Patent ID: 8798763
Filing Date: 2014-08-05
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61N,H02J,H04B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for controlling transmission of wireless energy supplied to an electrically operable medical device when implanted in a mammal patient, the apparatus comprising: an external energy source adapted to transmit said wireless energy when located outside the patient, an internal energy receiver adapted to receive the transmitted wireless energy when located inside the patient, and to directly or indirectly supply received energy to the medical device, an internal ultrasonic signal transmitter adapted to transmit an ultrasonic feedback control signal when located inside the patient, and an external ultrasonic signal receiver adapted to receive the transmitted feedback control signal when located outside the patient, where said feedback control signal relates to the energy for operating the medical device and is used for controlling the transmission of wireless energy from the external energy source, an internal control unit adapted to be located inside the patient and to determine and follow over time, during the transmission of wireless energy, measurements of characteristics, or parameters related to the energy needed for proper operation of the apparatus, such as power consumption, being at least one electrical parameter relating to an energy balance between the energy received by the internal energy receiver and the energy used for the medical device, wherein the energy used comprises the total of energy consumed, energy stored, or energy consumed and energy stored, wherein said feedback control signal is created by the internal control unit comprising information on or relating to the determined energy balance, created intermittently, repeated at certain intervals during ongoing energy transfer executed on a more or less continuous basis during said wireless energy transfer, and an external control unit adapted to be located outside the patient and using said feedback control signal to control and regulate the transmission of wireless energy from the external energy source based on the determined and during energy transfer over time followed energy balance, repeated intermittently at certain intervals during ongoing energy transfer executed on a more or less continuous basis during the energy transfer, and decrease the amount of transmitted wireless energy if the detected energy balance change implies that the energy balance is increasing, or increase the amount of transmitted wireless energy if the detected energy balance change implies that the energy balance is decreasing, wherein the energy balance is determined as energy per time unit, accumulated energy, or accumulated energy and energy per time unit, wherein the speed and direction of change, the change rate, of the at least one electrical parameter is adapted to relate to the energy balance, measured intermittently, repeated at certain intervals during ongoing energy transfer, executed on a more or less continuous basis during the energy transfer, and wherein the energy balance determined by at least one of: the decrease or increase of the wireless energy transmission correspond to the detected change rate of the energy balance.