Portable power charging of implantable medical devices

• US 9,597,522 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2015
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Meskens, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): VOORHEES, CATHERINE M
• Application Number:
  US14/838,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20150375003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• 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 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/67 Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606

Abstract

An implantable medical device, comprising an implantable component having a rechargeable power supply and an external wireless charger. The wireless charger has a rechargeable power supply, and an inductive coil configured to transcutaneously transfer power from the charger power supply to the implantable power supply, and configured to detect and receive, via the inductive coil, power from an auxiliary charger for recharging of the charger power supply.

Claims

1. A wireless charger of an implantable medical system, comprising:

a charger power supply;

an inductive coil;

a circuit configured to route power provided by the charger power supply to the inductive coil for transcutaneous transfer of the power to an implantable component, and to route power received via the inductive coil from an auxiliary charger to the charger power supply for recharging of the charger power supply; and

wherein the wireless charger is configured to detect the presence of an inductive field generated by the auxiliary charger, and wherein in response to detection of the presence of the inductive field generated by the auxiliary charger, the circuit is automatically arranged to route power from the inductive coil to the charger power supply.

2. The wireless charger of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a routing system, driver and a battery recharger, and wherein the routing system is connected among the driver, the inductive coil, and the battery recharger.

3. The wireless charger of claim 1, further comprising a sound processor, wherein the wireless charger is further configured to transcutaneously transmit data from the sound processor to the implantable component via the inductive coil.

4. The wireless charger of claim 1, further comprising a power detector connected to the inductive coil, wherein the power detector is configured to detect the presence of the inductive field generated by the auxiliary charger.

5. The wireless charger of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control the circuit so as to enable routing of power from the charger power supply to the inductive coil only during specified time periods.

6. The wireless charger of claim 1, wherein the wireless charger is a Behind-the-Ear (BTE) device.

7. The wireless charger of claim 1, wherein the wireless charger is a body worn device.

8. An implantable medical system, comprising:

an implantable component including a implantable power supply; and

a wireless charger comprising;

a charger power supply, and

an inductive coil connected to the charger power supply via a circuit enabling the inductive coil to transcutaneously transfer power from the charger power supply to the implantable power supply and to transfer power received from an auxiliary charger to the charger power supply,

wherein the circuit is configured to drive the inductive coil with power received from the rechargeable power supply, and to route power received at the inductive coil to the charger power supply.

9. The implantable medical system of claim 8, wherein the circuit comprises a routing system, a driver, and a battery recharger, wherein the routing system is connected among the driver, the inductive coil, and the battery recharger.

10. The implantable medical system of claim 8, wherein the wireless charger further comprises a sound processor, and wherein the inductive coil is further configured to transcutaneously transmit data from the sound processor to the implantable component.

11. The implantable medical system of claim 8, further comprising an external accessory, wherein the inductive coil is configured to form a bidirectional data link with the external accessory.

12. The implantable medical system of claim 8, wherein the circuit includes a controller configured to enable the transcutaneously transfer of power from the charger power supply to the implantable power supply via the inductive coil for a first time period, and to disable the transcutaneously transfer of power from the charger power supply to the implantable power supply via the inductive coil for a second time period.

13. The implantable medical system of claim 12, wherein the circuit is configured to monitor for the presence of the auxiliary charger during the second time period.

14. The implantable medical system of claim 13, wherein when the circuit detects the presence of the auxiliary charger, the inductive coil is configured to receive power from the auxiliary charger and the circuit is configured to enable the transfer of power received from the auxiliary charger to the charger power supply.

15. The implantable medical system of claim 14, wherein before enabling the transfer of power received from the auxiliary charger to the charger power supply, the circuit is configured to perform a check to determine if the charger power supply can accept additional power.

16. The implantable medical system of claim 8, wherein the implantable medical system is a cochlear implant system.

22. The implantable medical system of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to enable the transcutaneous transfer of data from the charger to the implantable component via the inductive coil during the second time period.

17. An implantable medical system, comprising:

an external wireless charger including;

a charger power supply,

an inductive coil, and

a circuit connected between the charger power supply and the inductive coil configured to drive the inductive coil so as to transmit power to an implantable power supply, and configured to detect and receive, via the inductive coil, power from an auxiliary charger for recharging of the charger power supply,

wherein the circuit includes a controller configured to enable the transcutaneous transfer of power from the charger power supply to the implantable power supply via the inductive coil for a first time period, and to disable the transcutaneous transfer of power from the charger power supply to the implantable power supply via the inductive coil for a second time period.

18. The implantable medical system of claim 17, wherein the implantable power supply is part of an implantable component and the wireless charger further comprises a sound processor, wherein the circuit is further configured to transcutaneously transfer data from the sound processor to the implantable component via the inductive coil.

19. The implantable medical system of claim 17, wherein the circuit comprises a power detector connected to the inductive coil, wherein the power detector is configured to detect the presence of an inductive field generated by the auxiliary charger.

20. The implantable medical system of claim 19, wherein the power detector is configured to periodically determine whether the auxiliary charger is capable of supplying power sufficient to recharge the charger power supply.

21. The implantable medical system of claim 19, wherein in response to detecting the presence of the inductive field generated by the auxiliary charger, the circuit is automatically arranged to route power from the inductive coil to the charger power supply.

23. The implantable medical system of claim 17, wherein the implantable medical system is a cochlear implant system.

24. The implantable medical system of claim 17, wherein the circuit is configured to monitor for the presence of the auxiliary charger during the second time period.

25. The implantable medical system of claim 24, wherein when the circuit detects the presence of the auxiliary charger, the inductive coil is configured to receive power from the auxiliary charger and the circuit is configured to enable the transfer of power received from the auxiliary charger to the charger power supply.

26. The implantable medical system of claim 25, wherein before enabling the transfer of power received from the auxiliary charger to the charger power supply, the circuit is configured to perform a check to determine if the charger power supply can accept additional power.

27. The implantable medical system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to enable the transfer of data via the inductive coil during the second time period.