Patent · US Expired

Low-power A/D converter for an implantable medical device and method of use

US5052389A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
14References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 26, 1990
Grant dateOct 1, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 26, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/37211
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A low-power A/D converter for an implantable medical device. The converter includes a high-frequency oscillator capable of generating clock pulses at a frequency substantially higher than the main clock frequency of the implantable device, and an oscillator-gating circuit for enabling the oscillator for a voltage-dependent variable time interval. The gating circuit includes a voltage-controlled monostable multivibrator for generating a gate control pulse having a pulse width corresponding to the value of an analog signal representative of a physiological parameter sensed by the implantable device. A timing controller, which operates at a low frequency under control of a crystal-controlled clock, supplies a trigger pulse to the voltage-controlled monostable at a predetermined first point in the variable time interval and generates an enable pulse at a predetermined second point in the variable time interval. In response to the enable pulse, the A/D converter enables the oscillator at the second point and, in response to the gate control pulse, disables the oscillator at the end of the variable time interval. A counter coupled to the oscillator counts the clock pulses generated betwe…

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