# US 11,998,731 B2 · Method for adjusting the rate of “searching pulses” in a TETS system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,731 B2 - Document ID: US11998731B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/086,825 - Filed: 2020-11-02 - Published: 2022-05-05 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-02 - Assignees: Medtronic, Inc. - Applicants: Medtronic, Inc. - Inventors: Jonathan P. Roberts; David J. Peichel; Eric A. Schilling; Stephen M. Nelson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998731B2 ## CPC - 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 60/871: Energy supply devices; Converters therefor - A61M 60/148: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices - A61M 60/216: including a rotating member acting on the blood, e.g. impeller - A61M 60/873: specially adapted for wireless or transcutaneous energy transfer [TET], e.g. inductive charging - A61M 60/875: specially adapted for optimising alignment of external and implantable coils - A61N 1/37276: {characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry} - A61N 1/3787: {from an external energy source} - B60L 5/005: {without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line} - B60L 53/122: Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil - G06F 13/4282: {on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus (on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247)} - G16H 40/63: for local operation - H02J 4/25: for transfer of electric power between AC and DC networks, e.g. for supplying the DC section within a load from an AC mains system - H02J 50/00: Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power - H04B 5/79: for data transfer in combination with power transfer - A61M 2205/3523: using telemetric means - A61M 2205/8243: by induction - G06F 2213/0042: Universal serial bus [USB] - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - 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)} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract In an implanted medical device system, an external power transmitter and methods for adjusting a rate of search pulse transmission by an external power transmitter of an implanted medical device system are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes detecting a condition of the external power transmitter, and selecting among rates of transmission of search pulses based on the detected condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method implemented in an external power transmitter of an implanted medical device system, the method comprising: detecting satisfaction of at least one condition from a plurality of conditions of the external power transmitter, wherein the plurality of conditions includes a last handling condition that is satisfied when a time of a last handling of the external power transmitter exceeds a last handling threshold; selecting among rates of transmission of search pulses based on the satisfaction of the at least one condition, wherein selecting comprises changing a rate of transmission of the search pulses from a first rate to a second rate; and initiating power transmission in response to receipt of the search pulses by an internal controller of the implanted medical device system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first rate is greater than the second rate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conditions includes a last power transfer condition that is satisfied when a time of a last power transfer exceeds a last power transfer threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conditions includes an activity condition that is satisfied when activity of an accelerometer of the external power transmitter falls below an activity threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein changing the rate of transmission further comprises changing the first rate to the second rate when the external power transmitter is being handled by a patient, and wherein the first rate is less than the second rate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein changing the rate of transmission further comprises changing the first rate to the second rate when a source of power of the external power transmitter changes, and wherein the first rate is less than the second rate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a search pulse transmission rate of zero when transfer of power begins. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a search pulse transmission rate of zero when a cable to connect the external power transmitter to an external coil of the implanted medical device system is disconnected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting a zero rate of search pulse transmission, and increasing the zero rate of search pulse transmission to the first rate when there is loss of power transfer or when the external power transmitter is turned on. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting a zero rate of search pulse transmission, and increasing the zero rate of search pulse transmission to the first rate when a cable to connect the external power transmitter to an external coil of the implanted medical device system is connected. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conditions includes a foreign object condition that is satisfied when a foreign object is detected. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conditions includes an electromagnetic interference condition that is satisfied when electromagnetic interference exceeds an electromagnetic interference threshold. ### Claim 13 An external power transmitter of an implanted medical device system, the external power transmitter comprising processing circuitry configured to: detect satisfaction of at least one condition from a plurality of conditions of the external power transmitter, wherein the plurality of conditions includes a last handling condition that is satisfied when a time of a last handling of the external power transmitter exceeds a last handling threshold; select among rates of transmission of search pulses based on the satisfaction of the at least one condition, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select by changing a rate of transmission of the search pulses from a first rate to a second rate; and initiate power transmission in response to receipt of the search pulses by an internal controller of the implanted medical device system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The external power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the first rate is greater than the second rate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The external power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the plurality of conditions includes a last power transfer condition that is satisfied when a time of a last power transfer exceeds a last power transfer threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The external power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the plurality of conditions includes an activity condition that is satisfied when activity of an accelerometer of the external power transmitter falls below an activity threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The external power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to change the rate of transmission by changing the first rate to the second rate when the external power transmitter is being handled by a patient, wherein the first rate is less than the second rate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The external power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to change the rate of transmission by changing the first rate to the second rate when a source of power of the external power transmitter changes, wherein the first rate is less than the second rate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The external power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select a search pulse transmission rate of zero when transfer of power begins. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The external power transmitter of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select a search pulse transmission rate of zero when a cable to connect the external power transmitter to an external coil of the implanted medical device system is disconnected.