Implant recharger handshaking system and method
AssigneeAlfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research
InventorsBrian M. Shelton, Brian R. Dearden, James H. Wolfe
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Abstract
Systems, methods, and devices for wireless recharging of an implanted device. In response to receiving identification information from an implanted device, a charger can set an electrical field to a first field strength and receive first field strength information from the implanted device. The charger can then set the electrical field to a second field strength and receive second field strength information from the implanted device. This information relating to the first and second field strengths can be used to determine whether to recharge the implanted device.
Claims20
A method of charging an energy storage device of an implantable pulse generator using an external charger, the method comprising:
- wirelessly receiving at the external charger an identifier corresponding to the implantable pulse generator;
- generating an electrical field with the external charger;
- wirelessly receiving at the external charger information identifying a voltage from the implantable pulse generator corresponding to a first sensed
- strength of the electrical field;
- changing the strength of the electrical field at the external charger to a second strength;
- wirelessly receiving at the external charger information identifying a temperature of at least one electrical component from a temperature sensor located proximate to the at least one electrical component in the implantable pulse;
- and
- terminating generation of the electrical field in response to the receipt of information identifying the temperature of the at least one electrical component.
A wireless charging system, the system comprising:
- an implantable pulse generator, the implantable pulse generator including an electrical component and a temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature of the electrical component, wherein the implantable pulse generator is configured to transmit information corresponding:
- (i) a sensed electrical field strength, and (ii) the temperature of the electrical component;
- and
- an external charger configured to receive the transmitted information from the implantable pulse generator and to initiate charging of the energy storage device based on the sensed electrical field strength and change the strength of an electrical field based on the temperature of the electrical component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.