Patent ID: 6764446
Filing Date: 2004-07-20
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
A surgical implant, comprising:a sensor for measuring intra-body diagnostic data; a controller configured for generating an electrical communication signal containing the diagnostic data; one or more acoustic transducers; circuitry for collectively configuring the one or more acoustic transducers to convert acoustic energy received from a location external to the implant into electrical energy used to support operation of the implant, and convert the electrical communication signal received by the controller into an acoustical communication signal for transmission to a location external to the implant; and an energy storage device configured for storing the electrical energy converted by the one or more transducers, wherein the energy storage device comprises a first relatively fast-charging capacitor and a second relatively slow-charging capacitor, the first and second capacitors being coupled to the one or more acoustic transducers such that the first capacitor is charged first and the second capacitor is charged only upon substantially charging of the first capacitor.