Transcutaneous energy and information transmission apparatus

Claim 1

An apparatus for transcutaneously providing a first power signal to and communication of a first and a second information signal with an implantable device, said apparatus comprising: a. an external unit including first power means for generating said first power signal, first signalling means for generating said first information signal, first receiving means for receiving said second information signal, and first coupling means connected to said first power means and said signalling means and said first receiving means, said first coupling means for independently coupling said first power signal and said first information signal; and b. an internal unit including second power means for receiving said first power signal, second signalling means for generating said second information signal, second receiving means for receiving said first information signal, and second coupling means connected to said second power means and said second signalling means and said second receiving means for independently coupling said first power signal and said second information signal.

Claim 2

An apparatus for transcutaneously providing a first power signal to and communication of a first and a second information signal with an implantable device, said apparatus comprising: a. an external unit including first power means for generating said first power signal, first signalling means for generating said first information signal, first receiving means for receiving said second information signal, and first coupling means connected to said first power means and said signalling means and said first receiving means, said first coupling means for independently coupling said first power signal and said first information signal; and b. an internal unit including second power means for receiving said first power signal, second signalling means for generating said second information signal, second receiving means for receiving said first information signal, and second coupling means connected to said second power means and said second signalling means and said second receiving means for independently coupling said first power signal and said second information signal.

Claim 28

An apparatus for transcutaneously providing a power signal to and communication of a first and a second information signals with an implantable device, said apparatus comprising: a. an external unit having i. a power converter for converting a power input signal at a first preselected frequency to a power signal at a power frequency; ii. an external coupler connected to said power converter and coupled to a common transmission channel for transmitting said power signal and for communicating said first and second information signals, said transmitting being independent of said communicating; iii. an external signal conditioner interposed between said external coupler and said power converter for symmetrically transceiving said first and second information signals; and iv. an external data controller connected to said external signal conditioner for symmetrically controlling said first and second information signals; and b. an internal unit having i. an internal coupler coupled to said common transmission channel for receiving said power signal and for communicating said first and second information signals, said receiving being independent of said communicating; ii. a voltage regulator connected between said internal coupler and said implantable device, said voltage regulator for converting said power signal into said second power signal and providing said second power signal to said implantable device; iii. an internal signal conditioner interposed between said internal coupler and said voltage regulator for symmetrically transceiving said first and second information signals; and iv. an internal data controller connected between said internal signal conditioner and said implantable device, said controller for symmetrically controlling said first and second information signals.

Claim 29

An apparatus for transcutaneously providing a power signal to and communication of a first and a second information signals with an implantable device, said apparatus comprising: a. an external unit having i. a power converter for converting a power input signal at a first preselected frequency to a power signal at a power frequency; ii. an external coupler connected to said power converter and coupled to a common transmission channel for transmitting said power signal and for communicating said first and second information signals, said transmitting being independent of said communicating; iii. an external signal conditioner interposed between said external coupler and said power converter for symmetrically transceiving said first and second information signals; and iv. an external data controller connected to said external signal conditioner for symmetrically controlling said first and second information signals; and b. an internal unit having i. an internal coupler coupled to said common transmission channel for receiving said power signal and for communicating said first and second information signals, said receiving being independent of said communicating; ii. a voltage regulator connected between said internal coupler and said implantable device, said voltage regulator for converting said power signal into said second power signal and providing said second power signal to said implantable device; iii. an internal signal conditioner interposed between said internal coupler and said voltage regulator for symmetrically transceiving said first and second information signals; and iv. an internal data controller connected between said internal signal conditioner and said implantable device, said controller for symmetrically controlling said first and second information signals.

Claim 38

An apparatus for transcutaneously providing a power signal to and communication of a first and second information signals between an external control unit and an implantable device, said apparatus comprising: a. an external unit having i. a power converter for receiving a power input signal and converting said power input signal at said first preselected frequency to said power signal at a power frequency; ii. an external coupler connected to said power converter and coupled to a common transmission channel, said external coupler for transmitting said signal and for communicating said first and second information signals, said transmitting being independent of said communicating; iii. an external signal conditioner interposed between said external coupler and said power converter for symmetrically transceiving said first and second information signals through said common transmission channel; and iv. an external data controller connected to said external signal conditioner for symmetrically controlling said first and second information signals, said external data controller having external link communicating said first and second information signals with said external control unit across said external link, said symmetrically controlling including modulation and demodulation of said first and second information signals according to a preselected modulation technique; b. an internal unit having i. an internal coupler coupled to said common transmission channel for receiving said power signal, said internal coupler for receiving said power signal and for communicating said first and second information signals, said receiving being independent of said communicating; ii. a voltage regulator connected between said internal coupler and said implantable device, said voltage regulator for converting said power signal into said second power signal, said second power signal having a preselected current with a preselected voltage at a preselected frequency, said voltage regulator providing said second power signal to said implantable device; iii. an internal signal conditioner interposed between said internal coupler and said voltage regulator for symmetrically transceiving said first and second information signals through said common transmission channel; and iv. an internal data controller connected between said internal signal conditioner and said implantable device for symmetrically controlling said first and second information signals, said symmetrically controlling including modulation and demodulation of said first and second information signals according to said preselected modulation technique, said implantable device being in communication with said external control unit thereby; and c. said external coupler including a primary tuned circuit, said internal coupler including a secondary tuned circuit, said primary and secondary tuned circuits having a resonant frequency, said first signal conditioner including a first frequency-selective filter, said second signal conditioner including a second frequency-selective filter, each of said first and second frequency-selective filters having a cutoff frequencies and a center frequency, said preselected modulation technique including amplitude-shift-keying modulation of a data signal upon a radio-frequency carrier signal of a preselected carrier frequency, said center frequency being approximately equal to said preselected carrier frequency.

Claim 39

An apparatus for transcutaneously providing a power signal to and communication of a first and second information signals between an external control unit and an implantable device, said apparatus comprising: a. an external unit having i. a power converter for receiving a power input signal and converting said power input signal at said first preselected frequency to said power signal at a power frequency; ii. an external coupler connected to said power converter and coupled to a common transmission channel, said external coupler for transmitting said signal and for communicating said first and second information signals, said transmitting being independent of said communicating; iii. an external signal conditioner interposed between said external coupler and said power converter for symmetrically transceiving said first and second information signals through said common transmission channel; and iv. an external data controller connected to said external signal conditioner for symmetrically controlling said first and second information signals, said external data controller having external link communicating said first and second information signals with said external control unit across said external link, said symmetrically controlling including modulation and demodulation of said first and second information signals according to a preselected modulation technique; b. an internal unit having i. an internal coupler coupled to said common transmission channel for receiving said power signal, said internal coupler for receiving said power signal and for communicating said first and second information signals, said receiving being independent of said communicating; ii. a voltage regulator connected between said internal coupler and said implantable device, said voltage regulator for converting said power signal into said second power signal, said second power signal having a preselected current with a preselected voltage at a preselected frequency, said voltage regulator providing said second power signal to said implantable device; iii. an internal signal conditioner interposed between said internal coupler and said voltage regulator for symmetrically transceiving said first and second information signals through said common transmission channel; and iv. an internal data controller connected between said internal signal conditioner and said implantable device for symmetrically controlling said first and second information signals, said symmetrically controlling including modulation and demodulation of said first and second information signals according to said preselected modulation technique, said implantable device being in communication with said external control unit thereby; and c. said external coupler including a primary tuned circuit, said internal coupler including a secondary tuned circuit, said primary and secondary tuned circuits having a resonant frequency, said first signal conditioner including a first frequency-selective filter, said second signal conditioner including a second frequency-selective filter, each of said first and second frequency-selective filters having a cutoff frequencies and a center frequency, said preselected modulation technique including amplitude-shift-keying modulation of a data signal upon a radio-frequency carrier signal of a preselected carrier frequency, said center frequency being approximately equal to said preselected carrier frequency.