Charger for an implant
A wireless feedback system for supplying feedback information, the system comprising a medical device arranged to be implanted in the body of a patient, the medical device being arranged to monitor or control a physiological function or defect in the body of the patient, an internal device connected to said implanted medical device, comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) transmitter arranged to transmit feedback information from the implanted medical device, the internal device being arranged to be implanted in the patient's body, and an external device comprising a transceiver arranged to issue interrogating signals to the internal device and arranged to receive the feedback information from the internal device, wherein the medical device comprises a measuring device for measuring a parameter relating to the state of the medical device and wherein the feedback information comprises the parameter, and the feedback information further comprises a feedback signal related to at least one of a power consumption, operational mode, and battery state information.
1 . A medical device system for monitoring a physiological parameter in the body of a patient, the medical device system comprising:
an implantable medical device comprising an RFID transceiver,
an external charger comprising an RFID transceiver, wherein the RFID transceiver of the implantable medical device is configured to wirelessly receive energy transmitted from the RFID transceiver of the external charger,
a wireless feedback system arranged to transmit information based on the monitored physiological parameter using the RFID transceiver, from the implantable medical device to the external charger, in response to an interrogating signal sent from the RFID transceiver of the external charger and energy transmitted from the RFID transceiver of the external charger, and
an evaluation unit for evaluating signals received from the RFID transceiver of the implantable medical device, wherein:
the external charger is configured to detect a magnetic or electromagnetic field generated by the RFID transceiver of the implantable medical device in response to a transmittal of energy from the RFID transceiver of the external charger,
the evaluation unit is configured to determine the strength of the detected magnetic or electromagnetic field, and
the evaluation unit is configured to determine whether the strength of the detected magnetic or electromagnetic field is increased as a user moves the external charger relative to the body of the patient.
2 . The medical device system according to claim 1 , wherein the external charger is arranged to display information derived from the detected strength of the magnetic or electromagnetic field on a display.
3 . The medical device system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises an indicator arranged to indicate based on the transfer of wireless energy from the RFID transceiver of the external charger external charger to the RFID transceiver of the implantable medical device.
4 . The medical device system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises an indicator arranged to indicate an optimal position of the RFID transceiver of the external charger relative to the RFID transceiver of the implantable medical device.
5 . The medical device system according to claim 1 , wherein the external charger comprises a sensor arranged to generate a signal indicative of a magnetic or electromagnetic field returning from the RFID transceiver of the implantable medical device.
6 . The medical device system according to claim 1 , wherein the implantable medical device comprises a sensor arranged to generate a signal indicative of a magnetic or electromagnetic field transmitted from the RFID transceiver of the external charger, and wherein the implantable medical device is configured to transmit a signal to the external charger, the signal being derived from the signal indicative of the magnetic or electromagnetic field transmitted from the RFID transceiver of the external charger, using the RFID transceiver.