Methods and apparatus for power conversion and data transmission in implantable sensors, stimulators, and actuators
View Patent ↗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. In some embodiments, the implantable devices can include power management schemes that have one or more AC-DC conversion chains arranged and configured to rectify the induced alternating current or voltage into one or more energy domains. Methods of use are also described.
1. A wireless power receiving device, comprising:
a coupler configured to induce an alternating current or voltage in the presence of electromagnetic fields or oscillating sound pressure waves;
a first AC-DC conversion chain configured to rectify the induced alternating current or voltage into a first DC current or voltage in a first energy domain;
a first DC load coupled to the first AC-DC conversion chain;
a second AC-DC conversion chain arranged in parallel with the first AC-DC conversion chain and configured to rectify the induced alternating current or voltage into a second DC current or voltage in a second energy domain; and
a second DC load coupled to the second AC-DC conversion chain;
wherein the first or second AC-DC conversion chain comprises a rectifier stage in parallel with a capacitor and a DC-DC conversion circuit, with a battery connected to an output of the DC-DC conversion circuit.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first DC current or voltage in the first energy domain is optimized for the first DC load.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the second DC current or voltage in the first energy domain is optimized for the second DC load.
4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the first energy domain comprises a low-voltage domain.
5. The device of claim 3 , wherein the first DC load comprises sensor circuitry, digital logic, a data transceiver, an analog oscillator, or an analog clock.
6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the second energy domain comprises a high-voltage domain.
7. The device of claim 5 , wherein the second DC load comprises a battery, a stimulator, or an actuator.