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Wearable antenna assembly

  • US 9,254,393 B2
  • Filed: 12/26/2013
  • Issued: 02/09/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A wearable device for facilitating treatment of a patient having an implantable neural stimulator, the wearable device configured to be worn outside a patient'"'"'s body and comprising:

  • a transmitting antenna assembly configured to accept one or more input signals and, in response, to transmit one or more electromagnetic signals to the implantable neural stimulator such that, solely using the one or more electromagnetic signals, the implantable neural stimulator creates stimulation pulses suitable for stimulating neural tissue;

    a control circuit coupled to the transmitting antenna assembly and configured to provide the one or more input signals to the transmitting antenna assembly;

    a battery that provides electrical power to at least the control circuit; and

    a plurality of layers arranged such that when the wearable device is worn, the plurality of layers are substantially parallel to a surface of the patient'"'"'s body, the plurality of layers comprising;

    a ground plane;

    a conductor layer between the ground plane and the surface of the patient'"'"'s body such that, when the wearable device is worn, a first side of the conductor layer is facing the ground plane and a second side of the conductor layer is facing the patient'"'"'s body; and

    a dielectric layer between the conductor layer and the surface of the patient'"'"'s body such that, when the wearable device is worn, a first side of the dielectric layer is facing the second side of the conductor layer and a second side of the dielectric layer is facing the patient'"'"'s body,wherein the transmitting antenna assembly is tuned with the dielectric layer to sufficiently match a coupling of the surface of the patient'"'"'s body such that a dielectric fluid is not needed between the dielectric layer and the surface of the patient'"'"'s body to facilitate transmission of the electromagnetic signals into the patient'"'"'s body.

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