MAGNETIC INDUCTION COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20120109256A1
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Meskins, Werner, Nygard, Tony, Van Baelen, Erika
• Granted Patent: US 9,166,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 Endoradiosondes
• 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 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils

Abstract

A communication system for an active implantable medical device. The communication system includes an isolation transformer a coil coupled to the isolation transformer, and first and second communication components each coupled to the isolation transformer such that the first and second communication components are electrically isolated from the coil, and such that the isolation transformer enables the first and second communication components to communicate, via magnetic induction (MI) using the coil, with at least one external component.

Claims

1. A communication system for an active implantable medical device comprising:

an isolation transformer;

a coil coupled to said isolation transformer;

first and second communication components each coupled to said isolation transformer such that said first and second communication components are electrically isolated from said coil, and such that said isolation transformer enables said first and second communication components to communicate, via magnetic induction (MI) using said coil, with at least one external component.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said isolation transformer comprises:

a first winding coupled to said coil and a second winding coupled to the first and second processing units.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said isolation transformer comprises:

a first winding coupled to said coil;

a second winding coupled to said first communication component; and

a third winding coupled to said second communication component.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said isolation transformer, said coil, and said first and second communication components are each part of a circuit equivalent to an LC tank circuit having a single resonant frequency.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first communication component is configured to communicate with said at least one external component via a closely coupled MI link and said second communication component is configured to communicate with said at least one external component via an MI radio link operating at different frequency than the closely coupled MI link.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said first communication component is configured to receive power and data signals via said closely coupled MI link.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said coil is an air coil.

8. An implantable component of an implantable medical device comprising:

an isolation transformer;

a coil coupled to said isolation transformer;

first and second communication components each coupled to said isolation transformer such that said first and second communication components are electrically isolated from said coil, and such that said isolation transformer enables said first and second communication components to communicate, via said coil, with at least one external component,

wherein said isolation transformer, said coil, and said first and second communication components are each part of a circuit equivalent to an LC tank circuit having a single resonant frequency.

9. The implantable component of claim 8, wherein said isolation transformer comprises:

a first winding connected to said coil;

a second winding connected to said first communication component; and

a third winding connected to said second communication component.

10. The implantable component of claim 9, wherein said first communication component is configured to communicate with said at least one external component via a closely coupled MI link and said second communication component is configured to communicate with said at least one external component via an MI radio link operating at different frequency than the closely coupled MI link.

11. The implantable component of claim 10, wherein said first communication component is configured to output, over said MI radio link via said second winding, signals received from said second communication component.

12. The implantable component of claim 10, wherein said second communication component is configured to communicate with said at least one external component over said MI radio link via said third winding.

13. The implantable component of claim 10, wherein said second communication component is a low-voltage integrated circuit (IC) configured to send and receive data signals over said MI radio link via said third winding.

14. The implantable component of claim 10, wherein said first, second, and third windings are electrically isolated from one another.

15. The implantable component of claim 9, wherein said second winding includes more turns than said first winding, and said first winding includes more turns than said third winding.

16. A system comprising:

first and second external components; and

an implantable component comprising;

an isolation transformer;

a coil coupled to said isolation transformer; and

first and second communication components each coupled to said isolation transformer such that said first and second communication components are electrically isolated from said coil, and such that said isolation transformer enables said first and second communication components to communicate, using said coil, with said first and second external components via first and second magnetic induction (MI) links, respectively.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said first communication component is configured to communicate with said first external component via a closely coupled MI link and said second communication component is configured to communicate with said second external component via an MI radio link operating at different frequency than the closely coupled MI link.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said system is a cochlear implant.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said implantable component comprises:

a plurality of electrodes, wherein said first processing unit is configured to provide electrical stimulation to a recipient via said electrodes.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said isolation transformer comprises:

a first winding coupled to said coil;

a second winding coupled to said first communication component; and

a third winding coupled to said second communication component.