Patent ID: RE45030

Claim:
An implantable medical device, comprising: a) a hermetically sealed biocompatible housing; b) an RFID microelectronics chip disposed within the housing; c) an antenna wire having a first end portion electrically connected to a first end of the RFID chip inside the housing and extending along a length to a second end portion electronically connected to a second end of the RFID chip inside the housing with at least an intermediate portion of the length of the antenna wire between the first and second end portions residing outside the housing; and d) a sealing material that hermetically seals against an outer surface of the first and second end portions of the antenna wire and against respective perimeter openings in the housing through which the antenna wire extends so that the housing has a helium leak rate of no more than 10 −7 cubic centimeters per second , and e) wherein the intermediate portion of the antenna wire external to the housing serves as an antenna for the RFID microelectronics chip.