Method and system for powering an electronic device

• US 20070232877A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: He, Lei
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/365
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1451 for interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14865 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for providing a power supply to a device are provided.

Claims

14. An analyte monitoring system with rechargeable power supply, comprising:

an analyte sensor at least a portion of which is configured for subcutaneous placement under a skin layer, the sensor configured to detect an analyte level;

a data transmission unit operatively coupled to the analyte sensor, the data transmission unit configured to transmit a plurality of signals including a signal associated with the detected analyte level, the data transmission unit further including a rechargeable power supply unit; and

a data monitoring unit configured to receive the signal from the data transmission unit, the data monitoring unit further including a magnetic field generator unit;

wherein the rechargeable power supply unit is configured to be recharged by the magnetic field generator unit.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the magnetic field generator unit is configured to inductively charge the rechargeable power supply unit.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the magnetic field generator unit includes a first multilayered coil inductor, and further, wherein the rechargeable power supply unit includes a second multilayered coil inductor.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further including a first ferrite layer disposed on the first multilayered coil inductor, and a second ferrite layer disposed on the second multilayered coil inductor.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the data transmission unit is configured to transmit the plurality of signals to the data monitoring unit over an RF communication link.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the magnetic field generator unit is configured to be controlled by one or more of the transmitted signals from the data transmission unit.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the magnetic field generator unit is configured to generate a magnetic field, and further, wherein the rechargeable power supply unit is configured to be recharged by the magnetic field generator unit when the data transmission unit is positioned in a predetermined proximity to the magnetic field.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein magnetic field generator unit is configured to generate a power transformer between the data transmission unit and the data monitoring unit.

22. A method of providing rechargeable power supply, comprising:

generating a magnetic field;

positioning a rechargeable power source within a predetermined distance from the generated magnetic field; and

inductively charging the rechargeable power source.

1. An apparatus for providing rechargeable power for use in a data communication system, comprising:

a power source section including a magnetic field generator unit configured to generate a magnetic field; and

a power section that is rechargeable provided in a predetermined proximity to the generated magnetic field of the power source section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the power source section and the rechargeable power section comprise a power transformer unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the power transformer unit includes a high frequency power transformer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field generator unit includes a first coil inductor, and further, wherein the rechargeable power supply unit includes a second coil inductor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of the first and second coil inductors includes a plurality of PCB layers.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rechargeable power section includes a data transmission unit, and further, wherein the power source section includes a data receiver unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the data transmission unit is configured to transmit one or more signals to the data receiver unit in the rechargeable power section over a wireless communication link.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the wireless communication link includes an RF communication link.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the magnetic field generator unit is configured to be controlled by one or more of the transmitted signals from the data transmission unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the power section includes a rechargeable power supply unit configured to be inductively recharged by the power source section.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a data transmitter unit configured to transmit one or more signals associated with an analyte level, the data transmitter unit including the power section.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a data receiver unit configured to receive one or more signals associated with an analyte level, the receiver unit including the power source section.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a glucose monitoring system, the glucose monitoring system including a data transmitter unit configured to transmit one or more signals associated with an analyte level, and a data receiver unit configured to receive the one or more signals from the transmitter unit, wherein the transmitter unit includes the power section, and further, wherein the receiver unit including the power source section.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of generating the magnetic field is triggered by the RF data transmission detection.

24. The method of claim 22 further including the step of manually controlling the step of generating the magnetic field.

25. The method of claim 24 further including the step of receiving the transmitted one or more signals.

26. The method of claim 22 further including the step of monitoring an analyte level of a patient.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the analyte level includes a glucose level.

24-1. The method of claim 22 further including the steps of:

detecting one or more analyte levels of a patient; and

transmitting one or more signals associated with the detected one or more analyte levels.