Method and system for controlling supply of energy to an implantable medical device

• US 9,452,296 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kirk Promotion Ltd., Peter Forsell
• Original Assignee: Kirk Promotion Ltd.
• Inventors: Forsell, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Niketa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hankins, Lindsey G
• Application Number:
  US12/682,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,909 Days
• Field of Search: 607/31, 607/32, 607/61, 607/60
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

A method and system for supplying energy to an electrically operable, medical device (100) implanted in ′ a patient. Wireless energy is transferred from an external energy source (104) located outside the patient to an internal energy receiver (102) located inside the patient and connected to the medical device. An internal control unit (108) determines an amount of energy currently required for the operation of said medical device. A control signal is transmitted to the external energy source, reflecting the required amount of energy. An external control unit (106) controls the amount of transferred energy in response to the control signal, by adjusting the energy transfer efficiency from the external energy source to the internal energy receiver. The energy transfer efficiency is adjusted by adjusting the position of a primary coil, serving as the external energy source, relative to an implanted secondary coil, serving as the internal energy source.

Claims

1. A method of supplying energy to an electrically operable medical device implanted in a patient, Wherein wireless energy is transferred from an external energy source located outside the patient to an internal energy receiver located inside the patient, said internal energy receiver being connected to said medical device for directly or indirectly supplying received energy thereto, the method comprising the following steps:

determining an amount of energy currently required for the operation of said medical device,

transmitting, to said external energy source, a control siwlal from said medical. device or internal energy receiver reflecting said required amount of energy,

transferring inductively from a primary coil in said external energy source to a secondary coil in said internal energy receiver,

controlling the amount of transferred energy using an external control unit to in response to said control signal accurately controlling the amount of transferred energy to the implanted medical device, by adjusting the energy transfer efficiency from said external energy source to said internal energy receiver, where the correct amount of energy is always supplied to the medical device for proper operation thereof,

repeatedly adjusting the energy transfer efficiency by adjusting the position of said primary coil relative to said secondary coil, and

displacing the primary coil in at least one of a plurality of different directions relative to said secondary coil,

using a coil displacement unit configured to displace the primary coil in the plurality of different directions.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said position is adjusted by adjusting the distance between said primary coil and said secondary coil by adjusting the position of the primary coil in the coil displacement unit.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said distance is adjusted by displacing a first reference point at said primary coil relative to a second reference point at said secondary coil.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said first and second reference points are the weight or symmetry centres of said primary and secondary coils, respectively.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein said distance is adjusted by displacing said primary coil in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the skin of said patient.

6. A. method according to claim 5, wherein said distance is adjusted by displacing said primary coil in a second direction substantially parallel to the skin of said patient.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said primary coil is displaced in said second direction circumferentially around a first distance adjustment axis which is substantially perpendicular to the skin of said patient.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said primary coil is displaced in said second direction circumferentially around a second distance adjustment axis which is substantially parallel to but separate from said first distance adjustment axis.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said position is adjusted by adjusting the angle between said primary coil and said secondary coil by adjusting the position of the primary coil in the coil displacement unit.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said primary and secondary coils each comprises a helical winding around a symmetry axis, and said angle is adjusted by turning the symmetry axis of said primary coil relative to the symmetry axis of said secondary coil.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said angle is adjusted by turning said primary coil around a first angle adjustment axis.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said first angle adjustment axis is substantially parallel to the skin of said patient, such that said primary coil is turned in a first plane substantially perpendicular to the skin of said patient.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said angle is adjusted by turning said primary coil around a second angle adjustnient axis substantially perpendicular to said first angle adjustment axis.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said second angle adjustment axis is substantially parallel to the skin of said patient, such that said primary coil is turned in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the skin of said patient and substantially perpendicular to said first plane.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein said control signal reflects the difference or ratio between the energy received by said internal energy receiver and at least one of;

said required amount of energy, and energy consumed by said medical device.

16. A method according to claim 15. wherein the energy transfer efficiency is increased if said received energy is less than said consumed of energy and increased if said received energy is less than said consumed energy.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein an amount of currently consumed energy per time unit is determined for directly operating the medical device.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein an amount of currently required or consumed energy is determined for storing the incoming energy in an energy storing device, wherein at least one characteristic, parameter, or characteristic and parameter of the energy storing device is measured.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the energy transfer efficiency is decreased if said received energy is greater than said required amount of energy and increased if said received energy is less than said required amount of energy.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein an amount of currently required energy per time unit is determined for directly operating the medical device.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein the position of said primary coil relative to said secondary coil is repeated intermittently.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein the position of said primary coil relative to said secondary coil is repeated continuously.