Patent ID: 8560081

Claim:
A power management method of generating a positive power-supply voltage from a secondary coil of a transcutaneous magnetic link, and storing said positive power-supply voltage across a capacitor for energizing an implanted stimulator channel, the channel comprising: a current sink by which a stimulation current is forced through a pair of electrodes, said pair of electrodes including their coupling capacitors if incorporated, switches by which said pair of electrodes are selected and connected between said positive power-supply voltage and said current sink; wherein, said positive power-supply voltage is generated by rectifying an alternating voltage of said secondary coil by closing and opening a solid-state switch between said secondary coil and said capacitor at such times during the positive half of each alternating cycle so that the voltage of said current sink is regulated within a narrow band just above the minimum level needed by said current sink for sustaining the demanded stimulation current; wherein, said switch is closed at the moment when the alternating voltage of said secondary coil crosses over said positive power-supply voltage if and only if the voltage of said current sink is less positive than a positive reference voltage at that moment; wherein, said switch is opened at the moment when the voltage of said current sink crosses over said positive reference voltage if the alternating voltage of said secondary coil is more positive than said positive power-supply voltage at that moment; wherein, said switch is opened at the moment when the voltage of said secondary coil crosses under said positive power-supply voltage if the voltage on said current sink is less positive than said positive reference voltage at that moment; and wherein, said positive reference voltage is set to an appropriate level to confine the voltage of said current sink into said narrow band.