Efficient external charger for charging a plurality of implantable medical devices
First Claim
1. A method for charging batteries in a plurality of implantable medical devices (IMDs), comprising:
- (a) generating a magnetic charging field during a charging session using an external charger to simultaneously charge the batteries in the plurality of IMDs;
(b) determining, by the external charger, a first of the IMDs having a highest coupling to the external charger, and a second of the IMDs having a lowest coupling to the external charger; and
(c) adjusting, by the external charger and based on at least one parameter of the determined first and second IMDs, the magnetic charging field during the charging session to maximize a speed of charging of the second IMD and to limit a power dissipation of the first IMD in accordance with a maximum power dissipation limit.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An external charger for a battery in an implantable medical device (implant), and technique for charging batteries in multiple implants using such improved external charger, is disclosed. During charging, values for a parameter measured in the implants are reported from the implants to the external charger. The external charger infers from the magnitudes of the parameters which of the implants has the highest (hot) and lowest (cold) coupling to the external charger. The intensity of the magnetic charging field is optimized for the cold implant to ensure that it is charged with a maximum (fastest) battery charging current. The duty cycle of the magnetic charging field is also optimized for the hot implant to ensure that it does not exceed a power dissipation limit. As a result, charging is optimized to be fast for all of the implants, while still safe from a tissue heating perspective.
22 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method for charging batteries in a plurality of implantable medical devices (IMDs), comprising:
-
(a) generating a magnetic charging field during a charging session using an external charger to simultaneously charge the batteries in the plurality of IMDs; (b) determining, by the external charger, a first of the IMDs having a highest coupling to the external charger, and a second of the IMDs having a lowest coupling to the external charger; and (c) adjusting, by the external charger and based on at least one parameter of the determined first and second IMDs, the magnetic charging field during the charging session to maximize a speed of charging of the second IMD and to limit a power dissipation of the first IMD in accordance with a maximum power dissipation limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for charging batteries in a plurality of implantable medical devices (IMDs), comprising:
-
(a) generating a magnetic charging field during a charging session using an external charger to simultaneously charge the batteries in the plurality of IMDs; (b) providing at the external charger at least one parameter indicative of a coupling between the external charger and each IMD during the charging session; (c) determining, by the external charger, a first of the parameters corresponding to a first of the IMDs having a highest coupling to the external charger, and a second of the parameters corresponding to a second of the IMDs having a lowest coupling to the external charger; and (d) adjusting, by the external charger and based on the determined first and second parameters, the magnetic charging field during the charging session. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification