Patent ID: 6169925
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: A61N,H01Q,Y10S

Abstract:
An external device for use in communication with an implantable medical device, comprising: a device controller; a housing; an antenna array mounted to the housing; an RF transceiver operating at defined frequency, coupled to the antenna array; means for encoding signals to be transmitted to the implantable device, coupled to an input of the transceiver; means for decoding signals received from the implantable device, coupled to an output of the transceiver; and means for displaying the decoded signals received from the implantable device; wherein the antenna array comprises two antennas spaced a fraction of the wavelength of the defined frequency from one another, each antenna comprising two antenna elements mounted to the housing and located orthogonal to one another; and wherein the device controller includes means for selecting which of the two antennas is coupled to the transceiver.