium, and pyrolytic carbon.

11. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the container has a minimum helium leak rate of 1×

10<sup>−

7</sup> cubic centimeters per second.

12. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the antenna is a multi turn loop antenna.

13. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein a capacitor connects between the first and second inner pin portions inside the hermetically sealed container.

14. The RFID tag of claim 1 wherein the first and second hermetic seals are either supported by the same hermetic terminal or they comprise separate hermetic terminals.

15. An active implantable medical device (AIMD), comprising:

a) AIMD circuits disposed inside a hermetically sealed device housing; and

b) a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising;

i) a hermetically sealed biocompatible container comprising a container sidewall;

ii) an RFID microelectronics chip disposed within the container;

iii) a first hermetic seal comprising a first terminal pin extending through the container sidewall from a first inner pin portion inside the container to a first outer pin portion outside the container;

iv) a second hermetic seal comprising a second terminal pin extending through the container sidewall from a second inner pin portion inside the container to a second outer pin portion outside the container; and

v) a biocompatible multi turn loop antenna, wherein a first end of the antenna is electrically connected to the first outer pin portion of the first terminal pin and a second end of the antenna is electrically connected to the second outer pin portion of the second terminal pin, and

vi) wherein the first and second inner pin portions of the respective first and second terminal pins are electrically connected to the RFID microelectronics chip,

c) wherein the container for the RFID chip is either inside the hermetically sealed device housing or is disposed within a non-hermetically sealed portion of the AIMD.

16. The AIMD of claim 15 wherein the RFID chip includes information pertaining to the AIMD.

17. The AIMD of claim 15 wherein the RFID tag is disposed within a header block of the AIMD.

18. The AIMD of claim 15 wherein the container for the RFID chip is inside the hermetically sealed device housing and the first outer pin portion of the first terminal pin extends through a hermetic terminal supported by the device housing so that the first terminal pin is in a non-conductive relationship with the device housing and the second outer pin portion of the second terminal pin extends through the device housing in a conductive relationship therewith, and wherein the antenna resides outside the device housing.

19. The AIMD of claim 18 wherein a second capacitor connects between the first and second outer pin portions outside the AIMD housing.

20. The AIMD of claim 15 wherein the RFID chip is not electrically connected to the AIMD circuits.

21. The AIMD of claim 15 wherein a first capacitor connects between the first and second inner pin portions inside the hermetically sealed container.

22. The AIMD of claim 15 wherein the container for the RFID chip is inside the hermetically sealed device housing and the first outer pin portion of the first terminal pin and the second outer pin portion of the second terminal pin both extend through a hermetic terminal supported by the device housing so that the first and second terminal pins are in a non-conductive relationship with the device housing, and wherein the antenna resides outside the device housing.

23. The AIMD of claim 22 wherein a second capacitor connects between the first and second outer pin portions outside the AIMD housing.

24. The AIMD of claim 15 wherein the first and second hermetic seals are either supported by the same hermetic terminal or they comprise separate hermetic terminals.