Data and power system based on CMOS bridge

• US 8,975,941 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Inventors: Zierhofer, Clemens M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Dinh
• Application Number:
  US13/908,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20130336034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 327/330, 327/333, 327306-307, 363/125
• US Class Current: 327/330
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/219 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/2195 the switches being synchronously commutated at the same frequency of the AC input voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A signal processing circuit includes an input inverter and an output inverter. Each inverter has a signal input for receiving an input rectangular signal, a signal output for providing an inverted output rectangular signal, and a pair of voltage outputs for developing a rectified dc output voltage. A first circuit input terminal is connected to the output of the input inverter and the input of the output inverter. A second circuit input terminal is connected to the input of the input inverter and the output of the output inverter, wherein the signal input terminals receive an input signal having a data component. A pair of supply voltage output terminals is connected to the voltage output terminals of the inverters for providing a rectified dc supply voltage output. A first circuit output terminal is connected to one of the supply voltage output terminals, and a second circuit output terminal connected to the second circuit input terminal, wherein the circuit output terminals provide an output signal including the data component.

Claims

1. A signal processing circuit comprising:

a CMOS bridge rectifier circuit including;

a first input terminal and a second input terminal for receiving a rectangular wave form that includes a data sequence;

a first output terminal and a second output terminal for providing a rectified dc output voltage; and

a first data output terminal connected to one of the first and the second input terminals, and a second data output terminal connected to one of the first and the second output terminals, wherein the data output terminals provide an output signal representative of the data sequence.

2. The signal processing circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a substantially resistive load operatively coupled between the first and second voltage output terminals, the resistive load without a discrete parallel capacitor.

3. The signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing circuit is integrated on a single chip.

4. An implanted medical device comprising the signal processing circuit of claim 1.

5. An implanted medical device according to claim 4, wherein the medical device is a retinal implant.

6. An implanted medical device according to claim 4, wherein the medical device is a cochlear implant.

7. A chip comprising:

the signal processing circuit according to claim 1; and

a substantially resistive load coupled between the first and second output terminals without a discrete parallel capacitor.

8. The chip according to claim 7, wherein the load includes a signal processor.

9. The signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the CMOS bridge rectifier circuit includes four switches.

10. The signal processing circuit according to claim 9, wherein the four switches are MOS transistors.

11. The signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the CMOS bridge rectifier circuit includes two inverters.

12. The signal processing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the CMOS bridge rectifier includes two PMOS transistors and two NMOS transistors.

13. A method of providing data and power in a medical implant, the method comprising:

applying a rectangular wave input signal between a first input terminal and a second input terminal, a first switch coupled between the first input terminal and a first node, a second switch coupled between the second input terminal and the first node, the first node coupled to a first output terminal, a third switch coupled between the first input terminal and a second node, a fourth switch coupled between the second input terminal and the second node;

the second node coupled to a second output terminal, a third output terminal coupled to the second input terminal, and a fourth output terminal coupled to the second node;

wherein the first switch and fourth switch are gated on when the input signal is of a first polarity; and

wherein the second switch and the third switch are gated on when the input signal is of a second polarity opposite the first polarity so that the first and second output terminals provide a dc voltage, and the third and fourth output terminals provide a data component.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the medical implant is one of a cochlear implant and a retinal implant.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch are MOS transistors.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

disconnecting the input signal from the input terminals for a period of time after the switches are gated on.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the rectangular wave input signal is non-periodic.

18. A method of providing data and power in a medical implant, the method comprising:

applying a rectangular wave form that includes a data sequence across a first input terminal and a second input terminal of a CMOS bridge rectifier, the CMOS bridge rectifier including a first output terminal and a second output terminal for providing a rectified dc output voltage, wherein a first data output terminal connected to one of the first and the second input terminals, and a second data output terminal connected to one of the first and the second output terminals, the data output terminals providing an output signal representative of the data sequence.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the CMOS bridge rectifier includes two inverters.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the medical implant is one of a cochlear implant and a retinal implant.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

disconnecting the input signal from the input terminals for a period of time after applying the rectangular wave.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the rectangular wave input signal is non-periodic.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein the CMOS bridge rectifier circuit includes four switches.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the four switches are MOS transistors.

25. The method according to claim 18, wherein the CMOS bridge rectifier includes two PMOS transistors and two NMOS transistors.