# US 8,543,216 B2 · Charging and communication system for a battery-powered microstimulator

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- Number: US 8,543,216 B2
- Document ID: US8543216B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/442,913
- Filed: 2012-04-10
- Published: 2012-08-02
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2002-06-28
- Assignees: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
- Applicants: Rafael Carbunaru; Robert D. Ozawa; Kenneth A. McGiboney
- Inventors: Rafael Carbunaru; Robert D. Ozawa; Kenneth A. McGiboney
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543216B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/37276: {characterised by means for reducing power consumption during telemetry}
- A61N 1/3605: {Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system}
- A61N 1/37205: {Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula}
- A61N 1/37217: {characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile}
- A61N 1/37223: {Circuits for electromagnetic coupling}
- A61N 1/37229: {Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna}
- A61N 1/3727: {characterised by the modulation technique}
- A61N 1/375: Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
- A61N 1/37512: {Pacemakers}
- A61N 1/3787: {from an external energy source}
- H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling
- H04L 27/02: Amplitude-modulated carrier systems, e.g. using on-off keying; Single sideband or vestigial sideband modulation (H04L27/32 takes precedence)
- H04L 27/10: Frequency-modulated carrier systems, i.e. using frequency-shift keying (H04L27/32 takes precedence)
- A61N 1/36007: {of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control}
- A61N 1/37235: {Aspects of the external programmer}
- H02J 7/345: {using capacitors as storage or buffering devices}
- H02J 2105/46: Medical devices, medical implants or life supporting devices
- H04B 5/26: using coils
- H04B 5/79: for data transfer in combination with power transfer
- H10W 72/536: {the connected ends being ball-shaped}
- H10W 72/5363: {the connected ends being wedge-shaped}
- H10W 72/5445: {being orthogonal to a side surface of the chip, e.g. parallel arrangements}
- H10W 72/5522: {comprising gold [Au]}
- H10W 72/5525: {comprising copper [Cu]}
- Y10T 29/4902: Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
- Y10T 29/49071: by winding or coiling
- Y10T 29/49073: by assembling coil and core
- Y10T 29/49128: Assembling formed circuit to base
- Y10T 29/4913: Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
- Y10T 29/49155: Manufacturing circuit on or in base
- Y10T 29/49169: Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- Y10T 29/49945: by driven force fit
- Y10T 29/49968: Metal fusion joining
- Y10T 428/12264: having outward flange, gripping means or interlocking feature
- Y10T 428/12271: having discrete fastener, marginal fastening, taper, or end structure
- Y10T 428/12347: Plural layers discontinuously bonded [e.g., spot-weld, mechanical fastener, etc.]
- Y10T 428/12375: having member which crosses the plane of another member [e.g., T or X cross section, etc.]
- Y10T 428/12396: Discontinuous surface component
- Y10T 428/12535: with additional, spatially distinct nonmetal component
- Y10T 428/12806: Refractory [Group IVB, VB, or VIB] metal-base component
- 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)
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A system and method are provided for both recharging and communicating with a stimulator having a rechargeable battery, which stimulator is implanted deeply in the body, in particular where the stimulator is a microstimulator, the system includes a base station and an external device, for instance a chair pad. The chair pad may contain an antenna/charging coil and a booster coil. The antenna/charging coil can be used for charging the rechargeable battery and also for communicating with the stimulator using frequency shift keying and on-off keying. The booster coil can be used to recharge a battery depleted to zero volts. The base station connected to the chair pad may be used to power the antenna/charging coil and the booster coil.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
an implantable medical device, comprising a rechargeable battery and charging circuitry configured for charging the rechargeable battery; and
an external device, comprising;
a first coil, wherein the first coil is configured to transmit first magnetic field to inductively charge the rechargeable battery within the implantable medical device;
a second coil, wherein the second coil is configured to temporarily transmit a second magnetic field to recover the implantable medical device when the rechargeable battery is depleted to zero volts; and
wherein when the rechargeable battery is depleted to zero volts, the implantable medical device is configured to use the received second magnetic field to recover the implant by setting the charging circuitry into a regular charging mode during which the charging circuitry can use the first magnetic field to charge the battery.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first coil is also configured to communicate with the implantable medical device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the first coil communicates with the implantable medical device using frequency shift keying (FSK) telemetry.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the first coil communicates with the implantable medical device using on-off keying (OOK) telemetry.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the external device further comprises current measuring circuitry for determining power consumption in the first coil.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the external device further comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) coupled to the first coil and to the second coil.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the external device further comprises sensing circuitry on the PCB for sensing temperature.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the external device further comprises tomatic power shut-off circuitry for automatically shutting off power to the first coil when the sensed temperature exceeds a predetermined level.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the external device further comprises automatic power shut-off circuitry for automatically shutting off power to the first coil when the power consumption through the first coil exceeds a predetermined level.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the external device further comprises automatic power shut-off circuitry for automatically shutting off power to the second coil when the power consumption through the second coil exceeds a predetermined level.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second coil has a plurality of turns of wire in a plurality of layers wrapped around a coil spool.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises a chair pad.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the external device is comprised of a compliant material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising an exterior slipcover that surrounds the external device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the external device further comprises a coil assembly containing the second coil and the first coil.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a base station coupled to the external device by a cable for controlling the first coil and the second coil.