Implant Antenna Radiating Structure for Stable In-Body Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
The human body's constantly changing dielectric properties and the potential change in position and orientation of antennas implanted within it create an adverse environment for wireless communication with implantable medical devices.
Innovation Solution
A radiating structure comprising a directly excited element (DEE) and an indirectly excited element (IEE) is designed to be implanted inside the human body, providing a bandwidth of at least 150 MHz and a voltage standing wave ratio of approximately 2, with symmetrical geometry to ensure predictable and reliable radiation patterns despite changes in orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional antenna is implanted in the human body, then wireless communication is enabled, but the radiation pattern becomes unpredictable due to changing dielectric properties and antenna orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs symmetrical geometric structures (such as symmetrical dipole elements arranged at specific angles) to create an antenna system whose radiation characteristics remain invariant under rotation. This symmetry ensures that the radiation pattern maintains its shape and orientation regardless of how the implant is positioned or oriented in the body, directly resolving the contradiction between enabling wireless communication and maintaining stable radiation patterns.
2Loss of energy
If impedance matching components are added to the implantable antenna, then communication efficiency is improved, but the device size and circuitry complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna design achieves inherent impedance matching through its geometric configuration and symmetry, eliminating the need for separate impedance matching components. The symmetrical structure and specific element arrangements provide natural impedance transformation and matching, allowing the antenna to maintain low insertion loss without adding complex circuitry or external matching components, thus resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and device simplicity.
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 radiating structure enables reliable and predictable wireless communication with implantable medical devices, maintaining consistent radiation patterns and reducing the need for impedance matching components, thus minimizing insertion loss and reducing the size of the circuitry.
Implementation Method 1
an indirectly excited element ('IEE') radiatively coupled to the DEE
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable radiating structure includes a directly excited element (“DEE”) that includes a top portion, a gap portion, and a bottom portion. The gap portion is between the top portion and the bottom portion. The top portion is coupled to the bottom portion via a connector, and the top portion, the gap portion, and the bottom portion of the DEE are planar. The implantable radiating structure also includes an indirectly excited element (“IEE”) radiatively coupled to the DEE. The IEE is positioned at an angle with respect to the DEE, and the DEE is orthogonal to the IEE. Further, the implantable radiating structure is configured to be implanted inside a human body and includes a bandwidth of at least 150 megahertz and a voltage standing wave ratio of approximately 2.