Cardiac pacemaker device with circuits for monitoring residual capacity of battery

• US 8,838,244 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Koyama, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Gedeon, Brian T
• Application Number:
  US11/798,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20070282383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,679 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/33, 607/36
• US Class Current: 607/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

It is necessary to periodically replace a cell of an implantable-type cardiac pacemaker device, which causes suffering to a patient as often as a cell is replaced. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to dispense with cell replacement of the cardiac pacemaker device. A cardiac pacemaker device of the present invention has an antenna and a battery built-in, and an electric power is transmitted to the built-in antenna from outside a body by an electromagnetic wave to store the electric power in the battery. With the use of the electric power stored in the battery, a main body of the pacemaker device can operate. If necessary, the electric power can be supplied wirelessly from outside and a surgery for exchanging a cell becomes unnecessary; therefore, a patient'"'"'s suffering can be relieved.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a battery;

a first circuit for supplying an electric signal to a heart;

a second circuit for monitoring a voltage of the battery and converting the voltage into a digital signal;

an antenna for receiving a wireless signal transmitted from an external device;

a rectifying and smoothing circuit converting the wireless signal received by the antenna into direct current;

a charge circuit for generating current based on an electric power of the rectifying and smoothing circuit and charging the battery, the charge circuit comprising a constant current source and a switch circuit;

a charge control circuit for monitoring the voltage of the battery; and

a modulation circuit for modulating the digital signal, the modulation circuit connected to the second circuit and the antenna,

wherein the modulated wireless signal is transmitted to the external device through the antenna,

wherein the battery is connected to the first circuit, the second circuit, the charge circuit, and the charge control circuit,

wherein a first terminal of the switch circuit is electrically connected to the constant current source,

wherein a second terminal of the switch circuit is electrically connected to the battery,

wherein the charge control circuit outputs low to a third terminal of the switch circuit so that the first terminal of the switch circuit is electrically connected to the second terminal of the switch circuit when the battery is not overcharged,

wherein the charge control circuit outputs high to the third terminal of the switch circuit so that the first terminal of the switch circuit is not electrically connected to the second terminal of the switch circuit when the battery is overcharged, and

wherein the voltage of the battery is confirmed by transmitting the modulated signal through the antenna.

2. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the second circuit comprises an A/D conversion circuit, a clock generation circuit, and a logic circuit which are connected to each other.

3. A system comprising the device according to claim 1, an external antenna, and a transmitter.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein a chassis of the cardiac pacemaker device is formed of a resin material.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the chassis is coated with a diamond-like-carbon film.

6. A cardiac pacemaker device comprising the device according to claim 1.

7. A device comprising:

an atrium detection amplifier circuit for detecting and amplifying an electrocardiogram of an atrium;

a chamber detection amplifier circuit for detecting and amplifying an electrocardiogram of a chamber;

a controller circuit for outputting an abnormal signal when an arrhythmia is detected into which amplification signals of the atrium detection amplifier circuit and the chamber detection amplifier circuit is inputted to measure the electrocardiograms and calculate a pulse cycle, as well;

a pulse generation circuit for outputting an electric pulse which stimulates a heart when the abnormal signal is inputted into the controller circuit;

a battery for supplying an electric power to the atrium detection amplifier circuit, the chamber detection amplifier circuit, the controller circuit, and the pulse generation circuit;

an internal antenna for receiving a wireless signal transmitted from an external device;

a rectifying and smoothing circuit for converting the wireless signal received by the internal antenna into direct current;

a charge circuit for generating current based on an electric power of the rectifying and smoothing circuit and charging the battery, the charge circuit comprising a constant current source and a switch circuit; and

a charge control circuit for monitoring the battery so as not to be charged too much, and for controlling the charge circuit and suppressing a charge amount of the battery when the charge amount of the battery is overcharged;

a residual amount detection circuit for monitoring a voltage of the battery and converting the voltage into a digital signal; and

a modulation circuit for modulating the digital signal, the modulation circuit being connected to the residual amount detection circuit,

wherein the modulated wireless signal is transmitted to the external device through the internal antenna,

wherein a first terminal of the switch circuit is electrically connected to the constant current source,

wherein a second terminal of the switch circuit is electrically connected to the battery,

wherein the charge control circuit outputs low to a third terminal of the switch circuit so that the first terminal of the switch circuit is electrically connected to the second terminal of the switch circuit when the battery is not overcharged,

wherein the charge control circuit outputs high to the third terminal of the switch circuit so that the first terminal of the switch circuit is not electrically connected to the second terminal of the switch circuit when the battery is overcharged, and

wherein the voltage of the battery is confirmed by transmitting the modulated signal through the antenna.

8. A system comprising the device according to claim 7, an external antenna, and a transmitter.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein a chassis of the device is formed of a resin material.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the chassis is coated with a diamond-like-carbon film.

11. A cardiac pacemaker device comprising the device according to claim 7.