Implantable medical device having power supply for generating a regulated power supply

• US 9,526,905 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Reinke, James D., Gordon, Charles R., Hossain, Shohan T., Liang, Weizheng, Sarkinen, Gregg T.
• Primary Examiner(s): GETZOW, SCOTT M
• Application Number:
  US14/203,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/025 Digital circuitry features of electrotherapy devices, e.g. memory, clocks, processors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3782 producing a voltage above the power source level
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3981 High voltage charging circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for generating a plurality of output voltages from a single input power source. The techniques include implementing a switched capacitor voltage converter to provide at least two output voltages having different supply ratios. The supply ratio is defined as a function of the input voltage provided to the switched capacitor voltage converter by the power source. The switched capacitor voltage converter includes a plurality of capacitors selectively coupled to a plurality of switches to define at least a first and a second mode with each of the modes having a plurality of configurations. In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, the techniques include coupling the plurality of capacitors to define the first or second mode based on predetermined criteria.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device having electronic circuitry operable to perform a therapeutic and/or monitoring function, comprising:

a power source for supplying an input voltage;

a capacitor arrangement having a plurality of capacitors dynamically configurable in at least a first mode and a second mode to simultaneously generate multiple output voltages in each of the first and second modes based on the input voltage, wherein each of the first and second modes includes a plurality of stacked configurations;

a switch array having a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of capacitors and operable in a number of different states to dynamically configure the plurality of capacitors in the plurality of stacked configurations; and

a switch controller operable to issue a control signal to the switch array to control the coupling of the plurality of capacitors in one of the plurality of stacked configurations within a selected one of the at least first and second modes,

wherein each value of the multiple output voltages corresponds to a supply ratio of the input voltage defined by the capacitor arrangement, and the value of at least one of the multiple output voltages is different from the values of the other output voltages for each of the first and second modes.

2. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the control signal is issued to dynamically configure the plurality of switches to couple the capacitors in one of the plurality of stacked configurations for one of the first and second modes based on predefined criteria.

3. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of stacked configurations associated with the first mode are different from the stacked configurations associated with the second mode.

4. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the control signal is issued to establish at least two regulated signals corresponding to at least two of the multiple output voltages generated in one of the first and second modes.

5. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of capacitors include at least two floating capacitors and two hold capacitors.

6. The implantable medical device of claim 5, wherein each of the at least two floating capacitors is concurrently coupled to the power source and each of the at least two hold capacitors is coupled to a different load.

7. The implantable medical device of claim 6, wherein the stacking of the first and second plurality of capacitors in the second mode couples a first of the at least two hold capacitors to a second of the at least two hold capacitors.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the supply ratio is defined based on the stacked configuration of the plurality of capacitors.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the switch controller comprises of a state machine having instructions for generating a control signal to control a state of the plurality of switches.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the selection of the one of the first and second modes is based on predefined criteria.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 10, wherein the predefined criteria includes a residual amount of the charge stored by the power source.

14. The implantable medical device of claim 2, wherein the predefined criteria includes power supply requirements of a load coupled to the capacitor arrangement that is supplied with one of the generated multiple output voltages.

12. An implantable medical device having electronic circuitry operable to perform a therapeutic and/or monitoring function, comprising:

a power source for supplying an input voltage;

a capacitor arrangement having a plurality of capacitors dynamically configurable in at least a first mode and a second mode to simultaneously generate multiple output voltages in each of the first and second modes based on the input voltage, wherein each of the first and second modes includes a plurality of stacked configurations;

a switch array having a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of capacitors and operable in a number of different states to dynamically configure the plurality of capacitors in the plurality of stacked configurations;

a switch controller operable to issue a control signal to the switch array to control the coupling of the plurality of capacitors in one of the plurality of stacked configurations within a selected one of the at least first and second modes; and

a monitoring module coupled to at least one of the output voltages operable to compare the voltage level of the at least one output voltage to a predetermined level and generate a conversion signal to change the selected mode of the plurality of capacitors.

13. The implantable medical device of claim 12, wherein in response to detecting that the output voltage level is less than the predetermined level, the switch controller issues a control signal to cause the switch array to select a mode having a larger supply ratio from the at least first and second modes.

15. A regulated power supply to generate multiple output voltages based on an input voltage from a power source having a finite supply, comprising:

a plurality of capacitors dynamically configurable in at least a first mode and a second mode, each of the first and second modes having a plurality of stacked configurations and operable to simultaneously generate the multiple output voltages based on the input voltage;

a switch array having a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of capacitors and operable in a number of different states to couple the capacitors to establish the plurality of stacked configurations, wherein at least one of the output voltages generated by the plurality of capacitors has a first supply ratio that is different from a second supply ratio of a second of the output voltages; and

a switch controller operable to issue a control signal to the switch array to control the coupling of the plurality of capacitors in a selected one of the plurality of configurations based on predefined criteria, wherein each value of the multiple output voltages corresponds to supply ratios established by the stacked configurations, and the value of at least one of the multiple output voltages is different from the values of the other output voltages for each of the first and second modes.

16. The regulated power supply of claim 15, further comprising a monitoring module coupled to at least one of the output voltages operable to compare the voltage level of the at least one output voltage to a predetermined level and generate a conversion signal to change the selected mode of the plurality of capacitors.

17. The regulated power supply of claim 16, wherein in response to detecting that the output voltage level is less than the predetermined level, the switch controller issues a control signal to cause the switch array to select a mode having a larger supply ratio from the at least first and second modes.

18. The regulated power supply of claim 15, wherein the control signal is issued to dynamically configure the plurality of switches to stack the capacitors in one of the plurality of stacked configurations based on predefined criteria.

19. The regulated power supply of claim 15, wherein the control signal is issued to establish at least two regulated signals corresponding to one of the multiple output voltages.

20. The regulated power supply of claim 15, wherein the plurality of capacitors include at least two floating capacitors and two hold capacitors.

21. The regulated power supply of claim 20, wherein a value of the output voltage through a first of the hold capacitors generated in the first mode is different from a value of the other output voltage through the first of the hold capacitors generated in the second mode.

22. The regulated power supply of claim 15, wherein the switch controller comprises of a state machine having instructions for generating a control signal to control a state of the plurality of switches.

23. The regulated power supply of claim 20, wherein each of the at least two floating capacitors is concurrently coupled to the power source and each of the at least two hold capacitors is coupled to a different load.

24. The regulated power supply of claim 23, wherein the stacking of the first and second plurality of capacitors in the second mode couples a first of the at least two hold capacitors to a second of the at least two hold capacitors.

25. A regulated power supply to generate multiple output voltages based on an input voltage from a power source having a finite supply, comprising:

a plurality of capacitors dynamically configurable in at least a first mode and a second mode, each of the first and second modes having a plurality of stacked configurations and operable to simultaneously generate the multiple output voltages based on the input voltage;

a switch array having a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of capacitors and operable in a number of different states to couple the capacitors to establish the plurality of stacked configurations, wherein at least one of the output voltages generated by the plurality of capacitors has a first supply ratio that is different from a second supply ratio of a second of the output voltages; and

a switch controller operable to issue a control signal to the switch array to control the coupling of the plurality of capacitors in a selected one of the plurality of configurations based on predefined criteria, wherein the predefined criteria includes a level of depletion of the charge stored by the power source.

26. The regulated power supply of claim 25, wherein the level of depletion of the charge stored by the power source may be expressed as a percentage of a residual charge stored by the power source.

27. A regulated power supply to generate multiple output voltages based on an input voltage from a power source having a finite supply, comprising:

a plurality of capacitors dynamically configurable in at least a first mode and a second mode, each of the first and second modes having a plurality of stacked configurations and operable to simultaneously generate the multiple output voltages based on the input voltage;

a switch array having a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of capacitors and operable in a number of different states to couple the capacitors to establish the plurality of stacked configurations, wherein at least one of the output voltages generated by the plurality of capacitors has a first supply ratio that is different from a second supply ratio of a second of the output voltages; and

a switch controller operable to issue a control signal to the switch array to control the coupling of the plurality of capacitors in a selected one of the plurality of configurations based on predefined criteria, wherein the predefined criteria includes a load coupled to one of the plurality of stacked configurations for supply of one of the generated multiple output voltages.

28. An implantable medical device having electronic circuitry operable to perform a therapeutic and/or monitoring function, comprising:

a power source for supplying an input voltage;

a capacitor arrangement having a first plurality of capacitors and a second plurality of capacitors, wherein the first and second plurality of capacitors are dynamically configurable in at least a first mode and a second mode to simultaneously generate multiple output voltages in each of the first and second modes based on the input voltage, wherein the first and second plurality of capacitors are stacked in a first configuration in the first mode, and wherein the first and second plurality of capacitors are stacked in a second configuration that is different from the first configuration in the second mode;

a switch array having a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of capacitors and operable in a number of different states to dynamically configure the plurality of capacitors in the first and second stacked configurations; and

a switch controller operable to issue a control signal to the switch array to control the coupling of the plurality of capacitors in one of the first and second stacked configurations within a selected one of the at least first and second modes, wherein each value of the multiple output voltages corresponds to a supply ratio of the input voltage defined by the capacitor arrangement, and the value of at least one of the multiple output voltages is different from the values of the other output voltages for each of the first and second modes.

29. An implantable medical device having electronic circuitry operable to perform a therapeutic and/or monitoring function, comprising:

a power source for supplying an input voltage;

a capacitor arrangement having a first plurality of capacitors and a second plurality of capacitors, wherein the first and second plurality of capacitors are dynamically configurable in at least a first mode and a second mode to simultaneously generate multiple output voltages in each of the first and second modes based on the input voltage, wherein the first and second plurality of capacitors are stacked in a first configuration in the first mode, and wherein the first and second plurality of capacitors are stacked in a second configuration that is different from the first configuration in the second mode;

a switch array having a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of capacitors and operable in a number of different states to dynamically configure the plurality of capacitors in the first and second stacked configurations; and

a switch controller operable to issue a control signal to the switch array to control the coupling of the plurality of capacitors in one of the first and second stacked configurations within a selected one of the at least first and second modes, wherein the first plurality of capacitors comprises at least two floating capacitors and the second plurality of capacitors comprises at least two hold capacitors, and

wherein each of the at least two floating capacitors is concurrently coupled to the power source and each of the at least two hold capacitors is coupled to a different load.

30. The implantable medical device of claim 29, wherein the stacking of the first and second plurality of capacitors in the second mode couples a first of the at least two hold capacitors to a second of the at least two hold capacitors.

31. An implantable medical device having electronic circuitry operable to perform a therapeutic and/or monitoring function, comprising:

a power source for supplying an input voltage;

a capacitor arrangement having a plurality of capacitors dynamically configurable in at least a first mode and a second mode such that an output voltage is simultaneously generated for each of the first and second modes based on the input voltage, wherein each of the first and second modes includes a plurality of stacked configurations;

a switch array having a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of capacitors and operable in a number of different states to dynamically configure the plurality of capacitors in the plurality of stacked configurations; and

a switch controller operable to issue a control signal to the switch array to control the coupling of the plurality of capacitors in one of the plurality of stacked configurations within a selected one of the at least first and second modes,

wherein each value of the output voltage corresponds to a supply ratio of the input voltage defined by the capacitor arrangement, and the value the output voltage for the first mode is different from the value of the output voltage for the second mode.