Wireless midfield systems and methods
Inventors
Poon, Ada Shuk Yan • Yeh, Alexander Jueshyan • Tanabe, Yuji • Ho, John • Kim, Sanghoek
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12582827-B2
Publication Date
2026-03-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
Implantable devices and/or sensors can be wirelessly powered by controlling and propagating electromagnetic waves in a patient's tissue. Such implantable devices/sensors can be implanted at target locations in a patient, to stimulate areas such as the heart, brain, spinal cord, or muscle tissue, and/or to sense biological, physiological, chemical attributes of the blood, tissue, and other patient parameters. The propagating electromagnetic waves can be generated with sub-wavelength structures configured to manipulate evanescent fields outside of tissue to generate the propagating waves inside the tissue. Methods of use are also described.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method for modulating neural tissue in a patient body by implanting one or more electrodes of an implantable neural stimulator at a target site adjacent to or near the neural tissue. Electrical energy is wirelessly delivered to the target site from a location exterior to the patient body through mid-field coupling, and the power signal is used to generate one or more electrical impulses.
The mid-field coupling utilizes both evanescent and radiative components to deliver the power signal, so that the implantable neural stimulator can generate electrical impulses provided through the electrodes to the neural tissue. An external transmitter supplies the power signal, and the implantable neural stimulator receives the power signal via a first antenna during implanted operation.
The invention also covers an implantable neural stimulator and a system including an external transmitter. The stimulator includes a device body configured for implantation via a catheter, cannula, or needle, electrodes configured to provide electrical impulses to neural tissue, and the first antenna configured to receive the power signal via mid-field transmission using both evanescent and radiative components.
The circuitry is configured to generate the electrical impulses, with optional configurations where energy storage stores received power and impulse generation is based on a characteristic of the power signal and/or synchronized to receipt of the power signal.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are directed to three inventive features: a method for modulating neural tissue, an implantable neural stimulator, and a system including an external transmitter. The core inventive features are mid-field coupling or transmission using both evanescent and radiative components, together with implanted electrodes, a receiving antenna, and circuitry configured to generate electrical impulses.
Modulating neural tissue using mid-field coupling with evanescent and radiative components
A method for modulating neural tissue by implanting one or more electrodes of an implantable neural stimulator at a target site adjacent to or near the neural tissue and wirelessly delivering a power signal containing electrical energy from outside the patient body through mid-field coupling, wherein mid-field coupling utilizes both evanescent and radiative components; generating one or more electrical impulses using the electrical energy in the wirelessly delivered power signal; and providing the electrical impulses through the electrodes to the neural tissue.
Implantable neural stimulator with mid-field power reception using evanescent and radiative components
An implantable neural stimulator comprising a device body configured for implantation in the patient body via a catheter, cannula, or needle; one or more electrodes coupled to the device body and configured to provide electrical impulses to neural tissue; a first antenna coupled to the device body and configured to receive, from an external transmitter and via a mid-field transmission when implanted, a power signal comprising electrical energy, wherein the mid-field transmission utilizes both evanescent and radiative components to transmit the power signal; and a circuit coupled to the first antenna and the electrodes and configured to generate the electrical impulses.
System with external transmitter and implantable neural stimulator using mid-field evanescent-radiative transmission
A system comprising an external transmitter and an implantable neural stimulator for modulating neural tissue in a patient body, where the implantable neural stimulator comprises a device body configured for implantation in the patient body via a catheter, cannula, or needle; one or more electrodes coupled to the device body and configured to provide electrical impulses to neural tissue; a first antenna coupled to the device body and configured to receive, from the external transmitter and via a mid-field transmission when implanted, a power signal comprising electrical energy, wherein the mid-field transmission utilizes both evanescent and radiative components to transmit the power signal; and a circuit coupled to the first antenna and the electrodes and configured to generate the electrical impulses.
Across the independent claims, the invention is centered on mid-field transmission or coupling that utilizes both evanescent and radiative components to deliver a power signal from an external transmitter to an implanted neural stimulator, and on circuitry that uses the received electrical energy to generate electrical impulses delivered through implanted electrodes to neural tissue.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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