Power generation for implantable devices

• US 10,420,951 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2018
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: John, Michael Sasha
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US15/943,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20180272140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3785 generated by biological activity or substance, e.g. body movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

This application includes systems and techniques relating to wirelessly rechargeable medical apparatus, such as a wirelessly powered medical device including: a wireless energy harvesting module configured to receive at least one type of wireless power; a power management module configured to manage and monitor power harvested by the wireless energy harvesting module; a sensing or stimulation module configured to provide sensing data or a treatment operation; and a control module configured to communicate with the power management module and with the sensing or stimulation module; wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to modify an interrelation of operations of the wireless energy harvesting module and the sensing or stimulation module, including to compensate for influences of wireless power harvesting on operation of the sensing module or on the treatment operation provided by the stimulation module.

Claims

1. A wirelessly powered medical device comprising:

a wireless energy harvesting module configured to receive at least one type of wireless power;

a power management module configured to manage and monitor power harvested by the wireless energy harvesting module;

a sensing module configured to provide sensing data; and

a control module configured to communicate with the power management module and with the sensing module;

wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to modify an interrelation of operations of the wireless energy harvesting module and the sensing module, including to compensate for influences of wireless power harvesting on operation of the sensing module.

2. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 1, wherein the wireless energy harvesting module comprises at least one surface disposed exterior to a human body when the wirelessly powered medical device is partially implanted in the human body.

3. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 1, comprising circuitry configured to isolate electrical artifacts resulting from the wireless power harvesting, and the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to operate the circuitry to compensate for the electrical artifacts in the operation of the sensing module.

4. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 3, wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to (i) halt or delay at least subsets of steps related to sensing operations by the sensing module during a portion of wireless power harvesting operations, and (ii) halt, delay, attenuate, or otherwise modify at least subsets of steps related to carrying out the wireless power harvesting operations during a portion of the sensing operations by the sensing module.

5. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 1, comprising a communication module configured to provide communication between the medical device and at least one external device, wherein the control module is configured to communicate with the communication module, and wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each otherto compensate for influences of the wireless power harvesting on operation of the communication module.

6. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 5, comprising circuitry configured to isolate electrical artifacts resulting from the wireless power harvesting, and the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to operate the circuitry to compensate for the electrical artifacts in the operation of the communication module.

7. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 6, wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to (i) halt or delay at least subsets of steps related to communication operations by the communication module during a portion of wireless power harvesting operations, and (ii) halt, delay, attenuate, or otherwise modify at least subsets of steps related to carrying out the wireless power harvesting operations during a portion of the communication operations by the communication module.

8. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 1, comprising a stimulation module configured to provide a treatment operation, wherein the control module is configured to communicate with the stimulation module, and wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to compensate for influences of the wireless power harvesting on the treatment operation provided by the stimulation module.

9. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 8, comprising circuitry configured to isolate electrical artifacts resulting from the wireless power harvesting, and the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to operate the circuitry to compensate for the electrical artifacts in the treatment operation provided by the stimulation module.

10. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 9, wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to (i) halt or delay at least subsets of steps related to stimulation operations by the stimulation module during a portion of wireless power harvesting operations, and (ii) halt, delay, attenuate, or otherwise modify at least subsets of steps related to carrying out the wireless power harvesting operations during a portion of the stimulation operations by the stimulation module.

11. A wirelessly powered medical device comprising:

a wireless energy harvesting module configured to receive at least one type of wireless power;

a power management module configured to manage and monitor power harvested by the wireless energy harvesting module;

a stimulation module configured to provide a treatment operation; and

a control module configured to communicate with the power management module and with the stimulation module;

wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to modify an interrelation of operations of the wireless energy harvesting module and the stimulation module, including to compensate for influences of wireless power harvesting on the treatment operation provided by the stimulation module.

12. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 11, wherein the wireless energy harvesting module comprises at least one surface disposed exterior to a human body when the wirelessly powered medical device is partially implanted in the human body.

13. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 11, comprising circuitry configured to isolate electrical artifacts resulting from the wireless power harvesting, and the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to operate the circuitry to compensate for the electrical artifacts in the treatment operation provided by the stimulation module.

14. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 13, wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to (i) halt or delay at least subsets of steps related to stimulation operations by the stimulation module during a portion of wireless power harvesting operations, and (ii) halt, delay, attenuate, or otherwise modify at least subsets of steps related to carrying out the wireless power harvesting operations during a portion of the stimulation operations by the stimulation module.

15. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 13, comprising a sensing module configured to provide sensing data, wherein the control module is configured to communicate with the sensing module, and wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to operate the circuitry to compensate for the electrical artifacts in operation of the sensing module.

16. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 15, wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to (i) halt or delay at least subsets of steps related to sensing operations by the sensing module during a portion of wireless power harvesting operations, and (ii) halt, delay, attenuate, or otherwise modify at least subsets of steps related to carrying out the wireless power harvesting operations during a portion of the sensing operations by the sensing module.

17. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 11, comprising a communication module configured to provide communication between the medical device and at least one external device, wherein the control module is configured to communicate with the communication module, and wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each otherto compensate for influences of the wireless power harvesting on operation of the communication module.

18. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 17, comprising circuitry configured to isolate electrical artifacts resulting from the wireless power harvesting, and the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to operate the circuitry to compensate for the electrical artifacts in the operation of the communication module.

19. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 18, wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to (i) halt or delay at least subsets of steps related to communication operations by the communication module during a portion of wireless power harvesting operations, and (ii) halt, delay, attenuate, or otherwise modify at least subsets of steps related to carrying out the wireless power harvesting operations during a portion of the communication operations by the communication module.

20. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 17, comprising a sensing module configured to provide sensing data, wherein the control module is configured to communicate with the sensing module, and wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to compensate for influences of the wireless power harvesting on operation of the sensing module.

21. The wirelessly powered medical device of claim 20, wherein the power management module and the control module are configured to communicate with each other to (i) halt or delay at least subsets of steps related to sensing operations by the sensing module during a portion of wireless power harvesting operations, and (ii) halt, delay, attenuate, or otherwise modify at least subsets of steps related to carrying out the wireless power harvesting operations during a portion of the sensing operations by the sensing module.

22. A wirelessly powered medical system comprising:

a wireless power transmitter; and

the wirelessly powered medical device of claim 20 configured to be at least partially implanted in a human body.