Patent · US Expired

Low power implantable apparatus and method for receiving an AM signal

US4220156A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
5References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 3, 1978
Grant dateSep 2, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 3, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S128/903
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An implantable AM receiver having a variable threshold which can detect signals above a changing noise level. An AM receiver is provided which provides a modulation envelope corresponding to the amplitude of a pulse-modulated RF signal radiated by an external device. A voltage signal is developed which is at least equal to the amplitude of the modulation envelope, but which decays at a predetermined rate if the modulation envelope drops to a value below the voltage signal. The voltage signal is then scaled to a predetermined percentage of a value corresponding to the value of the modulation envelope, and biased so that it cannot drop below a predetermined minimum level. The scaled voltage signal comprises the variable threshold and is compared by a comparator to the modulation envelope. If it is below the modulation envelope, the comparator outputs a voltage having a first state; if it is above the modulation envelope, the comparator outputs a voltage having a second state.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.