Recharging power sources of implantable medical devices

• US 10,784,705 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2018
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Scott, Erik R., Dinsmoor, David A., Gaddam, Venkat R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US15/965,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20190334367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36128 Control systems
• 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 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current

Abstract

In some examples, a medical device system includes a first implantable medical device. The first implantable medical device (IMD) may comprise circuitry configured to at least one of deliver a therapy to a patient or sense a physiological signal from the patient; generate stimulation deliverable to a patient; a first rechargeable power source; and a secondary coil coupled to the first rechargeable power source, the secondary coil configured to charge the first rechargeable power source via inductive coupling with a primary coil of an external charging device. The medical device system may comprise processing circuitry configured to control charging of the first rechargeable power source based on a charge state of a second rechargeable power source of a second IMD.

Claims

1. A medical system comprising:

a first implantable medical device (IMD) comprising;

circuitry configured to at least one of deliver a therapy to a patient or sense a physiological signal from the patient;

a first rechargeable power source; and

a secondary coil coupled to the first rechargeable power source, the secondary coil configured to charge the first rechargeable power source via inductive coupling with a primary coil of an external charging device; and

processing circuitry configured to control charging of the first rechargeable power source based on a charge state of a second rechargeable power source of a second IMD, wherein at least one of the first IMD, the second IMD, the external charging device, or an external programmer comprises the processing circuitry.

2. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

identify a start to a charging session;

determine that a charge state of the first rechargeable power source is greater than a charge state of the second rechargeable power source; and

in response to the determination, control increasing consumption of charge stored by the first rechargeable power source by the first IMD until the charge states of the first and second rechargeable power sources are substantially equivalent.

3. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine that a charge state of the first rechargeable power source is greater than a charge state of the second rechargeable power source; and

in response to the determination, control reducing a charging current to the first rechargeable power source.

4. The medical system of claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry controls reducing charging current to the first rechargeable power source by at least one of:

tuning a rectifier circuit of charging circuitry to a different frequency than a frequency of recharge energy delivered by the external charging device, controlling an oscillator to generate a different frequency than the frequency of recharge energy, or shunting the recharge energy through a resistive load in the first IMD.

5. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry controls charging of the first rechargeable power source by opening a circuit coupled to the secondary coil of the first IMD to prevent current from being induced in the secondary coil.

6. The medical system of claim 5, further comprising timer circuitry configured to initiate a countdown when the processing circuitry open circuits the secondary coil, and wherein, in response to the end of the countdown, the processing circuitry is configured to close the circuit coupled to the secondary coil.

7. The medical system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry controls charging of the first rechargeable power source based on a temperature of the first IMD, and wherein, in response to the temperature sensor sensing that the temperature of the first IMD meets a maximum temperature limit, the processing circuitry is configured to, at least one of:

control decreasing consumption of charge stored by the first rechargeable power source by the first IMD, or close a circuit coupled to the secondary coil of the first IMD.

8. The medical system of claim 1, further comprising communication circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the communication circuitry configured to receive a first signal corresponding to a charge state of the first rechargeable power source and a second signal corresponding to a charge state of the second rechargeable power source, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control charging of the first and second rechargeable power sources based on the first and second signals.

9. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the first IMD comprises the processing circuitry.

10. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the second IMD comprises the processing circuitry.

11. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the external charging device comprises the processing circuitry.

12. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the external programmer comprises the processing circuitry.

13. A method for controlling charging of a first rechargeable power source of a first implantable medical device (IMD) in a patient, the method comprising:

receiving, at a secondary coil of the first IMD, energy via inductive coupling from a primary coil of an external charging device;

controlling, by processing circuitry, charging of the first rechargeable power source based on a charge state of a second rechargeable power source of a second IMD, wherein at least one of the first IMD, the second IMD, the external charging device, or an external programmer comprises the processing circuitry.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

identifying, by the processing circuitry, a charging session;

determining, by the processing circuitry, that a charge state of the first rechargeable power source is greater than a charge state of the second rechargeable power source; and

in response to the determination, controlling by the processing circuitry, increasing consumption of charge stored by the first rechargeable power source by the first IMD until the charge states of the first and second rechargeable power sources are substantially equivalent.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining, by the processing circuitry, that a charge state of the first rechargeable power source is greater than a charge state of the second rechargeable power source; and

in response to the determination, controlling, by the processing circuitry, reducing a charging current to the first rechargeable power source.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling reducing a charging current comprises at least one of:

tuning a rectifier circuit of charging circuitry to a different frequency than a frequency of recharge energy delivered by an external charging device, controlling an oscillator, or shunting the recharge energy through a resistive load in the first IMD.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising opening a circuit coupled to the secondary coil of the first IMD to prevent current from being induced in the secondary coil.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising initiating a countdown when the circuit the secondary coil is open circuited, and closing the circuit coupled to the secondary coil in response to the end of the countdown.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

controlling charging of the first rechargeable power source based on a temperature of the first 1 MB; and

in response to the temperature of the first 1 MB meeting a maximum temperature limit, at least one of;

controlling, by the processing circuitry, decreasing consumption of charge stored by the first rechargeable power source by the first 1 MB, or closing, by the processing circuitry, a circuit coupled to the secondary coil of the first IMD.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving, at communication circuitry, a first signal corresponding to a charge state of the first rechargeable power source and a second signal corresponding to a charge state of the second rechargeable power source, and controlling, by the processing circuitry, charging of the first and second rechargeable power sources based on the first and second signals.

21. A medical system comprising:

a first implantable medical device (IMD) comprising;

first circuitry configured to at least one of deliver a first therapy to a patient or sense a first physiological signal from the patient;

a first rechargeable power source; and

a secondary coil coupled to the first rechargeable power source, the secondary coil configured to charge the first rechargeable power source via inductive coupling with a primary coil of an external charging device;

a second IMD comprising;

second circuitry configured to at least one of deliver a second therapy to the patient or sense a second physiological signal from the patient;

a second rechargeable power source; and

a secondary coil coupled to the second rechargeable power source, the secondary coil configured to charge the second rechargeable power source via inductive coupling with the primary coil of the external charging device; and

processing circuitry configured to;

determine a charge state of the first rechargeable power source and a charge state of the second rechargeable power source;

control the first IMD to achieve a target charge state of the first rechargeable power source based on the charge state of the second rechargeable power source of the second IMD; and

control delivering energy from the external charging device to the secondary coils coupled to the first and second rechargeable power sources, wherein at least one of the first IMD, the second IMD, the external charging device, or an external programmer comprises the processing circuitry.

22. The medical system of claim 21, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

identify a start of a charging session;

determine that the charge state of the first rechargeable power source is greater than the charge state of the second rechargeable power source; and

in response to the determination, control increasing consumption of charge stored by the first rechargeable power source by the first IMD until the charge states of the first and second rechargeable power sources are substantially equivalent.

23. The medical system of claim 21, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the charge state of the first rechargeable power source is greater than a charge state of the second rechargeable power source; and

in response to the determination, control reducing a charging current to the first rechargeable power source by at least one of;

tuning a rectifier circuit of charging circuitry to a different frequency than a frequency of recharge energy delivered by the external charging device, controlling an oscillator to generate a different frequency than the frequency of recharge energy, or shunting the recharge energy through a resistive load.

24. The medical system of claim 21, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

open a circuit coupled to the secondary coil of the first IMD to prevent current from being induced in the secondary coil of the first IMD; and

the medical system further comprising timer circuitry configured to initiate a countdown when the processing circuitry open circuits the secondary coil of the first IMD, and wherein, in response to the end of the countdown, the processing circuitry is configured to close the circuit coupled to the secondary coil.

25. A method for controlling charging of a first rechargeable power source of a first implantable medical device (IMD) in a patient, the method comprising:

determining, by processing circuitry, a charge state of the first rechargeable power source and a charge state of a second rechargeable power source of a second IMD;

controlling, by the processing circuitry, the first IMD to achieve a target charge state of the first rechargeable power source based on the charge state of the second rechargeable power source of the second IMD; and

delivering, by a primary coil and via inductive coupling, energy to the first and second IMDs.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

identifying, by the processing circuitry, a start of a charging session;

determining, by the processing circuitry, that the charge state of the first rechargeable power source is greater than the charge state of the second rechargeable power source; and

in response to the determination, controlling, by the processing circuitry, increasing consumption of charge stored by the first rechargeable power source by the first IMD until the charge states of the first and second rechargeable power sources are substantially equivalent.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining, by the processing circuitry, that the charge state of the first rechargeable power source is greater than a charge state of the second rechargeable power source; and

in response to the determination, controlling, by the processing circuitry, reducing a charging current to the first rechargeable power source by at least one of;

tuning a rectifier circuit of charging circuitry to a different frequency than a frequency of recharge energy delivered by an external charging device, controlling an oscillator to generate a different frequency than the frequency of recharge energy, or shunting the recharge energy through a resistive load.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

opening a circuit of a secondary coil of the first IMD to prevent current from being induced in the secondary coil;

initiating a countdown, by timer circuitry, when the circuit of the secondary coil is opened, and closing the circuit of the secondary coil in response to the end of the countdown.