阅读说明：本技术 具有小尺寸发射天线的远程rf功率系统 (Remote RF power system with small size transmit antenna ) 是由 L·T·佩里曼 R·勒巴伦 A·西梅乌诺维奇 于 2015-05-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种天线组件,包括：天线,所述天线包括：具有辐射表面的金属信号层,和馈入端口；以及波导,其包围天线并且被配置用于在远离天线的方向上引导从辐射表面发射的电磁能；和控制器模块,其被连接到所述馈入端口并且被配置用于驱动天线以从辐射表面发射电磁能；其中,所述天线、波导和控制器模块被构造成使得,当控制器模块驱动天线时,所发射的电磁能匹配可植入装置的接收特征并且,在所述可植入装置被设置为距天线至少10厘米时,足以使可植入装置仅仅利用从天线接收的电磁能即可制造振幅足以刺激患者的神经组织的一个或多个电脉冲。(An antenna assembly, comprising: an antenna, the antenna comprising: a metal signal layer having a radiating surface, and a feed-in port; and a waveguide surrounding the antenna and configured for guiding electromagnetic energy emitted from the radiating surface in a direction away from the antenna; and a controller module connected to the feed port and configured to drive an antenna to emit electromagnetic energy from a radiating surface; wherein the antenna, waveguide, and controller module are configured such that, when the controller module drives the antenna, the emitted electromagnetic energy matches a receiving characteristic of the implantable device and, when the implantable device is positioned at least 10 centimeters from the antenna, is sufficient for the implantable device to produce one or more electrical pulses with an amplitude sufficient to stimulate neural tissue of the patient using only the electromagnetic energy received from the antenna.)

1. A method of wirelessly supplying energy to an implantable device, the method comprising:

radiating electromagnetic energy toward the implantable device from a radiating surface on an antenna assembly, the implantable device disposed at least 10 centimeters away, wherein the antenna assembly comprises:

an antenna comprising a metallic signal layer having the radiating surface and a feed-in port; and

a waveguide surrounding the antenna and configured for guiding electromagnetic energy emitted from the radiating surface in a direction away from the antenna; and

a controller module connected to the feed port and configured to drive an antenna to emit electromagnetic energy from a radiating surface;

wherein the radiating surface is butterfly shaped and has two leaf structures connected to each other at the feed port by two substantially parallel rod structures, and wherein the antenna, waveguide and controller module are configured such that, when the controller module drives the antenna, the emitted electromagnetic energy matches the receiving characteristics of the implantable device and is sufficient for the implantable device to produce one or more electrical pulses with an amplitude sufficient to stimulate the patient's neural tissue using only the electromagnetic energy received from the antenna.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein radiating electromagnetic energy further comprises radiating electromagnetic energy while the patient is asleep such that the one or more electrical stimulation pulses that are produced are applied to stimulate neural tissue of the patient during sleep of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: the position of the antenna assembly is adjusted such that the radiating surface of the antenna assembly is no more than six feet from the implantable device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: the position of the antenna assembly is adjusted such that the radiating surface of the antenna assembly is no less than one foot from the implantable device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: the orientation of the antenna assembly is adjusted such that the radiated electromagnetic energy received at the implantable device is increased.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a link between the programming module and the controller module; and

data encoding parameters of the one or more stimulation pulses to be manufactured at the implantable device and subsequently applied to stimulate neural tissue of the patient is transmitted from the programming module to the controller module.

Technical Field

The present application relates generally to RF stimulation systems that include an antenna assembly that remotely provides power and stimulation parameters to an implantable device.

Background

Antennas have been designed and used with implanted devices to assist in the treatment of a variety of medical conditions. Typically, these antennas are placed close to the patient's body. In some cases, the conductive elements of the antennas excessively absorb electromagnetic energy, which can cause adverse events such as tissue burning, undesirable blood clots, and skin irritation due to the direct adhesion of the antennas to the skin tissue when these antennas are placed close to the patient's body.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect, some embodiments provide an antenna assembly comprising: an antenna, the antenna comprising: a metal signal layer having a radiating surface, and a feed-in port; and a waveguide surrounding the antenna and configured for guiding electromagnetic energy emitted from the radiating surface in a direction away from the antenna; and a controller module connected to the feed port and configured to drive an antenna to emit electromagnetic energy from a radiating surface; wherein the antenna, waveguide, and controller module are configured such that, when the controller module drives the antenna, the emitted electromagnetic energy matches a receiving characteristic of the implantable device and, when the implantable device is positioned at least 10 centimeters from the antenna, is sufficient for the implantable device to produce one or more electrical pulses with an amplitude sufficient to stimulate neural tissue of the patient using only the electromagnetic energy received from the antenna.

Drawings

Fig. 1 depicts a high level schematic of an example of a wireless stimulation system.

Fig. 2 depicts a detailed view of an example of a wireless stimulation system.

Figures 3A-3C illustrate examples of the operation of the microwave stimulation system.

Fig. 4A-4B show examples of radiating spatial regions when the microwave stimulation system is in operation.

Fig. 5A-5B illustrate examples of antenna assemblies for wireless stimulation systems.

Fig. 6A-6C are schematic diagrams of antenna assemblies with waveguides.

Fig. 7 shows an example of return loss characteristics of the antenna assembly of fig. 6A-6C.

Fig. 8 shows an example of simulated return loss characteristics of an antenna assembly resonating at about 915 MHz.

Fig. 9A-9B show examples of simulated electromagnetic radiation patterns from the antenna assembly of fig. 8.

Fig. 10 shows an example of an antenna assembly including a bowtie radiating surface, a waveguide, and a dielectric lens.

11A-11B illustrate simulated return loss and transmission characteristics of the antenna assembly of FIG. 10.

Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of a simulated electromagnetic radiation pattern from the antenna assembly of fig. 10.

FIGS. 13A-13B show X-Z and Y-Z plan views of the simulated electromagnetic radiation pattern of FIG. 12.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The antenna assembly may further include a dielectric lens filling the waveguide and projecting outwardly from the opening of the waveguide to form a protrusion shaped to spatially narrow the emitted electromagnetic energy in a direction away from the emitting surface. The protrusion may be made in a conical tapered shape. The projections may be tapered conically with a gaussian or sinusoidal profile.

The antenna assembly may have a return loss cutoff frequency associated with the waveguide and the dielectric lens may be further configured to reduce the return loss cutoff frequency. The antenna may be operable in a frequency band from about 500MHz to about 4 GHz. The radiating surface may be butterfly shaped and have two leaf structures connected to each other at the feed port by two substantially parallel rod structures. The emitted electromagnetic energy may be polarized along the long axis of the rod structure. The radiation surface may be adjustable from a first spatial orientation to a second spatial orientation to increase polarized electromagnetic energy received at the implantable device.

The waveguide may be a rectangular waveguide having four walls surrounding the bowtie-shaped radiating surface. The rectangular waveguide may have an internal length of about 15cm, an internal width of about 7.6cm, and a height of about 5 cm. The rectangular waveguide may have an internal length of at least 10cm, and the rectangular waveguide may have an internal length, width, and height ratio of about 15:7.6: 5.

In another aspect, some embodiments may include a method of wirelessly supplying energy to an implantable device, the method comprising: radiating electromagnetic energy from a radiating surface on the antenna assembly, the radiated electromagnetic energy reaching an implantable device disposed at least 10 centimeters away and implanted in the patient such that the implantable device can create and apply one or more electrical stimulation pulses to the patient's neural tissue suitable for stimulating the patient's neural tissue by solely utilizing the radiated electromagnetic energy.