# US 2019/0168005 A1 · Inverted e-antenna for implantable medical devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168005 A1 - Document ID: US20190168005A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/829,239 - Filed: 2017-12-01 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: Pacesetter, Inc. - Applicants: Pacesetter, Inc. - Inventors: Perry Li; Wisit Lim; Dino Bortolin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168005A1 ## CPC - A61N 1/37229: {Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna} - A61B 5/021: Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels - A61B 5/024: Measuring pulse rate or heart rate - A61B 5/4809: {Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not} - A61B 5/686: {Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips (A61B5/6861 takes precedence)} - A61B 7/00: Instruments for auscultation - A61N 1/375: Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings - H01Q 1/273: {Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals} - H01Q 9/42: with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength - A61B 5/0031: {Implanted circuitry} - A61B 7/003: {Detecting lung or respiration noise} - H01Q 1/36: Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; {Particular materials used therewith}(H01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence) - 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) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract An implantable medical device and method are provided for implant within a patient. The device comprises a case. Radio frequency (RF) communication components are housed within the case. A header is mounted to an exterior surface of the case along an edge of the case. An antenna is coupled to the RF communication components. The antenna has an inverted E shape. The inverted E shaped antenna is within the header. The inverted E shaped antenna includes a conducting arm joined to first, second and third branches that are oriented within the header to extend toward the edge of the case underneath the header. The first branch of the antenna is conductively open and, no more than weakly coupled, with respect to the case. The second branch is located between the first and third branches. The second branch is configured to convey an RF signal feed. The third branch has a shunt to ground connection to the case. The case forms a ground plane for the antenna. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An implantable medical device for implant within a patient, the device comprising: a case; radio frequency (RF) communication components housed within the case; a header mounted to an exterior surface of the case along an edge of the case; and an antenna coupled to the RF communication components, the antenna having an inverted E shape, wherein the inverted E shaped antenna is within the header; wherein the inverted E shaped antenna includes a conducting arm joined to first, second and third branches that are oriented within the header to extend toward the edge of the case underneath the header, the first branch of the antenna being conductively open, and no more than weakly coupled, with respect to the case, the second branch located between the first and third branches, the second branch configured to convey an RF signal feed, and the third branch having a shunt to ground connection to the case, the case forming a ground plane for the antenna. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the first branch exhibits a capacitive component independent of, and not based on, coupling to the case. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the first branch of the antenna exhibits a capacitive component that forms a factor in defining a resonant frequency of the antenna, and wherein the capacitive component of the open branch that affects the resonant frequency is not due to coupling with the case. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the second branch of the antenna is coupled to the RF communication components within the case via a feedthrough of a feedthrough assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the inductive branch and open branch are tuned to have a select inductance. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein a resonant frequency of the antenna is adjustable based on one or more of i) relative lengths of the first, second and third branches, ii) an inductance of the third branch, iii) a location of the second branch relative to the third branch and iv) a cross-sectional area of at least one of the first, second and third branches, ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the open branch is tuned to have a capacitance of 0.1 pF-2.5 pF. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the RF components are configured to utilize, as a wireless communication protocol, at least one of Bluetooth low energy, Bluetooth, or WiFi. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the first branch is formed with a paddle shaped segment configured to provide a physical structure to hold the open branch at a desired position within the header, the paddle shaped segment oriented substantially perpendicular to a ground plane in order that no substantive capacitive relation is formed between the first branch and the case. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first branch is formed integral with the conducting arm and is bent in a curved or zig-zag shape. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein a length of the conducting arm is at least 3 times longer than a length of the first branch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the conducting arm is positioned proximate to, and extends along, an upper surface of the header, and where the first and third branches are positioned within the header to extend along a loading face and a back end of the header, respectively. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third branches are routed downward away from the conducting arm to extend toward a surface of the case. ### Claim 14 A method of providing an antenna for use in an implantable medical device for implant within a patient, the device comprising a case and radio frequency (RF) communication components housed within the case, the method comprising: providing an antenna having an inverted E shape, the inverted E shaped antenna includes a conducting arm joined to first, second and third branches that are oriented within the header to extend toward the edge of the case underneath the header, the second branch located between the first and third branches; connecting the second branch to the RF communications components to convey an RF signal feed; connecting the third branch with a shunt to ground connection to the case, the case forming a ground plane for the antenna; maintaining the first branch conductively open and, no more than weakly coupled, with respect to the case; and tuning the antenna to a resonant frequency of at least 1 GHz. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising tuning the antenna to a resonant frequency of 2.4 GHz. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the tuning further comprises tuning the antenna by adjusting one or more of: i) relative lengths of the first and second antenna sub-structures, ii) a capacitance of the first antenna substructure, iii) a location of the second antenna sub-structure relative to the first antenna sub-structure and iv) a cross-sectional area of the at least one of the first, second and third branches. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the first branch exhibits a capacitive component independent of, and not based on, coupling to the case. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the first branch of the antenna exhibits a capacitive component that forms a factor in defining a resonant frequency of the antenna, and wherein the capacitive component of the open branch that affects the resonant frequency is not due to coupling with the case. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising adjusting a resonant frequency of the antenna based on one or more of: i) relative lengths of the first, second and third branches, ii) an inductance of the third branch, iii) a location of the second branch relative to the third branch and iv) a cross-sectional area of at least one of the first, second and third branches. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising utilizing, as a wireless communication protocol, at least one of Bluetooth low energy, Bluetooth, or WiFi.