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Neurostimulation programmers with improved RF antenna radiation patterns

  • US 9,750,945 B2
  • Filed: 09/29/2010
  • Issued: 09/05/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A handheld external programmer adapted to wirelessly communicate with an implantable pulse generator (IPG) implanted within a patient or an external pulse generator attached to the patient,the programmer having a predetermined intended orientation that specifies how a person should handhold the programmer so that the person can view and interact with a user interface associated with a front surface of the programmer in a predetermined intended manner,wherein when the person handholds the programmer in its predetermined intended orientation, the front surface of the housing is positioned at any angle between and inclusive of the front surface facing upward parallel to the earth'"'"'s surface and the front surface facing sideways perpendicular to the earth'"'"'s surface, which enables the person to view and interact with the user interface of the programmer in the predetermined intended manner,the external programmer comprising:

  • a ground plane;

    a power supply;

    a telemetry transceiver powered by the power supply and grounded by the ground plane; and

    only a single antenna electrically connected to the telemetry transceiver;

    wherein the single antenna is positioned relative to the ground plane such that when the person handholds the programmer in its predetermined intended orientation a single radiation pattern produced by the antenna has substantially maximum radio frequency (RF) radiation generally directed toward the patient, regardless whether the person that handholds the programmer in its predetermined intended orientation is the patient or another person located near and generally facing the patient, and without requiring the programmer be placed over the pulse generator.

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