Selectable boost converter and charge pump for compliance voltage generation in an implantable stimulator device
First Claim
1. A method for generating a compliance voltage in a medical device, comprising:
- determining the status of telemetry to or from the medical device;
if such determination indicates telemetry, enabling a first converter circuit to produce a compliance voltage from a battery voltage in the device;
if such determination does not indicate telemetry, enabling a second converter circuit of a type different from the first converter circuit to produce the compliance voltage from the battery voltage in the device, wherein the first converter circuit and the second converter circuit are connected in parallel between the battery voltage and the compliance voltage; and
using the compliance voltage to power circuitry used to stimulate a patient'"'"'s tissue via electrodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Improved compliance voltage generation circuitry for a medical device is disclosed. The improved circuitry in one embodiment comprises a boost converter and a charge pump, either of which is capable of generating an appropriate compliance voltage from the voltage of the battery in the device. A telemetry enable signal indicating whether the implant'"'"'s transmitter, receiver, or both, have been enabled is received. A “boost” signal from compliance voltage monitor-and-adjust logic circuitry is processed with the telemetry enable signal and its inverse to selectively enable either the charge pump or the boost converter: if the telemetry enable signal is not active, the boost converter is used to generate the compliance voltage; if the telemetry enable signal is active, the charge pump is used. Because the charge pump circuitry does not produce a magnetic field, the charge pump will not interfere with magnetically-coupled telemetry between the implant and an external controller. By contrast, the boost converter is allowed to operate during periods of no telemetry, when magnetic interference is not a concern, while obtaining the advantage of higher power efficiency.
83 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for generating a compliance voltage in a medical device, comprising:
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determining the status of telemetry to or from the medical device; if such determination indicates telemetry, enabling a first converter circuit to produce a compliance voltage from a battery voltage in the device; if such determination does not indicate telemetry, enabling a second converter circuit of a type different from the first converter circuit to produce the compliance voltage from the battery voltage in the device, wherein the first converter circuit and the second converter circuit are connected in parallel between the battery voltage and the compliance voltage; and using the compliance voltage to power circuitry used to stimulate a patient'"'"'s tissue via electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification