External energy transfer system for an implantable medical device and method therefor

An implantable medical device system, comprising:

• an implantable medical device having a secondary coil, said implantable medical device being configured to be transcutaneously controlled using telemetry;
• and
• an external unit comprising a primary coil configured to inductively transfer energy to said secondary coil of said implantable medical device when said primary coil is externally placed in proximity of said secondary coil and said external unit drives said primary coil;
• said external unit being configured to communicate with said implantable medical device by way of telemetry during the process of transferring, via said primary coil, energy to said implantable medical device;
• wherein said external unit is configured to time division multiplex between said telemetry and said process of transferring energy.

An external energy transfer system configured to transcutaneously transfer energy to an implantable medical device, said implantable medical device capable of receiving inductively coupled energy with a secondary coil and being capable of being transcutaneously controlled using telemetry, comprising:

• an external unit having a primary coil, said external unit configured to inductively transfer energy to said secondary coil of said implantable medical device when said primary coil is externally placed in proximity of said secondary coil and said external unit is driving said primary coil;
• and
• said external unit being configured to communicate with said implantable medical device by way of telemetry during the process of transferring, via said primary coil, energy to said implantable medical device;
• wherein said external unit is configured to time division multiplex between said telemetry and said process of transferring energy.

A method of controlling an implantable medical device, said implantable medical device capable of receiving inductively coupled energy with a secondary coil and being capable of being transcutaneously controlled using telemetry, comprising the steps of:

• inductively transferring energy to said secondary coil with an external unit having a primary coil when said primary coil is externally placed in proximity of said secondary coil;
• driving said primary coil with an external unit to inductively transfer energy to said implantable medical device;
• and
• communicating between said external unit and said implantable medical device through telemetry;
• wherein time division multiplexing occurs between said telemetry and said inductively transferring energy.