Skin-Mounted Antenna Array for Wireless Implant Powering

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical devices struggle to efficiently power and communicate with implanted sensors beneath the skin surface, often requiring high energy absorption by the skin and inefficient power transfer due to limited electromagnetic coupling.

Innovation Solution

A reader device with an array of antenna coils is mounted on the skin surface, determining the location and orientation of an implanted device to select and operate multiple coils for optimized radio frequency power transmission, adjusting amplitude and phase to enhance power transfer efficiency and reduce skin absorption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If a single antenna coil is used for wireless power transmission, then the device structure is simple, but the power transfer efficiency is low and skin absorption is high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower transfer efficiencyVSAvoidantenna array complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides a single large antenna coil into multiple smaller antenna coils arranged in an array. This segmentation allows selective activation of only the coils needed for power transmission, reducing overall energy loss and improving power transfer efficiency while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically selects and activates specific antenna coils based on the real-time location of the implanted device. This dynamic adaptation optimizes the electromagnetic coupling between the reader device and implanted device, maximizing power transfer efficiency at each moment while keeping the system structure relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Power

If high power is transmitted to the implanted device, then sufficient power delivery is achieved, but skin absorption of radio frequency energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower delivery to implanted deviceVSAvoidskin absorption of radio frequency energy

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies power transmission locally by activating only the specific antenna coils in proximity to the implanted device rather than using all coils simultaneously. This localized approach delivers sufficient power to the target device while concentrating the radio frequency energy in a small area, thereby reducing overall skin absorption and minimizing harmful thermal effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna coil array acts as an intermediary system that provides multiple transmission paths. By selecting optimal intermediate coils based on implanted device location, the system achieves effective power delivery while distributing and reducing the radio frequency energy burden on any single area of skin, thereby reducing harmful absorption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If the implanted device location is precisely determined, then optimal antenna selection is achieved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation determination accuracyVSAvoidlocation detection and control system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from the implanted device (such as reflected signals or communication responses) to determine its location relative to the antenna coil array. This feedback mechanism enables precise location tracking and optimal antenna selection without requiring complex external imaging or tracking systems, thereby achieving high measurement precision with manageable system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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

This approach enables efficient wireless power delivery and communication to implanted sensors, improving energy transfer efficiency and reducing skin absorption, thereby supporting continuous monitoring of physiological properties.

Implementation Method 1

each antenna coil of the array of antenna coils has a respective degree of electromagnetic coupling with an antenna of the implanted device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

Operating the selected two or more antenna coils to provide radio frequency power to the implanted device includes emitting from each of the selected two or more antenna coils radio frequency power

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic Propulsion

Data Source

PatentUS9876537B2Phase controlled array for wirelessly powering implantable devices

Publication Date: 2018.01.23 VERILY LIFE SCIENCES LLC

AI summary

A reader device includes an array of antenna coils configured to electromagnetically couple with devices implanted beneath or within skin of a human body. An implanted device can include a loop antenna or other means configured to couple with at least one antenna coil of the reader device to receive radio frequency energy from the reader device. The antenna coil array is configured to mount to the skin surface to improve the coupling between the implanted device and coils of the array. Further, the reader device is configured to select two or more antenna coils of the array and to operate the selected antenna coils to emit radio frequency power at respective amplitudes and relative phases to provide radio frequency power to the implanted device while increasing efficiency of the power transfer and reducing the exposure of the skin to radio frequency energy.