# US 7,774,069 B2 · Alignment indication for transcutaneous energy transfer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,774,069 B2 - Document ID: US7774069B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/119,361 - Filed: 2005-04-29 - Published: 2006-11-02 - Granted: 2010-08-10 - Earliest claimed: 2005-04-29 - Assignees: Medtronic, Inc. - Inventors: David P. Olson; Andrew L. Schmeling; Steve J. Nelson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7774069B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/3787: {from an external energy source} - A61M 5/14276: {specially adapted for implantation} - A61M 2205/581: by audible feedback - A61M 2205/582: by tactile feedback - A61M 2205/583: by visual feedback - A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated - A61M 2205/8237: Charging means - A61M 2205/8287: operated by an external magnetic or electromagnetic field - 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) - 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 System for transcutaneous energy transfer. An implantable medical device, adapted to be implanted in a patient, has componentry for providing a therapeutic output. The implantable medical device has an internal power source and a secondary coil operatively coupled to the internal power source. An external power source, having a primary coil, provides energy to the implantable medical device when the primary coil of the external power source is placed in proximity of the secondary coil of the implantable medical device and thereby generates a current in the internal power source. An alignment indicator reports the alignment as a function of the current generated in the internal power source with a predetermined value associated with an expected alignment between the primary coil and secondary coil. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for transcutaneous energy transfer, comprising: an implantable medical device having componentry for providing a therapeutic output, said implantable medical device having an internal power source and a secondary coil operatively coupled to said internal power source, said implantable medical device adapted to be implanted in a patient; an external power source having a primary coil, said external power source providing energy to said implantable medical device when said primary coil of said external power source is placed in proximity of said secondary coil of said implantable medical device and thereby generating a current through said internal power source; an alignment indicator, operatively coupled to said internal power source, measuring said current and reporting an alignment between said primary coil and said secondary coil based on said current; wherein said current is compared with a predetermined value associated with an expected alignment between said primary coil and said secondary coil; wherein said internal power source has an internal impedance and wherein said predetermined value is adjusted as a function of said internal impedance of said internal power source; wherein said internal impedance of said internal power source increases over time; and wherein said predetermined value decreases as said internal impedance increases. ### Claim 2 A system for transcutaneous energy transfer, comprising: an implantable medical device having componentry for providing a therapeutic output, said implantable medical device having an internal power source and a secondary coil operatively coupled to said internal power source, said implantable medical device adapted to be implanted in a patient; an external power source having a primary coil, said external power source providing energy to said implantable medical device when said primary coil of said external power source is placed in proximity of said secondary coil of said implantable medical device and thereby generating a current through said internal power source; an alignment indicator, operatively coupled to said internal power source, measuring said current and reporting an alignment between said primary coil and said secondary coil based on said current; wherein said current is compared with a predetermined value associated with an expected alignment between said primary coil and said secondary coil; and wherein said internal power source has a voltage and wherein said predetermined value is adjusted as a function of said voltage of said internal power source. ### Claim 3 A system for transcutaneous energy transfer, comprising: an implantable medical device having componentry for providing a therapeutic output, said implantable medical device having an internal power source and a secondary coil operatively coupled to said internal power source, said implantable medical device adapted to be implanted in a patient; an external power source having a primary coil, said external power source providing energy to said implantable medical device when said primary coil of said external power source is placed in proximity of said secondary coil of said implantable medical device and thereby generating a current through said internal power source; an alignment indicator, operatively coupled to said internal power source, measuring said current and reporting an alignment between said primary coil and said secondary coil based on said current; wherein said current is compared with a predetermined value associated with an expected alignment between said primary coil and said secondary coil; wherein said internal power source has an internal impedance and wherein said predetermined value is adjusted as a function of said internal impedance of said internal power source; and wherein said predetermined value decreases as a voltage of said internal power source decreases. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system as in claim 3 wherein said internal power source is a battery. ### Claim 5 A system for transcutaneous energy transfer, comprising: an implantable medical device having componentry for providing a therapeutic output, said implantable medical device having an internal power source and a secondary coil operatively coupled to said internal power source, said implantable medical device adapted to be implanted in a patient; an external power source having a primary coil, said external power source providing energy to said implantable medical device when said primary coil of said external power source is placed in proximity of said secondary coil of said implantable medical device and thereby generating a current through said internal power source; an alignment indicator, operatively coupled to said internal power source, measuring said current and reporting an alignment between said primary coil and said secondary coil based on said current; and wherein said external power source automatically varies its power output in order to generate a predetermined current in said internal power source. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system as in claim 5 wherein said predetermined current in said internal power source varies as a function of a voltage of said internal power source. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system as in claim 6 wherein said predetermined current in said internal power source declines as said voltage of said internal power source increases during a charging cycle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The system as in claim 5 wherein said predetermined current in said internal power source comprises a maximum amount of current for charging said internal power source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system as in claim 8 wherein said predetermined current in said internal power source declines over time as an internal impedance of said internal power source increases. ### Claim 10 An external power system for transcutaneous energy transfer to an implantable medical device having componentry for providing a therapeutic output and a secondary coil operatively coupled to said componentry and an internal power source operatively coupled to said secondary coil and said componentry, said implantable medical device adapted to be implanted in a patient, comprising: a primary coil providing energy to said implantable medical device when said primary coil is placed in proximity of said secondary coil of said implantable medical device and thereby generating a current through said internal power source; an alignment indicator, operatively coupled to said internal power source, measuring said current and reporting an alignment between said primary coil and said secondary coil based on said current generated through said internal power source with a predetermined value associated with an expected alignment between said primary coil and secondary coil; wherein said internal power source has an internal impedance and wherein said predetermined value is adjusted as a function of said internal impedance of said internal power source; wherein said internal impedance of said internal power source increases over time; and wherein said predetermined value decreases as said internal impedance increases. ### Claim 11 An external power system for transcutaneous energy transfer to an implantable medical device having componentry for providing a therapeutic output, a secondary coil operatively coupled to said componentry and an internal power source operatively coupled to said secondary coil and said componentry, said implantable medical device adapted to be implanted in a patient, comprising: a primary coil providing energy to said implantable medical device when said primary coil is placed in proximity of said secondary coil of said implantable medical device and thereby generating a current through said internal power source; an alignment indicator, operatively coupled to said internal power source, measuring said current and reporting an alignment between said primary coil and said secondary coil based on said current generated through said internal power source with a predetermined value associated with an expected alignment between said primary coil and secondary coil; and wherein said internal power source has a voltage and wherein said predetermined value is adjusted as a function of said voltage of said internal power source. ### Claim 12 An external power system for transcutaneous energy transfer to an implantable medical device having componentry for providing a therapeutic output, a secondary coil operatively coupled to said componentry and an internal power source operatively coupled to said secondary coil and said componentry, said implantable medical device adapted to be implanted in a patient, comprising: a primary coil providing energy to said implantable medical device when said primary coil is placed in proximity of said secondary coil of said implantable medical device and thereby generating a current through said internal power source; an alignment indicator, operatively coupled to said internal power source, measuring said current and reporting an alignment between said primary coil and said secondary coil based on said current generated through said internal power source with a predetermined value associated with an expected alignment between said primary coil and secondary coil; wherein said internal power source has an internal impedance and wherein said predetermined value is adjusted as a function of said internal impedance of said internal power source; and wherein said predetermined value decreases as said voltage of said internal power source decreases. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The external power system as in claim 12 wherein said internal power source is a battery.