Self resonant transmitting device

• US 9,101,774 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Man & Science S.A.
• Original Assignee: Adi Mashiach, Carsteen Mueller
• Inventors: Mashiach, Adi, Mueller, Carsteen
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Rex R
• Application Number:
  US14/446,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20140343634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0526 Head electrodes A61N1/0551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3606 adapted for a particular treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3611 Respiration control stimulating respiratory organs A61N1/3601
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36117 for treating hypertension
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36189 using modulation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

A device for powering an implant within a body of a subject from a location external to the subject, wherein the implant requires a threshold rate of power increase in order to operate in at least one mode, may include an antenna configured to wirelessly transmit energy to the implant. The device may also include a power storage unit configured to store energy from a power source incapable of delivering the threshold rate of power increase to enable the implant unit to operate in the at least one mode and a power release unit configured to release a pulse of energy from the power storage unit to the antenna after the power storage unit collects an amount of energy sufficient to enable the implant unit to operate in the at least one mode.

Claims

1. A device for transmitting power from a location external to a body of a subject to an implant unit internal to the body of the subject, wherein the implant unit requires a threshold rate of power increase to operate in a modulation mode to modulate at least one nerve, the device comprising:

an antenna configured to be located external to a subject;

a power storage unit configured to store energy from a power source incapable of delivering the threshold rate of power increase to enable the implant unit to operate in the modulation mode;

a power release unit; and

at least one processor configured to control the power release unit, wherein

at least the antenna forms part of an external circuit having a resonance frequency, and

the power release unit is configured such that, when in a first state, the power storage unit receives power from the primary power source and, when in a second state, the power release unit releases a pulse of energy from the power storage unit to the antenna, the pulse of energy being sufficient to enable the implant unit to modulate the at least one nerve, and wherein the external circuit is configured to generate a signal for transmission to the implant unit by electrical oscillation in the external circuit at the resonance frequency of the external circuit when the pulse of energy is received by the external circuit.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to switch the power release unit from the first state to the second state to transmit such that the power delivered from the antenna to the implant unit is transmitted in the form of a pulse train.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a resonance matching unit in electrical communication with the external circuit and configured to alter the resonant frequency of the external circuit.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to control the resonance matching unit to alter the resonant frequency of the external circuit based on a detected magnitude of power transmitted to the implant unit.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a flexible substrate, and wherein a least a portion of the external circuit is disposed on the flexible substrate.