Patent · US Expired

Antenna for miniature implanted medical device

US6804561B2 · kind B2 · utility

142Cited by
21References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 28, 2001
Grant dateOct 12, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 21, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/37205
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An improved antenna for use with an implantable microdevice, such as a microstimulator or microsensor, comprises a loop antenna on the case of the microdevice. The antenna receives data transmitted from an external device, and transmits data to an external device. Such a loop antenna may be formed from two cylindrical sections separated by an insulating material on the case of the microdevice, or by separating a metal cylinder into two parallel semi-cylinders separated by an insulating material. A tuning circuit comprising capacitors and/or varactors is used to obtain resonance in the loop antenna, thus creating a sufficiently large effective antenna aperture. In a preferred embodiment, the electrodes of the microdevice are modified to both perform their primary task of tissue stimulation and to perform a secondary task as the radiating elements of a loop antenna.

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