# US 10,873,220 B2 · Resonant power transfer systems with communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,220 B2 - Document ID: US10873220B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/803,170 - Filed: 2020-02-27 - Published: 2020-06-18 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-11 - Assignees: Tc1 LLC - Applicants: Tc1 LLC - Inventors: John Freddy Hansen; Ian Coll McEachern - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873220B2 ## CPC - H02J 50/12: of the resonant type - A61M 60/178: drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices - A61M 60/538: Regulation using real-time blood pump operational parameter data, e.g. motor current - A61M 60/585: User interfaces - A61M 60/873: specially adapted for wireless or transcutaneous energy transfer [TET], e.g. inductive charging - H02J 50/40: using two or more transmitting or receiving devices (H02J50/50 takes precedence) - A61M 60/148: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices - A61M 60/232: Centrifugal pumps - A61M 2205/18: with alarm - A61M 2205/3334: Measuring or controlling the flow rate - A61M 2205/3507: with implanted devices, e.g. external control - A61M 2205/8237: Charging means - A61M 2205/8243: by induction - H02J 2105/46: Medical devices, medical implants or life supporting devices - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract Methods and apparatus for wireless power transfer and communications are provided. In one embodiment, a wireless power transfer system comprises a transmit resonator configured to transmit wireless power, a receive resonator configured to receive the transmitted wireless power from the transmit resonator, a medical device configured to receive power from the receive resonator, a controller configured to change an operating parameter of the medical device resulting in a change to a sonic signature of the medical device, and a listening device configured to determine an intended communication from the implanted medical device or the implanted receive resonator based on the change to the sonic signature coming from the implanted medical device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: an implanted medical device implanted in a patient and configured to receive power from an implanted receive resonator; a controller configured to: determine an intended communication indicating a status of the implanted medical device; and deliberately change an operating parameter of the implanted medical device to cause a change in a sonic signature generated by the implanted medical device in order to convey the intended communication to an external user interface device; and the external user interface device configured to: detect the change in the sonic signature; and determine, based on the change in the sonic signature, the status of the implanted medical device indicated by the intended communication. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the status is a power level. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the external user interface device further comprises a display configured to display information relating to the determined status of the implanted medical device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the external user interface device is wearable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the external user interface device is affixed to a wrist strap. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the external user interface device is affixed to a belt. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the intended communication includes an alert. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the implanted medical device comprises a left ventricular assist device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein to deliberately change an operating parameter, the controller is configured to deliberately change a speed of a pump of the left ventricular assist device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein to deliberately change an operating parameter, the controller is configured to deliberately introduce a harmonic into a drive signal of the implanted medical device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the external user interface device includes a microphone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a transmit resonator configured to transmit wireless power; and the implanted receive resonator implanted in the patient and configured to receive the transmitted wireless power from the transmit resonator. ### Claim 13 A method of transmitting communications, comprising: powering an implanted medical device implanted in a patient with power received from an implanted receive resonator; determining, using a controller, an intended communication indicating a status of the implanted medical device; deliberately changing, using the controller, an operating parameter of the implanted medical device to cause a change in a sonic signature of the implanted medical device in order to convey the intended communication to an external user interface device; detecting, using the external user interface device, the change in the sonic signature; and determining, using the external user interface device, the status of the implanted medical device indicated by the intended communication based on the change in the sonic signature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the status is a power level. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the external user interface device includes a microphone. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying information relating to the determined status of the implanted medical device to a user on the external user interface device.