Implant Antenna Alignment Feedback for Passive Medical Power Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless interfaces for passive implantable medical devices (PIMDs) face challenges in aligning external antennas with implanted antennas, leading to insufficient power transfer and communication signal strength due to the unknown exact position and orientation of the implanted antennas.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that transmits energizing signals from an external antenna to an implanted antenna, receiving and analyzing energy transfer characteristic values to provide an energy transfer level indicator, which guides the positioning of the external antenna to optimize energy transfer and ensure sufficient power delivery to the PIMD.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If wireless interface is used to transfer energy between external antenna and implanted antenna, then power delivery to PIMD is enabled, but alignment difficulty leads to insufficient energy transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback to the user regarding the degree of energy transfer between the external antenna and implanted antenna. This feedback mechanism enables the user to adjust the alignment to optimize energy transfer, directly resolving the alignment difficulty while maintaining effective power delivery.
2Device complexity
If external antenna position is not precisely known, then system simplicity is maintained, but energy transfer efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures and provides feedback on the degree of energy transfer without requiring complex pre-positioning systems or precise knowledge of implanted antenna location. This feedback approach maintains system simplicity while improving energy transfer efficiency by enabling real-time optimization.
3Ease of operation
If clinician manually positions external antenna without guidance, then operation is simple, but communication signal strength is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback indicating the degree of energy transfer, which correlates with communication signal strength. This allows the clinician to manually position the external antenna while receiving guidance to achieve optimal signal strength, maintaining operational simplicity while improving reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively manages energy transfer between external and implanted antennas, providing feedback to improve alignment and ensure stable operation of PIMDs by indicating changes in energy transfer levels, thereby enhancing power delivery and communication strength.
Implementation Method 1
transmits an energizing signal from an external antenna, coupled to a local external device (LED), to an implanted antenna of a passive implanted medical device (PIMD)
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method, system and device are provided. The method transmits an energizing signal from an external antenna, coupled to a local external device (LED), to an implanted antenna of a passive implanted medical device (PIMD). The energizing signal is transmitted while the external antenna is at first and second positions. The method receives, at the external antenna, first and second energy transfer characteristic (ETC) values associated with the first and second positions, respectively. The method is under control of one or more processors configured with program instructions. The method analyzes the first and second ETC values to determine a difference therebetween. The method provides an energy transfer level (ETL) indicator based on the difference between the first and second ETC values. The ETL indicator provides feedback regarding a degree of energy transfer associated with at least one of the first and second positions.