Method and apparatus for efficient power/data transmission

• US 20050085873A1
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research
• Original Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research
• Inventors: Gord, John C., Arcos-Burgos, Maria Isabel, Cosendai, Gregoire
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0266 Arrangements for providing Galvanic isolation, e.g. by means of magnetic or capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0268 with modulation and subsequent demodulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/028 Arrangements specific to the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/366 Arrangements for compensating undesirable properties of the transmission path between the modulator and the demodulator

Abstract

A system, method and power/data transmission device comprising a coil having a high Q, a low-voltage driver and a high-voltage driver switchably coupled to the coil. The low-voltage driver and the high-voltage driver are controlled by a microcontroller and switch at about the same time thereby providing a modulated data signal for transmission. Furthermore, the system includes at least one implantable microstimulator coupled to the transmission device.

Claims

1. A power/data transmission device, comprising:

a coil having a high Q;

a low-voltage driver switchably coupled to the coil; and

a high-voltage driver switchably coupled to the coil.

2. The power/data transmission device of claim 1, wherein the coil has a low parasitic capacitance.

3. The power/data transmission device of claim 2, wherein the coil is a LITZ wire.

4. The power/data transmission device of claim 3, wherein the low-voltage driver and the high-voltage driver provide a modulated data signal through the coil for transmission to a receiving device.

5. The power/data transmission device of claim 4, wherein the coil is provided with a carrier frequency of about 2 MHz.

6. The power/data transmission device of claim 5, wherein the low-voltage driver comprises:

at least one switched-mode transistor for providing the modulated data signal and wherein the at least one switched-mode transistor has low impedance.

7. The power/data transmission device of claim 6, wherein the high-voltage driver comprises:

at least one switched-mode transistor for providing the modulated data signal and wherein the at least one switched-mode transistor has low impedance.

8. The power/data transmission device of claim 7, wherein the low-voltage driver and the high-voltage driver are synchronized to produce the modulated data signal.

9. The power/data transmission device of claim 8, wherein the data signal is amplitude-modulated.

10. The power/data transmission device of claim 7, wherein the high-voltage driver receives power from a transmit resonant circuit.

11. A method of power/data transmission, comprising:

providing a high Q coil;

providing a low-voltage driver switchably coupled to the coil;

providing a high-voltage driver switchably coupled to the coil; and

modulating a carier signal with data using the low-voltage and the high-voltage driver.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the modulating comprises:

switching the low-voltage driver and the high-voltage driver coupled to the coil, thereby modulating the carrier signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the modulating comprises:

synchronizing the switching of the low-voltage driver and the high-voltage driver coupled to the coil, thereby producing a data signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the carrier frequency is at about 2 MHz.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

amplitude modulating the data signal.

16. An implantable medical device system comprising:

at least one implantable microstimulator;

a transmission device comprising;

a high-voltage driver switchably coupled to the coil.

a coil having a high Q; and

a low-voltage driver switchably coupled to the coil.

17. The implantable medical device system of claim 16, wherein the at least one microstimulator is less than 60 mm in longitudinal and less than 6 mm in lateral dimension.