Patent ID: 7813809

Claim:
A neuromuscular stimulation system comprising: at least one electrically conductive surface sized and configured for implantation in a targeted neural or muscular tissue region; a lead electrically coupled to the electrically conductive surface, the lead sized and configured to be positioned in subcutaneous tissue; and an implantable pulse generator including a rechargeable battery, wherein the implantable pulse generator is sized and configured to be coupled to the lead and positioned in subcutaneous tissue remote from the at least one electrically conductive surface, the implantable pulse generator comprising a non-inductive wireless telemetry circuitry using VHF/UHF signals, and inductive wireless telemetry circuitry using a radio frequency magnetic field, the non-inductive wireless telemetry circuitry being functional at a distance as far as arm's reach away from a patient, and being adapted to receive and transmit VHF/UHF signals for programming and interrogation of the implantable pulse generator, the inductive wireless telemetry circuitry including a coil adapted to receive the magnetic field from an external controller to recharge the rechargeable battery, the implantable pulse generator adapted to communicate with the external controller using the non-inductive wireless telemetry to instruct the external controller to increase or decrease the strength of the magnetic field during recharging for optimal battery charging, while at the same time, the implantable pulse generator adapted to receive the magnetic field to recharge the rechargeable battery, and the non-inductive wireless telemetry circuitry including a transceiver to listen for commands from the external controller at a predetermined rate and to respond to the commands in synchronization with when the external controller is configured to listen for the response.