External Powering of Implantable Medical Device Dependent on Energy of Provided Therapy

• US 20160367822A1
• Filed: 04/04/2016
• Published: 12/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Parramon, Jordi
• Granted Patent: US 9,867,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

An implantable medical device system includes an implantable medical device for providing stimulation therapy and two external power sources. A first external power source is used to power the implantable medical device when the stimulation therapy is low energy therapy. For example, the first external power device may be utilized to periodically recharge a battery in the implantable medical device. The second external power device may be utilized to power the implantable medical device when the stimulation therapy is high energy therapy. The second external power device may be a disposable patch that is affixed to a patient'"'"'s skin to provide continuous power to the implantable medical device. The implantable medical device may communicate data to such a power device to cause it to adjust a strength of the charging field that it generates.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an implantable medical device for providing stimulation therapy;

a first external power device; and

a second external power device,

wherein the first external power device is used to provide power to the implantable medical device when the stimulation therapy is low energy therapy,

and wherein the second external power device is used to provide power to the implantable medical device when the stimulation therapy is high energy therapy.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first external power device is used to periodically recharge a battery in the implantable medical device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second external power device is used to continuously power the implantable medical device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second external power device is a disposable patch that is configured to be affixed to a patient'"'"'s skin above an implanted location of the implantable medical device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second external power devices provide power to the implantable medical device via inductive coupling.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a first magnetic field generated by the first external power device is of higher power than a second magnetic field generated by the second external power device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second external power devices comprise antennas that are configured to provide power via high frequency RF or microwave power transfer.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein power transfer occurs at a frequency greater than 3 megahertz.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a determination of whether the stimulation therapy is low energy therapy or high energy therapy is provided by an energy algorithm based on one or more parameters of the stimulation therapy.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy algorithm is executed by a clinician'"'"'s programmer that is configured to communicate the one or more parameters of the stimulation therapy to the implantable medical device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy algorithm is executed by an external controller that is configured to communicate the one or more parameters of the stimulation therapy to the implantable medical device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy algorithm is executed by the implantable medical device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the determination is communicated to the first external power device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the determination is displayed on a user interface of an external device.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy algorithm provides an estimation of a recharge frequency and a recharge duration for a battery of the implantable medical device using the first external power device.

16. A system, comprising:

an implantable medical device; and

an external power device for providing continuous power to the implantable medical device,

wherein the implantable medical device communicates data to the external power device to cause the external power device to adjust a strength of its charging field.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the external power device adjusts the strength of its charging field by adjusting a current that is provided to its charging coil.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the implantable medical device communicates data to cause the external power device to adjust the charging field to a first strength to provide energy to power a load and recharge a battery of the implantable medical device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the implantable medical device communicates data to cause the external power device to adjust the charging field to a second strength to provide energy to power the load with assistance from energy provided by the battery.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the implantable medical device transitions from communicating data to cause the external power device to adjust the charging field from the first strength to the second strength over a life of the external power device.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the external power device is a disposable patch that is configured to be affixed to a patient'"'"'s skin above an implanted area of the implantable medical device using an adhesive.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the implantable medical device communicates the data while the external power device is generating the charging field by modulating an impedance of a coil that is utilized to receive power from the charging field.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the implantable medical device is configured to communicate information regarding a utilization of energy to an external device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the information regarding the utilization of energy comprises one or more of a direction and magnitude of a charge current generated from energy received from the external power device, a direction and magnitude of a battery current, and a direction and magnitude of a load current.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the information regarding the utilization of energy is displayed in an energy diagram on a user interface of the external device.