Implant charging field control through radio link

Abstract

A charger that evaluates the effectiveness of the charging field generated by the charger at an implantable device. The charger includes a charging coil, a communication module, and a processor. The processor can include instructions to determine the effectiveness of the charging field based on one or several signals or communications received from the implantable device. The charger can use the determination of the effectiveness of the charging field to vary the strength of the charging field and/or to prompt the user to move the charger with respect to the implantable device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A charger comprising:
 a charging coil configured to magnetically couple with a corresponding charging coil of an implantable device,   an indicator configured to identify the effectiveness of a charging field created between the charging coil of the charger and the corresponding charging coil of the implantable device; and   a processor configured to:
 receive a signal from the implantable device at a first time; 
 direct the indicator to identify a first effectiveness level based on a determined effectiveness of the charging field at the first time; 
 receive a signal from the implantable device at a second time; and 
 direct the indicator to identify a second effectiveness level based on a determined effectiveness of the charging field at the second time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The charger of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises one of a visual and an audible indicator. 
     
     
         3 . The charger of  claim 2 , wherein the visual indicator comprises one of a light and a display. 
     
     
         4 . The charger of  claim 1 , wherein the processor determines the effectiveness of the charging field based on at least one of a voltage induced by the charging field at the charging coil of the implantable device and a current induced by the charging field at the charging coil of the implantable device. 
     
     
         5 . The charger of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to direct the charging coil of the charger to generate a charging field. 
     
     
         6 . The charger of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to optimize the charging field before the first time. 
     
     
         7 . The charger of  claim 6 , wherein the optimizing of the charging field comprises:
 determining if the charging field is inducing a voltage at the charging coil of the implantable device that is greater than the voltage of an energy storage device of the implantable device.   
     
     
         8 . The charger of  claim 7 , wherein optimizing the charging field further comprises:
 increasing the voltage on the charging coil of the charger if the charge filed is inducing a voltage at the charging coil of the implantable device that is less than the voltage of an energy storage device of the implantable device.   
     
     
         9 . The charger of  claim 1 , wherein the effectiveness of the charging field at the second time is greater than the effectiveness of the charging field at the first time. 
     
     
         10 . The charger of  claim 1 , wherein the effectiveness of the charging field at the second time is less than the effectiveness of the charging field at the first time. 
     
     
         11 . A method of directing alignment of a charger with an implantable device, the method comprising:
 applying a first voltage to a charging coil of a charger, wherein the application of the first voltage to the charging coil of the charger generates a charging field;   receiving a first signal from the implantable device at a first time, wherein the first signal includes information identifying a parameter of an effect of the charging field on the implantable device at the first time;   directing an indicator to identify a first effectiveness level;   receiving a second signal from the implantable device at a second time, wherein the second signal includes information identifying the parameter of the effect of the charging field on the implantable device at the second time; and   
       directing the indicator to identify a second effectiveness level. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein directing the indicator to identify the second effectiveness level comprises directing the identifier to identify an increased effectiveness when the second effectiveness level is greater than the first effectiveness level. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein directing the indicator to identify the second effectiveness level comprises directing the identifier to identify a decreased effectiveness when the second effectiveness level is less than the first effectiveness level. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving a third signal from the implantable device at a third time, wherein the third signal includes information identifying a parameter of an effect of the charging field on the implantable device at the third time; and   optimizing the voltage applied to the charging coil of the charger based on the third signal.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the receipt of the third signal at the third time precedes the receipt of the first signal at the first time. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining the effectiveness of the charging field at the first time; and   determining the effectiveness of the charging field at the second time.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein determining the effectiveness of the charging field is based on at least one of a voltage induced by the charging field at the charging coil of the implantable device and a current induced by the charging field at the charging coil of the implantable device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the effectiveness of the charging field is determined by comparing the parameter of the effect of the charging field on the implantable device with a threshold value. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the charging field is effective if the parameter of the effect of the charging field on the implantable device is greater than the threshold value. 
     
     
         20 . A system for delivering power to an implantable device, the system comprising:
 an implantable device, wherein the implantable device comprises:
 a network interface; and 
 a charging module comprising a first charging coil, wherein the charging module is configured to monitor at least one charge parameter; and 
   a charger comprising:
 a network interface configured to receive the at least one charge parameter from the implantable device; 
 a charging module comprising a second charging coil, wherein the charging module is configured to control the voltage of the second charging coil according to the received at least one charge parameter; and 
 an indicator control module configured to control an indicator to identify the effectiveness of the magnetic coupling between the implantable device and the charger. 
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the indicator is configured to identify the effectiveness of the magnetic coupling between the implantable device and the charger by identifying a change in the least one charge parameter over a period of time. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one charge parameter comprises a voltage induced at the first charging coil. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one charge parameter comprises a current induced at the charging coil of the implantable device. 
     
     
         24 . A charger comprising:
 a charging coil configured to magnetically couple with a corresponding charging coil of a peripherally implanted pulse generator, wherein the peripherally implanted pulse generator comprises a plurality of electrodes,   an indicator configured to identify the effectiveness of a charging field created between the charging coil of the charger and the corresponding charging coil of the implantable device; and   a processor configured to:
 receive a signal from the peripherally implanted pulse generator at a first time, wherein the signal indicates the effectiveness of the charging field at the first time; 
 direct the indicator to identify a first effectiveness level; 
 receive a signal from the peripherally implanted pulse generator at a second time, wherein the signal indicates the effectiveness of the charging field at the second time; and 
 direct the indicator to identify a second effectiveness level. 
   
     
     
         25 . A charger comprising:
 a charging coil configured to magnetically couple with a corresponding charging coil of recharging device,   an indicator configured to identify the effectiveness of a charging field created between the charging coil of the charger and the corresponding charging coil of the recharging device; and   a processor configured to:
 receive a signal from the recharging device at a first time; 
 direct the indicator to identify a first effectiveness level based on a determined effectiveness of the charging field at the first time; 
 receive a signal from the recharging device at a second time; and 
 direct the indicator to identify a second effectiveness level based on a determined effectiveness of the charging field at the second time. 
   
     
     
         26 . The charger of  claim 25 , wherein the recharging device is an implantable device. 
     
     
         27 . The charger of  claim 26 , wherein the implantable device comprises a peripherally implanted pulse generator comprising a plurality of electrodes.