Inductively rechargeable external energy source, charger, system and method for a transcutaneous inductive charger for an implantable medical device

• US 9,821,112 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Olson, David P., Phillips, William C., Schmeling, Andrew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Rex R
• Application Number:
  US15/262,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20170065766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3327 Measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/01 Remote controllers for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3655 controlled by body or blood temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature

Abstract

A mechanism for transferring energy from an external power source to an implantable medical device is disclosed. A sensor may be used to measure a parameter that correlates to a temperature of the system that occurs during the transcutaneous coupling of energy. For example, the sensor may measure temperature of a surface of an antenna of the external power source. The measured parameter may then be compared to a programmable limit. A control circuit such as may be provided by the external power source may then control the temperature based on the comparison. The programmable limit may be, for example, under software control so that the temperature occurring during transcutaneous coupling of energy may be modified to fit then-current circumstances.

Claims

1. A medical system, comprising:

an implantable medical device;

an external charging device configured to transcutaneously transfer energy to the implantable medical device comprising;

a sensor configured to measure a temperature indicative of heat resulting from the transcutaneous transfer of energy to the implantable medical device;

a control circuit configured to compare the measured temperature to a programmable limit and to control the transfer of energy based on the comparison; and

a memory configured to store the programmable limit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the external charging device comprises an external antenna and wherein the sensor is carried by the external antenna.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is thermally-coupled to a surface of the external antenna to measure a temperature to which a patient is being exposed.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust a rate at which energy is transferred to the implantable medical device.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a primary coil, and wherein the control circuit is configured to limit the current driving the primary coil.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to limit the time during which energy is transferred to the implantable medical device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to alternate between initiating the transcutaneous transfer of energy to the implantable medical device and terminating the transcutaneous transfer of energy to the implantable medical device.

22. The medical system of claim 1 wherein the programmable limit is under software control.

8. A method, comprising:

transferring, via an external charging device, energy transcutaneously to an implantable medical device;

sensing, via a sensor, a temperature indicative of heat resulting from the transcutaneous transfer of energy to the implantable medical device;

obtaining a programmable limit from a memory;

comparing, via a control circuit, the temperature to the programmable limit; and

controlling the transfer of energy based on the comparison.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling the transfer of energy based on the comparison comprises adjusting a rate at which energy is transcutaneously transferred to the implantable medical device based on the comparison.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein transferring, via external charging device, energy transcutaneously to an implantable medical device comprises transferring energy via a primary coil of the external charging device, and wherein controlling the transfer of energy based on the comparison comprises limiting the current driving the primary coil of the external charging device based on the comparison.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling the transfer of energy based on the comparison comprises limiting the time during which energy is transcutaneously transferred to the implantable medical device based on the comparison.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling the transfer of energy based on the comparison comprises alternating between terminating the transcutaneous transfer of energy to the implantable medical device and initiating the transcutaneous transfer of energy to the implantable medical device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling the transfer of energy based on the comparison comprises limiting a time during which energy is transferred to the implantable medical device.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising modifying the programmable limit to fit then-current circumstances associated with the transcutaneous transfer of energy to the implantable medical device.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the implantable medical device comprises a rechargeable power source, and further comprising transcutaneously transferring energy from the external charging device to charge the rechargeable power source.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein sensing, via a sensor, a temperature indicative of heat resulting from the transcutaneous transfer of energy to the implantable medical device comprises sensing, via a sensor, a temperature of the external charging device during the transcutaneous transfer of energy to the implantable medical device.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein sensing, via a sensor, a temperature indicative of heat resulting from the transcutaneous transfer of energy to the implantable medical device comprises sensing, via a sensor, a temperature of a surface of the external device during the transcutaneous transfer of charging energy to the implantable medical device.

18. A medical system, comprising:

an implantable medical device;

means for transcutaneously transferring charging energy to the implantable medical device;

means for measuring a temperature indicative of heat resulting from the transcutaneous transfer of charging energy to the implantable medical device;

means for comparing the measured temperature to a programmable limit;

means for controlling the transfer of charging energy based on the comparison; and

storage means for storing the programmable limit.

19. A medical system, comprising:

an external device configured to transcutaneously transferring charging energy to an implantable medical device;

a sensor configured to measure a temperature indicative of heat resulting from the transcutaneous transfer of charging energy to the implantable medical device;

a control circuit configured to compare the measured temperature to a programmable limit and to control the transfer of charging energy based on the comparison; and

a memory configured to store the programmable limit.

20. The medical system of claim 19, wherein the control circuit is configured to alternate between initiating the transcutaneous transfer of charging energy to the implantable medical device and terminating the transcutaneous transfer of charging energy to the implantable medical device.

21. The medical system of claim 19, wherein the programmable limit is under software control.