Medtronic, Inc.

David P Olson

William C Phillips

Andrew L Schmeling

Venkat R Gaddam

Mark E Schommer

John W Forsberg

Alex C Toy

Charles Richard Lewis, Jr

Steve J Nelson

Reid K Bornhoft

Leroy L Perz

Garrett R Sipple

Yu Wang

Erik R Scott

Todd V Smith

Todd A Kallmyer

John E Kast

Randy S Roles

Peng Cong

Boysie R Morgan

Jadin C Jackson

Kevin J Kelly

Kunal J Paralikar

Elizabeth A Fehrmann

Nathan Andrew Torgerson

Mandla Thokozani Shongwe

Michael J Elvidge

Steven James Nelson

Jay T Eisch

William G Howard

Charles Edward Peters

Oscar Jimenez

Prabhakar A Tamirisa

Joseph J Nolan

Bruce D Fishbeck

Erik G Widman

Steven R Ahcan

Michael J McMullen

Nicholas A Delisi

Philip R LaBrosse

Thipphaphone Lougiu

Matthew C Lukasek

Lonnie B Gades

Boysie Morgan

L Leroy Perz

Steven J Nelson

Charles R Lewis

Devices, systems, and techniques for controlling charging power transmitted to an implantable medical device during a recharging process based on patient activity are disclosed. Various example techniques include a method comprising receiving, by processing circuitry, an activity signal generated by an implantable medical device and indicative of an activity level of a patient during charging of a rechargeable power source of the implantable medical device implanted in the patient, determining, by the processing circuitry and based on the activity signal, a patient status for the patient during charging of the rechargeable power source, and controlling, by the processing circuitry and based on the patient status, charging of the rechargeable power source of the implantable medical device.

Medical device recharging based on patient activity

Devices, systems, and techniques for monitoring the temperature of a device used to charge a rechargeable power source are disclosed. Implantable medical devices may include a rechargeable power source that can be transcutaneously charged. The temperature of an external charging device and/or an implantable medical device may be monitored to control the temperature exposure to patient tissue during a charging session used to recharge the rechargeable power source. In one example, a temperature sensor may sense a temperature of an internal portion of a device, wherein the housing of the device is not directly thermally coupled to the temperature sensor. A temperature for the housing of the device may then be estimated based on the sensed temperature provided by the non-thermally coupled temperature sensor. A processor may then control charging of the rechargeable power source based on the determined temperature for the housing.

Medical device temperature estimation

Far field telemetry operations are conducted between an external device and an implantable medical device while power is being transferred to the implantable medical device for purposes of recharging a battery of the implantable medical device. The far field operations may include exchanging recharge information that has been collected by the implantable medical device which allows the external device to exercise control over the recharge process. The far field operations may include suspending far field telemetry communications for periods of time while power continues to be transferred where suspending far field telemetry communications may include powering down far field telemetry communication circuits of the implantable medical device for periods of time which may conserve energy. The far field operations may further include transferring programming instructions to the implantable medical device.

Far field telemetry operations between an external device and an implantable medical device during recharge of the implantable medical device via a proximity coupling

Devices, systems, and techniques for controlling charging power based on a cumulative thermal dose to a patient are disclosed. Implantable medical devices may include a rechargeable power source that can be transcutaneously charged. An external charging device may calculate an estimated cumulative thermal dose delivered to the patient during charging over a predetermined period of time. Based on the estimated cumulative thermal dose, the external charging device may select a power level for subsequent charging of the rechargeable power source. In one example, the charging device may select a high power level when the cumulative thermal dose has not exceeded a thermal dose threshold and select a low power level when the cumulative thermal dose has exceeded the thermal dose threshold.

Managing recharge power for implantable medical devices

Devices, systems, and techniques for monitoring the temperature of a device used to charge a rechargeable power source are disclosed. Implantable medical devices may include a rechargeable power source that can be transcutaneously charged. The temperature of an external charging device and/or an implantable medical device may be monitored to control the temperature exposure to patient tissue. In one example, a temperature sensor may sense a temperature of a portion of a device, wherein the portion is non-thermally coupled to the temperature sensor. A processor may then control charging of the rechargeable power source based on the sensed temperature.

Sensing temperature within medical devices

A mechanism for transferring energy from an external power source to an implantable medical device is disclosed. A sensor may be used to measure a parameter that correlates to a temperature of the system that occurs during the transcutaneous coupling of energy. For example, the sensor may measure temperature of a surface of an antenna of the external power source. The measured parameter may then be compared to a programmable limit. A control circuit such as may be provided by the external power source may then control the temperature based on the comparison. The programmable limit may be, for example, under software control so that the temperature occurring during transcutaneous coupling of energy may be modified to fit then-current circumstances.

Inductively rechargeable external energy source, charger, system and method for a transcutaneous inductive charger for an implantable medical device

Devices, systems, and techniques for managing heat generated in coils for wireless energy transmission are disclosed. Inductive coupling between two coils may be used to recharge the power source of an implantable medical device. A phase change material may be thermally coupled to a flexible coil to absorb heat generated during the inductive coupling and reduce temperature increases of the flexible coil. The flexible coil may be configured to at least one of transmit energy to or receive energy from a second coil, and the phase change material may be configured to deform with the flexible coil and absorb heat from the flexible coil. The phase change material may be contained within thermally conductive tubes or channels configured in shapes that promote flexibility of the flexible coil.

Heat management for recharge coils for implantable medical devices

Devices, systems, and techniques for estimating energy transfer to tissue of a patient during battery charging for an implantable medical device are disclosed. Implantable medical devices may include a rechargeable power source that can be transcutaneously charged. An external charging device may calculate an estimated energy transfer to tissue of the patient that may include a resistive heat loss from the rechargeable power source and/or electromagnetic energy transfer directly to tissue. Based on the estimated energy transfer, the external charging device may select a power level for charging of the rechargeable power source. In one example, the charging device may select a high power level when the estimated energy transfer has not exceeded an energy transfer threshold and select a low power level when the estimated energy transfer has exceeded the energy transfer threshold.

Growing community of inventors

Minnetrista, MN, United States of America

David P Olson