Charging system providing adjustable transmitted power to improve power efficiency within an implanted device
First Claim
1. A system for transferring power from an external power transfer system (EPTS) to at least one body-implantable active device (BIAD) through a dermis layer, said system comprising:
- an EPTS for being disposed external to a dermis layer of a body; and
a BIAD for being disposed beneath the dermis layer of the body;
the EPTS including;
a transmit coil;
a variable voltage generator circuit operable to generate on an output thereof a variable DC voltage; and
a resonant driver circuit coupled to the variable DC voltage output, and operable to drive the transmit coil with a resonant current at a resonant frequency;
the BIAD including;
a receive coil tuned to the resonant frequency of the transmit coil and operable to inductively receive power therefrom when in proximity thereto; and
a power receiving circuit coupled to the receive coil and operable to deliver the received power to circuitry within the BIAD;
wherein the EPTS is operable to adjust the variable DC voltage to modulate energy stored in the resonant driver circuit each resonant cycle and to modulate available transmitted power that is receivable by the BIAD.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for transferring power to, and communicating with, at least one body-implantable active device includes an external power transfer system associated with an external device disposed outside of a body, operable to transfer power through a dermis layer to each body-implantable active device, and communicate data to and from each body-implantable active device, and also includes a power receiving system associated with each body-implantable active device, operable to receive power transferred from the external power transfer system, and communicate data to and from the external power transfer system. The body-implantable active device may include an implantable neurostimulation system.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for transferring power from an external power transfer system (EPTS) to at least one body-implantable active device (BIAD) through a dermis layer, said system comprising:
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an EPTS for being disposed external to a dermis layer of a body; and a BIAD for being disposed beneath the dermis layer of the body; the EPTS including; a transmit coil; a variable voltage generator circuit operable to generate on an output thereof a variable DC voltage; and a resonant driver circuit coupled to the variable DC voltage output, and operable to drive the transmit coil with a resonant current at a resonant frequency; the BIAD including; a receive coil tuned to the resonant frequency of the transmit coil and operable to inductively receive power therefrom when in proximity thereto; and a power receiving circuit coupled to the receive coil and operable to deliver the received power to circuitry within the BIAD; wherein the EPTS is operable to adjust the variable DC voltage to modulate energy stored in the resonant driver circuit each resonant cycle and to modulate available transmitted power that is receivable by the BIAD. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for transferring power from an external power transfer system (EPTS) to at least one body-implantable active device (BIAD) through a dermis layer, said system comprising:
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an EPTS for being disposed external to a dermis layer of a body; and a BIAD for being disposed beneath the dermis layer of the body; the EPTS including; a transmit coil; a variable voltage generator circuit operable to generate on an output thereof a variable DC voltage responsive to a voltage control signal received on an input thereof; and a resonant driver circuit operable to drive the transmit coil with a resonant current at a resonant frequency, said resonant driver circuit having an upper power supply node coupled to the variable DC voltage output, and having a lower power supply node coupled to a reference power supply voltage; the BIAD including; a receive coil tuned to the resonant frequency of the transmit coil and operable to inductively receive power therefrom when in proximity thereto; and a power receiving circuit coupled to the receive coil and operable to deliver the received power to circuitry within the BIAD; wherein the EPTS is operable to adjust the variable DC voltage to modulate energy stored in the resonant driver circuit each resonant cycle and to thereby modulate available transmitted power that is receivable by the BIAD. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
wherein the resonant driver circuit further comprises; an excitation coil and a switch device coupled in series between the upper power supply node and the lower power supply node, wherein the switch device is operable, responsive to a control input thereof, to substantially impress the variable DC voltage across the excitation coil during a portion of each resonant cycle to thereby store in the excitation coil an amount of energy that varies in accordance with the variable DC voltage; and a capacitor coupled between a first node and an output node of the resonant driver circuit, said first node disposed between the excitation coil and the switch device.
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17. The system as in claim 16 wherein the resonant driver circuit further comprises:
a buffer circuit having an input coupled to an excitation input of the resonant driver circuit, having an output coupled to the switch device control input, and having a boosted local power supply greater in magnitude than a battery voltage powering the EPTS.
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18. The system as in claim 16 wherein:
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the resonant driver circuit comprises a Class E inverter circuit; and the power receiving circuit comprises a Class E resonant rectifier circuit; wherein said Class E inverter circuit and said Class E resonant rectifier circuit are together operable as an isolated Class E DC-DC converter circuit at the resonant frequency.
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19. The system as in claim 16 further comprising at least a second BIAD, and wherein:
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the EPTS includes a series-connected plurality of transmit coils, each corresponding to a respective BIAD; and the resonant driver circuit is operable to drive the series-connected plurality of transmit coils with the resonant current at the resonant frequency.
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20. The system as in claim 19 wherein:
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each respective BIAD comprises a respective head-locatable neurostimulation system; the EPTS is disposed within a headset charging and control device operable to charge and communicate with each respective head-locatable neurostimulation system; and each transmit coil is co-locatable with the corresponding receive coil.
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Specification