EP-4129396-B1 - DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR STIMULATION THERAPY

Inventors

• FAYRAM, TIMOTHY A.
• YEH, ALEXANDER
• SHAW, GARY
• ARMSTRONG, RANDOLPH KERRY
• MORRIS, MILTON M.
• JUNCO, Elia

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20161020

Claims (14)

1. A system comprising: an external power source that is configured to propagate a field within tissue; and an implantable device configured to receive the propagated field from the external power source, the implantable device including: first circuitry, a first antenna configured to receive a portion of the propagated field, wherein the first antenna is electrically coupled to the first circuitry, a second antenna configured to receive another portion of the propagated field, wherein the second antenna is physically decoupled from the first antenna and from all circuitry outside of the implantable device and is physically decoupled from the first circuitry of the implantable device, the second antenna wirelessly coupled to the first antenna, an implantable device housing that encloses the first antenna, the second antenna, and the first circuitry, and an electrode directly electrically connected via one or more conductors to the first circuitry.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are electrically coupled with a near field coupling.
3. The system of one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the second antenna is situated more near an end of the implantable device than the first antenna.
4. The system of one of claims 1-3, further comprising: multiple electrodes, including the electrode, in a first portion of the implantable device opposite a second portion of the implantable device that includes the first antenna and the second antenna, and wherein the first circuitry is configured to receive electrical energy from the external power source through the first antenna to provide electrical energy to the electrodes.
5. The system of one of claims 1-4, wherein the first circuitry is hermetically sealed within the implantable device housing.
6. The system of one of claims 1-5, wherein the first antenna is a loop antenna.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second antenna is a loop antenna.
8. The system of one of claims 1-5, wherein the second antenna is helically shaped.
9. An implantable, unitary, biocompatible device configured to be implanted in tissue, the device comprising: circuitry; a first antenna directly electrically connected, via one or more conductors, to the circuitry; and a passive, second antenna that is physically decoupled from the first antenna and from all circuitry in the implantable, unitary, biocompatible device, the second antenna wirelessly coupled to the first antenna; wherein the first antenna is configured to receive energy including energy transferred to the first antenna from the second antenna, using near field coupling between the first antenna and the second antenna, and energy from an energy signal from a separate external energy source device.
10. The implantable device of claim 9, wherein the first antenna is a loop antenna.
11. The implantable device of claim 10, wherein the second antenna is a loop antenna.
12. The implantable device of one of claims 9-11, wherein the implantable, unitary, biocompatible device is an elongate unitary device wherein the second antenna is situated more near an end of the elongate unitary device than the first antenna.
13. The implantable device of one of claims 9-12, further comprising: a housing, wherein the circuitry is hermetically sealed within the housing; electrodes in a portion of the implantable device opposite that first and second antennas, and wherein the circuitry is configured to receive electrical energy from an external power source using the first and second antennas and to provide electrical energy to at least one of the of electrodes.
14. The implantable device of one of claims 9-12, further comprising a housing, wherein the circuitry is hermetically sealed within the the housing.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD One or more embodiments discussed herein regard devices, systems, and methods for providing signals (e.g., wireless midfield powering signals) to an implantable device (e.g., stimulation device) using an external device (e.g., external midfield coupler or midfield power source). One or more embodiments discussed herein regard devices, systems, and methods for providing therapy (e.g., stimulation or other modulation) or diagnostics from an implantable device. One or more embodiments discussed herein regard configurations for the implantable device and the external device. One or more embodiments discussed herein regard communicating data from the implantable device to the external device. One or more embodiments discussed herein regard devices, systems, and methods for positioning the implantable device at or near a specific location and/or shaping the implantable device. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND Most of the known wireless powering methods for implantable electronics are based on the nearfield coupling method, and these and other suggested methods suffer from a number of disadvantages. The power harvesting structure in the implanted device is typically large (typically on the order of a centimeter or larger). The coils external to the body in nearfield coupling methods are also typically bulky and inflexible. This presents difficulties with regard to the incorporation of the external device into daily life. The intrinsic exponential decay of the near field limits miniaturization of the implanted device beyond superficial depths (greater than 1 cm). On the other hand, the radiative nature of the far field severely limits the energy transfer efficiency. US 2013/079849 A1 discloses a wireless stimulation system comprising an external portable microwave field simulator (MFS) device with antenna configured to transmit a first RF signal; a relay module with receive antenna and transmit antenna coupled to relay circuitry; and a passive implantable lead module with antenna coupled to power management circuitry. SUMMARY Although considerable progress has been made in the realm of medical device therapy, a need exists for therapy devices that provide stimulation or other therapy to targeted locations within a body. A need further exists for efficient, wireless power and data communication with an implanted therapy delivery device and/or an implanted diagnostic (e.g., sensor) device. In accordance with several embodiments, a system for providing therapy to a subject comprises or consists essentially of an external midfield powering source positioned outside a body of the subject (e.g., outside the skin) and an internal therapy delivery device positioned within the body of the subject (e.g., beneath the skin). The external source comprises at least one sub-wavelength structure (e.g., one, two, three, four or more than four) configured to provide radiofrequency (RF) signals to a particular location in tissue of the subject (e.g., at a location beneath the skin of the subject where the internal therapy device is permanently or temporarily implanted). The RF signals are selected to manipulate an evanescent field (e.g., an oscillating electric and/or magnetic field that does not propagate as an electromagnetic wave) outside of the tissue (e.g., outside a surface of the skin) to thereby generate a propagating field inside the tissue beneath the surface of the skin. The internal therapy delivery device comprises an at least partially implantable device configured to receive the RF signals from the external source. Partially implantable may mean that the device is not entirely implanted under the skin of the patient or that the device is temporarily implanted (e.g., for a trialing period or inserted and removed during a single procedure), as opposed to being permanently implanted for a long duration of time (e.g., several months or years). The implantable device comprises a distal portion and a proximal portion. The implantable device may comprise circuitry (e.g., receiver circuitry) in a first housing and may comprise an antenna in a separate second housing in the proximal portion. The first and/or second housing may also be positioned in the distal portion or any other portion of the implantable device. The antenna may be electrically coupled to the circuitry in the first housing. In some embodiments, the implantable device comprises a flexible, biocompatible, elongated member including the distal portion and the proximal portion and a plurality of energy delivery members (e.g., electrodes, emission elements, transducers) situated along the distal portion of the elongated member. The circuitry may be hermetically sealed or encased within the first housing and configured to receive electrical energy from the external source and to provide electrical energy to the plurality of energy delivery members (e.g., electrodes). The circuitry may comprise any receiver capable of receiving electrical energy from the external