Charging system incorporating bi-directional communication with implanted device
First Claim
1. A system for transferring power and communicating data between an external power transfer system (EPTS) and at least one body-implantable active device (BIAD) through a dermis layer, said system comprising:
- an EPTS for being disposed external to a dermis layer of a body; and
a BIAD for being disposed beneath the dermis layer of the body;
the EPTS including;
a transmit coil;
a transmit coil driver circuit operable to drive the transmit coil with a resonant current at a resonant frequency, and further operable to modulate the resonant current responsive to a forward telemetry transmit data signal; and
a back telemetry receive circuit coupled to the transmit coil, operable to generate on an output thereof, responsive to variations in transmit coil peak resonant current, a serial back telemetry receive data signal;
the BIAD including;
a receive coil tuned to the resonant frequency of the transmit coil and operable to inductively receive power therefrom when in proximity thereto;
a power receiving circuit coupled to the receive coil and operable to deliver the received power to a power delivery circuit within the BIAD, and further operable, responsive to a serial back telemetry transmit data signal, to de-tune the receive coil and inhibit power transfer from the transmit coil to the receive coil and thereby decrease transmit coil loading and effect a corresponding change in the transmit coil peak resonant current; and
a forward telemetry receive circuit coupled to the receive coil, operable to provide on an output thereof, responsive to variations in received power resulting from the modulated transmit coil resonant current, a forward telemetry receive data signal;
wherein the power receiving circuit is further operable to de-tune the receive coil for a period of time much longer than a bit interval of the serial back telemetry transmit data signal when power transfer to the BIAD is not desired, and during such time, in order to transmit the serial back telemetry transmit data signal, operable to control receive coil tuning and de-tuning responsive to the serial back telemetry transmit data signal, then return the receive coil to a de-tuned state.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for transferring power to, and communicating with, at least one body-implantable active device includes an external power transfer system associated with an external device disposed outside of a body, operable to transfer power through a dermis layer to each body-implantable active device, and communicate data to and from each body-implantable active device, and also includes a power receiving system associated with each body-implantable active device, operable to receive power transferred from the external power transfer system, and communicate data to and from the external power transfer system. The body-implantable active device may include an implantable neurostimulation system.
131 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for transferring power and communicating data between an external power transfer system (EPTS) and at least one body-implantable active device (BIAD) through a dermis layer, said system comprising:
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an EPTS for being disposed external to a dermis layer of a body; and a BIAD for being disposed beneath the dermis layer of the body; the EPTS including; a transmit coil; a transmit coil driver circuit operable to drive the transmit coil with a resonant current at a resonant frequency, and further operable to modulate the resonant current responsive to a forward telemetry transmit data signal; and a back telemetry receive circuit coupled to the transmit coil, operable to generate on an output thereof, responsive to variations in transmit coil peak resonant current, a serial back telemetry receive data signal; the BIAD including; a receive coil tuned to the resonant frequency of the transmit coil and operable to inductively receive power therefrom when in proximity thereto; a power receiving circuit coupled to the receive coil and operable to deliver the received power to a power delivery circuit within the BIAD, and further operable, responsive to a serial back telemetry transmit data signal, to de-tune the receive coil and inhibit power transfer from the transmit coil to the receive coil and thereby decrease transmit coil loading and effect a corresponding change in the transmit coil peak resonant current; and a forward telemetry receive circuit coupled to the receive coil, operable to provide on an output thereof, responsive to variations in received power resulting from the modulated transmit coil resonant current, a forward telemetry receive data signal; wherein the power receiving circuit is further operable to de-tune the receive coil for a period of time much longer than a bit interval of the serial back telemetry transmit data signal when power transfer to the BIAD is not desired, and during such time, in order to transmit the serial back telemetry transmit data signal, operable to control receive coil tuning and de-tuning responsive to the serial back telemetry transmit data signal, then return the receive coil to a de-tuned state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for transferring power and communicating data between an external power transfer system (EPTS) and at least one body-implantable active device (BIAD) through a dermis layer, said system comprising:
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an EPTS for being disposed external to a dermis layer of a body; and at least one BIAD for being disposed beneath the dermis layer of the body; the EPTS including; a group of one or more transmit coils, disposed in series if more than one such transmit coil, each such transmit coil corresponding to a respective BIAD; a transmit coil driver circuit operable to drive the group of one or more transmit coils with a resonant current at a resonant frequency; a forward telemetry transmit circuit operable to modulate the resonant current responsive to a forward telemetry transmit data signal received on an input thereof; and a back telemetry receive circuit coupled to the group of one or more transmit coils, operable to generate on an output thereof, responsive to variations in transmit coil peak resonant current, a serial back telemetry receive data signal; each BIAD respectively including; a receive coil tuned to the resonant frequency of the corresponding transmit coil and operable to inductively receive power therefrom when in proximity thereto; a power receiving circuit coupled to the receive coil and operable to deliver the received power to a power delivery circuit within the BIAD, and further operable to de-tune the receive coil and inhibit power transfer from the transmit coil to the receive coil and thereby decrease transmit coil loading and effect a corresponding change in the transmit coil peak resonant current; a back telemetry transmit circuit coupled to the power receiving circuit and operable, responsive to a serial back telemetry transmit data signal, to de-tune the receive coil; and a forward telemetry receive circuit coupled to the receive coil, operable to provide on an output thereof, responsive to variations in received power resulting from the modulated transmit coil resonant current, a forward telemetry receive data signal; wherein the power receiving circuit is further operable to de-tune the receive coil for a period of time much longer than a bit interval of the serial back telemetry transmit data signal when power transfer to the BIAD is not desired, and during such time, in order to transmit the serial back telemetry transmit data signal, operable to tune/de-tune the receive coil responsive to the serial back telemetry transmit data signal, then again de-tune the receive coil for a period of time much longer than the bit interval of the serial back telemetry transmit data signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification