Co-fired multi-layer antenna for implantable medical devices and method for forming the same
First Claim
1. An implantable medical device (“
- IMD”
), comprising;
a housing defining an interior cavity;
a monolithic antenna structure located outside of the housing, wherein the monolithic antenna structure is derived from;
a plurality of discrete dielectric layers, anda three dimensional (“
3D”
) antenna, wherein the 3D antenna comprises an antenna pattern that is embedded within the monolithic antenna structure and is in contact with multiple layers of the plurality of discrete dielectric layers, wherein a first portion of the 3D antenna pattern is positioned under a selected one of the plurality of dielectric layers, a second portion of the 3D antenna pattern is positioned over the selected one of the plurality of dielectric layers, and wherein at least one conductive via extending through the selected one of the plurality of dielectric layers that connects the first portion of the 3D antenna pattern to the second portion of the 3D antenna pattern; and
a radio frequency (RF) module disposed within the interior cavity of the housing and electrically connected to the monolithic antenna structure, wherein the 3D antenna is configured to convert electromagnetic power of a downlink telemetry transmission of an external telemetry antenna into a signal that the RF module can process and to convert uplink telemetry signals generated by the RF module into electromagnetic power of an uplink telemetry transmission.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An antenna for an implantable medical device (IMD) is provided including a monolithic structure derived from a plurality of discrete dielectric layers having an antenna embedded within the plurality of dielectric layers. The antenna includes antenna portions formed within different layers of the monolithic structure with at least one conductive via formed to extend through the dielectric layers in order to provide a conductive pathway between the portions of the antenna formed on different layers, such that an antenna is formed that extends between different vertical layers. The dielectric layers may comprise layers of ceramic material that can be co-fired together with the antenna to form a hermetically sealed monolithic antenna structure. The antenna embedded within the monolithic structure can be arranged to have a substantially spiral, helical, fractal, meandering or planer serpentine spiral shape.
61 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. An implantable medical device (“
- IMD”
), comprising;a housing defining an interior cavity; a monolithic antenna structure located outside of the housing, wherein the monolithic antenna structure is derived from; a plurality of discrete dielectric layers, and a three dimensional (“
3D”
) antenna, wherein the 3D antenna comprises an antenna pattern that is embedded within the monolithic antenna structure and is in contact with multiple layers of the plurality of discrete dielectric layers, wherein a first portion of the 3D antenna pattern is positioned under a selected one of the plurality of dielectric layers, a second portion of the 3D antenna pattern is positioned over the selected one of the plurality of dielectric layers, and wherein at least one conductive via extending through the selected one of the plurality of dielectric layers that connects the first portion of the 3D antenna pattern to the second portion of the 3D antenna pattern; anda radio frequency (RF) module disposed within the interior cavity of the housing and electrically connected to the monolithic antenna structure, wherein the 3D antenna is configured to convert electromagnetic power of a downlink telemetry transmission of an external telemetry antenna into a signal that the RF module can process and to convert uplink telemetry signals generated by the RF module into electromagnetic power of an uplink telemetry transmission. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- IMD”
-
18. An implantable medical device (“
- IMD”
) comprising;a housing defining an interior cavity; a monolithic antenna structure derived from a plurality of discrete dielectric layers having an antenna, interconnects and impedance matching elements embedded within the monolithic antenna structure, wherein the antenna includes an antenna pattern, a first portion of the antenna pattern positioned under a selected one of the plurality of dielectric layers, a second portion of the antenna pattern positioned over the selected one of the plurality of dielectric layers, and at least one conductive via extending through the selected one of the plurality of dielectric layers that connects the first portion of the antenna pattern to the second portion of the antenna pattern; and a radio frequency (RF) module disposed within the interior cavity of the housing and electrically connected to the antenna, wherein the antenna is configured to convert electromagnetic power of a downlink telemetry transmission of an external telemetry antenna into a signal that the RF module can process and to convert uplink telemetry signals generated by the RF module into electromagnetic power of an uplink telemetry transmission. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
- IMD”
Specification