Recharge tuning techniques for an implantable device
First Claim
1. A charging system configured to transcutaneously deliver power, comprising:
- a primary coil;
a drive circuit configured to drive the primary coil at a drive frequency; and
a control circuit configured to tune the drive frequency based on a characteristic of a signal that occurs within the primary coil wherein the signal has a signal level that varies with respect to time, wherein the characteristic is not present when the primary coil is being driven at a resonant frequency of the system and wherein the characteristic comprises at least one transition in the signal level of the signal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for tuning a frequency at which an external device transcutaneously transfers energy. The transferred energy may be used to charge a rechargeable power source of an implantable medical device (IMD) and/or to power the IMD directly. One embodiment relates to a charging system that may comprise a circuit to drive a primary coil of an external device at a drive frequency and a control circuit to tune the drive frequency based on a characteristic of a monitored signal that is associated with the primary coil. The characteristic is not present when the primary coil is being driven at a resonant frequency of the system. In a specific example, the characteristic comprises a stub pulse and the control circuit is configured to tune the drive frequency based on at least one of a relative timing and a width of the stub pulse.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A charging system configured to transcutaneously deliver power, comprising:
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a primary coil; a drive circuit configured to drive the primary coil at a drive frequency; and a control circuit configured to tune the drive frequency based on a characteristic of a signal that occurs within the primary coil wherein the signal has a signal level that varies with respect to time, wherein the characteristic is not present when the primary coil is being driven at a resonant frequency of the system and wherein the characteristic comprises at least one transition in the signal level of the signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A charging system configured to transcutaneously deliver power, comprising:
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a primary coil; a drive circuit configured to drive the primary coil at a drive frequency; and a control circuit configured to tune the drive frequency based on a characteristic of a signal that is associated with the primary coil, wherein the characteristic is not present when the primary coil is being driven at a resonant frequency of the system, wherein the characteristic comprises a stub pulse, and wherein the control circuit is configured to change the drive frequency by an amount that is based on a width of the stub pulse.
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13. A charging system configured to transcutaneously deliver power, comprising:
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a primary coil; a drive circuit configured to drive the primary coil at a drive frequency; and a control circuit configured to tune the drive frequency based on a characteristic of a signal that is associated with the primary coil, wherein the characteristic is not present when the primary coil is being driven at a resonant frequency of the system and wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a high frequency at which the characteristic first appears in the signal and a low frequency at which the characteristic first appears in the signal, and to adjust the drive frequency to be the average of the high and the low frequencies.
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14. A charging system configured to transcutaneously deliver power, comprising:
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a primary coil; a drive circuit configured to drive the primary coil at a drive frequency; and a control circuit configured to tune the drive frequency based on a characteristic of a signal that is associated with the primary coil, wherein the characteristic is not present when the primary coil is being driven at a resonant frequency of the system and wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the drive frequency until the characteristic disappears at a first frequency and reappears at a second frequency, and to adjust the drive frequency to be the average of the first and second frequencies.
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15. A charging system configured to transcutaneously deliver power, comprising:
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a primary coil; a drive circuit configured to drive the primary coil at a drive frequency; and a control circuit configured to tune the drive frequency based on a characteristic of a signal that is associated with the primary coil, wherein the characteristic is not present when the primary coil is being driven at a resonant frequency of the system, wherein the drive circuit is configured to enforce a dead period during which the primary coil is not being driven and wherein the characteristic occurs during the dead period.
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16. A system, comprising:
a circuit configured to generate a signal associated with transcutaneously delivering power, and to tune the signal to a resonant frequency of the system based on a characteristic in the signal that is not present when the signal is at the resonant frequency of the system, wherein the characteristic comprises a negative-to-positive-going or a positive-to-negative-going transition. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 30)
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22. A method of transcutaneously delivering power, comprising:
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driving a primary coil; monitoring a signal that occurs within the primary coil; detecting a transition in the monitored signal, the transition occurring with respect to time; and adjusting a drive signal that is driving the primary coil to a resonant frequency based on a characteristic in the monitored signal that is not present when the drive signal is at the resonant frequency, wherein the characteristic comprises the detected transition. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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31. A system, comprising:
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coil means for transcutaneously delivering power; signal generation means for generating a signal that causes a waveform to occur in the coil means; and control means for tuning a frequency of the signal based on a characteristic of the waveform that varies with respect to time and that is not present when the coil means is driven at a resonant frequency of the system. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification