Deep Brain Stimulation Device Having Wireless Power Transmission Mechanism

• US 20110112602A1
• Filed: 05/14/2008
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gachon University of Medicine & Science Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
• Original Assignee: Gachon University of Medicine # Science Industry-A
• Inventors: Lee, Uhn, Choi, Sang Hyouk
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

Provided is a deep brain stimulation (DBS) device using a wireless power transmission mechanism to wirelessly receive microwaves from a power transmission antenna installed at a hat put on a patient, transform the microwaves into power, and drive electrodes implanted into a brain of the patient using the power so as to correct abnormal motor and sensory functions of the patient using power which is wirelessly transmitted from an outside into a body of the patient. The DBS device includes: a hat module which is installed at a hat put on a head of the patient to transmit microwaves; and an implantation module which is implanted through a skull under a scalp to contact the cerebral nerve of the patient, receives the microwaves from the hat module, transforms the microwaves into direct current (DC) power, and stimulates the cerebral nerve using the DC power.

Claims

1. A deep brain stimulation (DBS) device using a wireless power transmission mechanism to stimulate a cerebral nerve of a patient having abnormal motor and sensory functions so as to normalize functions of a brain of the patient, the DBS device comprising:

a hat module which is installed at a hat put on a head of the patient to transmit microwaves; and

an implantation module which is implanted through a skull under a scalp to contact the cerebral nerve of the patient, receives the microwaves from the hat module, transforms the microwaves into direct current (DC) power, and stimulates the cerebral nerve using the DC power.

2. The DBS device of claim 1, wherein the microwaves, which are transmitted from the hat module, have power of 2 watt, a frequency between 30 Hz and 100 Hz.

3. The DBS device of claim 1, wherein:

the hat module comprises a power transmission antenna which transmits the microwaves to the implantation module 4; and

the implantation module comprises a power receiver which receives the microwaves from the power transmission antenna and transforms the microwaves into the DC power.

4. The DBS device of claim 1, wherein the hat module comprises:

a power supply unit which supplies power to the whole hat module;

a power transmitter which transmits the microwaves;

a command signal transmitter which transmits a command signal to operate a cerebral nerve function of the implantation module; and

a controller which controls the power transmitter and the command signal transmitter.

5. The DBS device of claim 4, wherein the power transmitter comprises:

an oscillator which receives power from the power supply unit to generate the microwaves; and

the power transmission antenna which transmits the microwaves to the Implantation module.

6. The DBS device of claim 4, wherein the implantation module comprises:

a thin film which is fixed between the scalp and skull of the patient;

a stimulation pin which is connected to a lower surface of the thin film and implanted through the skull under the scalp to contact a deep cerebral nerve so as to provide an electric stimulation to the cerebra nerve of the patient;

the power receiver which receives the power from the power transmitter of the hat module through the scalp and transforms the power into the DC power;

a power modulator which receives the DC power from the power receiver 42 and modulates the DB power into power to be used by the whole circuit and the stimulation pin; and

a command signal receiver which receives the command signal from the command signal transmitter of the hat module.

7. The DBS device of claim 6, wherein the power receiver is a rectenna array which is radially disposed on the thin film.

8. The DBS device of claim 3, wherein the power transmission antenna is a horn antenna.

9. The DBS device of claim 5, wherein the power transmission antenna is a horn antenna.