Implantable medical device large gap anti-walk wireless energy and data communication system
By designing a multi-level magnetic resonant coupling and decoupling structure, the limitations of transmission distance and offset sensitivity of implantable neurostimulation systems are solved, achieving stable and efficient wireless power supply and in vivo-out vivo information interaction, which is suitable for the safe operation of long-term implantable medical devices.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- WUHAN UNIV
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-26
Smart Images

Figure CN122272999A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of implantable medical device technology, and in particular to a large-gap anti-displacement wireless communication system for implantable medical devices. Background Technology
[0002] Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a group of diseases characterized by recurrent partial or complete apnea during sleep, with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) being the most common type. OSA is typically characterized by cessation or significant reduction of airflow despite respiratory effort. Its main pathological mechanism is repeated upper airway collapse during sleep, leading to decreased blood oxygen saturation, frequent awakenings, and disrupted sleep structure. Studies have shown that the occurrence of OSA is closely related to craniofacial anatomy, airway collapseability, and the neuromuscular control of upper airway dilators. In particular, during the transition from wakefulness to non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the muscle tone and rhythmic activity of pharyngeal airway dilators (such as the genioglossus muscle) decrease, making the airway more prone to collapse.
[0003] Currently, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is widely considered the first-line treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), maintaining airway patency by continuously delivering positive pressure to the airway. However, this therapy typically requires patients to wear masks and tubes for extended periods, which is inconvenient and has low compliance. To improve patient compliance, hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) has gradually gained application as an implantable neuromodulation method. It improves airway patency by stimulating the tongue muscles to move the tongue forward. However, existing HNS systems are highly dependent on patient anatomy, limiting the applicable population. Furthermore, most implantable devices still rely on built-in batteries for power, resulting in limitations in size, lifespan, and the need for secondary surgery for replacement.
[0004] Recent studies have shown that electrical stimulation of multiple target nerves or muscle groups, such as the glossopharyngeal nerve, cervical loop, hypoglossal nerve, palatoglossus muscle, and palatopharyngeal muscle, can synergistically enhance pharyngeal muscle tone, thereby improving airway stability. This type of multi-target neuromodulation strategy places higher demands on implantable systems, requiring not only a stable and long-term energy supply but also the ability to achieve parameter regulation, state monitoring, and feedback control both in vivo and in vitro.
[0005] However, most existing implantable neurostimulation systems adopt a discrete design for wireless power supply and communication: on the one hand, the wireless power transmission system is only used for power supply and lacks the ability to provide real-time feedback on the operating status of the device in the body; on the other hand, existing systems usually lack a coordinated control mechanism for the energy transmission and communication process, making it difficult to ensure stable wireless communication while providing efficient power supply, thus restricting the long-term stable and reliable operation of implantable medical devices in complex application environments.
[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a wireless system suitable for implantable neuromodulation therapy that can achieve efficient and coordinated transmission of energy and information while ensuring stable power supply with large gaps and anti-offset characteristics, and has bidirectional communication capabilities inside and outside the body, so as to support the long-term safe operation of implanted devices and real-time control of treatment status, thereby improving the efficacy of SDB, especially OSA, treatment and patient compliance. Summary of the Invention
[0007] This invention provides a large-gap, offset-resistant wireless power and information transmission system for implantable medical devices, which addresses the shortcomings of existing wireless power transmission systems for implantable medical devices, such as limited transmission distance, sensitivity to spatial offset, insufficient system coupling stability, and separation of power and information transmission. The system aims to achieve stable and efficient wireless power supply and bidirectional interaction and control of information inside and outside the body under large gap and offset conditions.
[0008] This invention provides a large-gap, anti-displacement wireless power and communication system for implantable medical devices, comprising an external control module, an external relay module, and an implantable stimulation module. The external control module and the external relay module are disposed outside the human body, while the implantable stimulation module is disposed inside the human body. The external control module includes an energy transmission module and a communication master control module. The energy transmission module transmits electrical energy supplied by a DC power supply to the implantable stimulation module via magnetic resonant coupling after high-frequency power conversion and resonant compensation. The communication master control module encodes and modulates patient information transmitted from an external monitor and sends the encoded and modulated information to the implantable stimulation module for decoding and conversion, while simultaneously receiving and processing status information fed back by the implantable stimulation module. The external relay module is disposed between the external control module and the implantable stimulation module. To improve the wireless power transmission distance and efficiency, the external relay module includes at least two relay coils. A decoupling structure is provided between the relay coils to reduce magnetic coupling between them, and they are arranged in a non-coaxial manner to maintain relative stability of the system's wireless power transmission when positional shifts occur. The implantable stimulation module includes an energy receiving module and a communication slave module. The energy receiving module receives wireless power and charges the energy storage unit. The communication slave module decodes the received information, collects charging status information, and feeds it back to the communication master module. Wireless power transmission is achieved between the external control module, the external relay module, and the implantable stimulation module via magnetic resonant coupling. The communication master module and the communication slave module form a wireless communication link to achieve bidirectional data interaction between the inside and outside of the body.
[0009] According to the present invention, a large-gap anti-offset wireless energy transmission system for implantable medical devices includes an energy transmission module comprising a DC power supply unit, a drive signal generation unit, a high-frequency power conversion unit, an external resonance compensation unit, and an external transmission coil. The drive signal generation unit is controlled by a communication master control module. The communication master control module comprises an auxiliary power supply unit, a master control unit, and an external communication unit. The drive signal generation unit is electrically connected to the communication master control module. The communication master control module is used to receive external communication information from the system and transmit the external communication information to the master control unit. Simultaneously, under the control signal output by the master control unit, it completes the configuration of communication parameters and the transmission and reception control.
[0010] According to the present invention, an implantable medical device large-gap anti-offset wireless communication system includes an external relay module comprising an external first relay coil, an external relay compensation unit, and an external second relay coil; the external relay compensation unit comprises an external first compensation capacitor and an external second compensation capacitor.
[0011] According to the present invention, a large-gap anti-offset wireless power transmission system for implantable medical devices includes an energy receiving module comprising an in vivo receiving coil, an in vivo resonance compensation unit, a rectification and filtering unit, and an energy storage unit; the in vivo receiving coil has at least two windings connected in reverse series; the energy storage unit is used to store electrical energy obtained through wireless power transmission and to provide operating power for the implantable stimulator.
[0012] According to the present invention, a large-gap anti-offset wireless energy and communication system for implantable medical devices is provided. The communication slave module includes a slave control unit, a sampling unit and an in vivo communication unit. The energy storage unit supplies power to the communication slave module. The sampling unit collects charging information of the energy storage unit. The in vivo communication unit is used to realize wireless transmission and reception of information. The slave control unit is used to decode the communication information transmitted from the communication master control module, and also to encode the charging status information of the energy storage unit and send it to the communication master control module through the internal communication unit; after decoding the received information, the communication master control module generates a control signal and outputs it to the drive signal generation unit to control the working state of the high-frequency power conversion unit.
[0013] According to the present invention, an implantable medical device large-gap anti-offset wireless power and signal transmission system includes a decoupling structure comprising a first ferrite, a second ferrite, and a third ferrite. The ferrite in the decoupling structure can be replaced with other high-permeability material layers, and the first ferrite, external transmitting coil, external first relay coil, second ferrite, third ferrite, and external second relay coil are arranged sequentially. This ensures that the energy transmission between the external transmitting coil, external first relay coil, external second relay coil, and internal receiving coil does not interfere with each other. The external transmitting coil and external first relay coil are coaxially arranged, and their lateral relative positions remain unchanged. The external second relay coil is non-coaxially arranged with variable lateral relative positions compared to the external transmitting coil and external first relay coil.
[0014] According to the present invention, a large-gap anti-offset wireless communication system for implantable medical devices is provided, wherein the high-frequency power conversion unit is a Class E power amplifier or other high-efficiency high-frequency power amplifier.
[0015] According to the present invention, an implantable medical device large-gap anti-offset wireless signal transmission system is provided, in which the external first relay coil participates in the construction of the relay resonant compensation network as a compensation inductor of the external second relay coil, so as to realize structural reuse and coupling enhancement.
[0016] According to the present invention, a large-gap anti-offset wireless communication system for implantable medical devices includes a rectifier and a full-bridge rectifier, wherein the full-bridge rectifier uses a semiconductor device with low on-state voltage drop.
[0017] According to the present invention, a large-gap anti-displacement wireless power transmission system for implantable medical devices is provided, wherein the energy storage unit is used to store the electrical energy obtained by wireless power transmission and to provide working power for the implantable stimulator.
[0018] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By constructing a multi-level magnetic resonant coupling structure with an external relay module, the wireless power transmission distance is significantly improved, achieving stable power supply under large gap conditions; a decoupling structure is set between the relay coils, and they can be arranged non-coaxially to achieve active offset. This design reduces the impact of positional offset on system transmission performance and improves the system's lateral anti-offset capability; moreover, the relay coils participate in the resonant compensation network, realizing structural reuse and coupling enhancement, thereby improving system transmission efficiency; this invention also constructs a wireless communication link, realizing bidirectional interaction of information inside and outside the body, improving system controllability; by collecting the energy storage unit's status information and regulating energy emission, closed-loop control of wireless power transmission is achieved, improving system operational stability. This invention avoids the lifespan limitations and secondary surgical risks associated with implantable devices relying on built-in batteries, making it suitable for long-term implantable medical applications. Attached Figure Description
[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.
[0020] Figure 1 This is a system framework diagram of the implantable medical device large-gap anti-offset wireless communication system provided in the embodiments of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 2 This is a wireless power transmission structure diagram of the implantable medical device large-gap anti-offset wireless power transmission system provided in the embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] Figure 3 This is a wireless power transmission circuit topology diagram of the implantable medical device large-gap anti-offset wireless power communication system provided in the embodiments of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 4 This is a wireless communication structure diagram of the implantable medical device large-gap anti-offset wireless communication system provided in the embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] Figure 5(a) is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the implantable medical device large-gap anti-offset wireless communication system provided in the embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] Figure 5(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the implantable medical device large-gap anti-offset wireless communication system provided in the embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] Figure 5(c) is a schematic diagram of the lateral anti-migration of the implantable medical device large gap anti-migration wireless communication system provided in the embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.
[0028] This embodiment provides a large-gap, offset-resistant wireless power and communication system for implantable medical devices. The system includes an external control module, an external relay module, and an implantable stimulation module. The external control module is used for energy transmission and communication control, while the implantable stimulation module is used for energy reception and information feedback. The external relay module is positioned between the two to improve the wireless power transmission distance and efficiency. The system achieves wireless power transmission through a multi-stage magnetic resonant coupling structure and incorporates a decoupling structure between the relay coils to reduce cross-coupling, ensuring stable transmission performance even under spatial offset conditions. Simultaneously, an in-body and external wireless communication link is constructed to integrate energy and information transmission, and closed-loop control is achieved by collecting the status information of the energy storage unit. This invention enables stable and efficient wireless power supply and reliable communication under large gap and positional offset conditions, avoiding the lifespan limitations and secondary surgical risks associated with implantable devices relying on built-in batteries, and has promising application prospects.
[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, the system includes an external control module 10, an external relay module 20, and an implantable stimulation module 30. The external control module 10 and the external relay module 20 are located outside the human body, while the implantable stimulation module 30 is implanted inside the human body.
[0030] The external control module 10 includes an energy emission module 11 and a communication main control module 12. The energy emission module 11 is used to transmit electrical energy provided by DC power supply to the implantable stimulation module 30 through an external emission coil in a magnetically coupled resonant manner after high-frequency power amplification and resonant compensation. The communication main control module 12 is used to encode and modulate the patient information transmitted from the external monitor and send the encoded and modulated information to the implantable stimulation module 30 for decoding and conversion. At the same time, it receives and processes the status information fed back by the implantable stimulation module 30.
[0031] An external relay module 20 is positioned between the external control module 10 and the implantable stimulation module 30 to improve transmission distance and efficiency.
[0032] The implantable stimulation module 30 includes an energy receiving module 31 and a communication slave control module 32. The energy receiving module 31 is used to receive energy and charge the energy storage unit after rectification and filtering. The communication slave control module 32 is used to decode and convert the received information, collect the charging status information of the energy storage unit, and feed it back to the communication master control module 12.
[0033] The external control module 10, the external relay module 20 and the implantable stimulation module 30 all transmit wireless power through magnetic resonant coupling. The communication master control module 12 and the communication slave control module 32 form a wireless communication link to realize bidirectional data interaction.
[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, the wireless power transmission path in this embodiment consists of an energy transmitting module 11, an external relay module 20, and an energy receiving module 31, in sequence. The energy emission module 11 includes a DC power supply unit 111, a drive signal generation unit 112, a high-frequency power conversion unit 113, an external resonance compensation unit 114, and an external emission coil 115, wherein the drive signal generation unit 112 can be controlled by the communication main control module 12. The external relay module 20 includes an external first relay coil 21, an external relay compensation unit 22, and an external second relay coil 23. The external relay compensation unit 22 includes an external first compensation capacitor 221 and an external second compensation capacitor 222. The external relay module 20 includes two relay coils. A decoupling structure is set between the relay coils so that their magnetic coupling is almost zero. They are also arranged non-coaxially in space. Even if the internal receiving coil is shifted, the system can maintain stable energy transmission by moving the external second relay coil 23.
[0035] The energy receiving module 31 includes an internal receiving coil 311, an internal resonance compensation unit 312, a rectification and filtering unit 313, and an energy storage unit 314.
[0036] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the high-frequency power conversion unit 113 is specifically a Class E power amplifier. The external first relay coil 21 serves as the compensation inductor of the external second relay coil 23 to participate in the construction of the relay resonant compensation network to achieve structural reuse and coupling enhancement. In this embodiment, the rectifier unit 313 is specifically a full-bridge rectifier, and the full-bridge rectifier uses a Schottky diode with low on-state voltage drop. The energy storage unit 314 is used to store electrical energy obtained through wireless power transmission and to provide power for the hypoglossal nerve stimulator.
[0037] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the wireless communication link adopts the low-power Bluetooth wireless communication method. The wireless communication link and the wireless power transmission operate in different frequency bands to reduce mutual interference. Specifically, the wireless communication link operates in the GHz frequency band, and the wireless power transmission operates in the kHz to MHz frequency band.
[0038] The communication master control module 12 includes an auxiliary power supply unit 121, a master control unit 122, and a transmitting unit 123. The drive signal generating unit 112 is electrically connected to the communication master control module 12. The communication master control module 12 is used to receive external communication information and transmit the communication information to the master control unit 122. At the same time, under the control signal output by the master control unit 122, it completes the configuration of communication parameters and the transmission and reception control.
[0039] The communication slave control module 32 includes a slave control unit 321, a sampling unit 322 and an internal communication unit 323. The energy storage unit 314 supplies power to the communication slave control module 32. The sampling unit 322 collects charging information from the energy storage unit 314. The internal communication unit 323 is used to realize wireless transmission and reception of information.
[0040] The slave control unit 321 is used to decode the received communication information and encode the charging status information of the energy storage unit 314 and send it to the communication master control module 12 through the internal communication unit 323. After decoding the received information, the communication master control module 12 generates a control signal and outputs it to the drive signal generation unit 112 to control the working state of the high-frequency power conversion unit 113.
[0041] As shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), the decoupling structure in this embodiment includes a first ferrite, a second ferrite, and a third ferrite. The ferrite in the decoupling structure can be replaced with other high-permeability material layers, and the first ferrite, external transmitting coil, external first relay coil, second ferrite, third ferrite, and external second relay coil are arranged sequentially to ensure that the energy transmission between the external transmitting coil, external first relay coil, external second relay coil, and internal receiving coil does not interfere with each other. The external transmitting coil and external first relay coil are coaxially arranged, and their lateral relative positions remain unchanged. The external second relay coil is non-coaxially arranged with variable lateral relative positions compared to the external transmitting coil and external first relay coil. The external transmitting coil, external first relay coil, and external second relay coil are all located outside the human skin, while the internal receiving coil is implanted inside the human body. In this embodiment, the wireless power transmission distance is... Compared to traditional dual-coil transmission, the transmission distance is significantly improved.
[0042] A decoupling structure is set between the external first relay coil and the external second relay coil to make the magnetic coupling coefficient between them approach zero. The purpose of this decoupling mechanism is to ensure that the energy transmission between the external transmitting coil and the external first relay coil, and between the external second relay coil and the internal receiving coil, does not interfere with each other.
[0043] In this embodiment, the external transmitting coil and the external first relay coil are coaxially arranged, and their lateral relative positions remain unchanged. The external second relay coil is not coaxially arranged with the external transmitting coil and the external first relay coil, and their lateral relative positions can change. The external control module and the external relay module are integrated outside the human body. When wireless charging is required, as shown in Figure 5(c), if the external control module and the external relay module are not aligned with the internal receiving coil, only the external second relay coil needs to be moved laterally. At the same time, the changes in the charging information collected by the communication slave control module and transmitted to the external monitor by the communication master control module are observed. If the charging information reaches a preset threshold during the movement, it is determined that the external second relay coil is aligned with the internal receiving coil, and the lateral movement of the external second relay coil is stopped. At this time, the external transmitting coil and the internal receiving coil have a large lateral offset distance. X, but the wireless charging system can still work stably and efficiently, so this design significantly improves the system's anti-offset performance.
[0044] The in vivo receiving coil of the implantable stimulation module includes at least two windings connected in reverse series to enhance wireless power transmission performance.
[0045] In summary, this invention provides a large-gap, offset-resistant wireless power transmission system for implantable medical devices. This system utilizes an external relay module to construct a multi-level magnetic resonant coupling structure, significantly increasing the wireless power transmission distance and achieving stable power supply under large-gap conditions. A decoupling structure between the relay coils, allowing for non-coaxial arrangement, enables active offset, reducing the impact of positional offset on system transmission performance and improving the system's lateral offset resistance. Furthermore, this invention establishes a wireless communication link, enabling bidirectional information exchange between the in-body and external systems, enhancing system controllability. By collecting energy storage unit status information and regulating energy emission, closed-loop control of wireless power transmission is achieved, improving the system's long-term operational stability.
[0046] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.
Claims
1. A large-gap, anti-misalignment wireless communication system for implantable medical devices, characterized in that, The system includes an external control module, an external relay module, and an implantable stimulation module. The external control module and external relay module are located outside the human body, while the implantable stimulation module is located inside the human body. The external control module includes an energy transmission module and a communication master control module. The energy transmission module transmits electrical energy provided by the DC power supply to the implantable stimulation module via magnetic resonant coupling after high-frequency power conversion and resonant compensation. The communication master control module encodes and modulates patient information from the external monitor and sends the encoded and modulated information to the implantable stimulation module for decoding and conversion. It also receives and processes status information fed back from the implantable stimulation module. The external relay module is located between the external control module and the implantable stimulation module to improve the wireless power transmission distance and transmission... The transmission efficiency is high; the external relay module includes at least two relay coils, which are decoupled to reduce magnetic coupling and are arranged in a non-coaxial manner to maintain the relative stability of wireless energy transmission when positional shift occurs; the implantable stimulation module includes an energy receiving module and a communication slave module. The energy receiving module receives wireless energy and charges the energy storage unit; the communication slave module decodes the received information, collects charging status information, and feeds it back to the communication master module; the external control module, the external relay module, and the implantable stimulation module achieve wireless energy transmission through magnetic resonant coupling, and the communication master module and the communication slave module form a wireless communication link to achieve bidirectional data interaction between the inside and outside of the body.
2. The implantable medical device large-gap anti-displacement wireless communication system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy emission module includes a DC power supply unit, a drive signal generation unit, a high-frequency power conversion unit, an external resonance compensation unit, and an external emission coil. The drive signal generation unit is controlled by the communication master control module. The communication master control module includes an auxiliary power supply unit, a master control unit, and an external communication unit. The drive signal generation unit is electrically connected to the communication master control module. The communication master control module is used to receive external communication information from the system and transmit the external communication information to the master control unit. At the same time, under the control signal output by the master control unit, it completes the configuration of communication parameters and the transmission and reception control.
3. The implantable medical device large-gap anti-displacement wireless communication system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The external relay module includes an external first relay coil, an external relay compensation unit, and an external second relay coil; the external relay compensation unit includes an external first compensation capacitor and an external second compensation capacitor.
4. The implantable medical device large-gap anti-displacement wireless communication system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The energy receiving module includes an in vivo receiving coil, an in vivo resonance compensation unit, a rectification and filtering unit, and an energy storage unit; the in vivo receiving coil has at least two windings connected in reverse series; the energy storage unit is used to store electrical energy obtained through wireless power transmission and to provide operating power for the implantable stimulator.
5. The implantable medical device large-gap anti-displacement wireless communication system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The communication slave module includes a slave control unit, a sampling unit, and an internal communication unit. The energy storage unit supplies power to the communication slave module, the sampling unit collects charging information from the energy storage unit, and the internal communication unit is used to realize wireless transmission and reception of information. The slave control unit is used to decode the communication information transmitted from the communication master control module, and also to encode the charging status information of the energy storage unit and send it to the communication master control module through the internal communication unit; after decoding the received information, the communication master control module generates a control signal and outputs it to the drive signal generation unit to control the working state of the high-frequency power conversion unit.
6. The implantable medical device large-gap anti-displacement wireless communication system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The decoupling structure includes a first ferrite, a second ferrite, and a third ferrite. The ferrite in the decoupling structure can be replaced with other high-permeability material layers, and the first ferrite, the external transmitting coil, the external first relay coil, the second ferrite, the third ferrite, and the external second relay coil are arranged sequentially. This ensures that the energy transmission between the external transmitting coil, the external first relay coil, the external second relay coil, and the internal receiving coil does not interfere with each other. The external transmitting coil and the external first relay coil are coaxially arranged, and their lateral relative positions remain unchanged. The external second relay coil is non-coaxially arranged with the external transmitting coil and the external first relay coil, and their lateral relative positions are variable.
7. The implantable medical device large-gap anti-displacement wireless communication system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The high-frequency power conversion unit is a Class E power amplifier or other high-efficiency high-frequency power amplifier.
8. The implantable medical device large-gap anti-displacement wireless communication system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The external first relay coil serves as the compensating inductor for the external second relay coil, participating in the construction of the relay resonant compensation network to achieve structural reuse and enhanced coupling.
9. The implantable medical device large-gap anti-displacement wireless communication system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rectifier and filter unit includes a full-bridge rectifier, which uses semiconductor devices with low on-state voltage drop.
10. The implantable medical device large-gap anti-displacement wireless communication system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The energy storage unit is used to store electrical energy obtained through wireless power transmission and to provide power for the implantable stimulator.