Multi-element coupler for generation of electromagnetic energy

摘要

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. The propagating electromagnetic waves can be generated with sub-wavelength structures configured to manipulate evanescent fields outside of tissue to generate the propagating waves inside the tissue. Methods of use are also described.

主权项

1. A wireless power system, comprising:
an external module having one or more sub-wavelength structures configured to transmit a wireless power signal by manipulating evanescent fields outside of a patient's body to thereby control electromagnetic waves propagating inside the patient's body; and an implantable module configured to receive the wireless power signal from the external module, the implantable module including a stimulator configured to apply stimulation to a target location inside the patient's body; wherein the external module includes:
at least one voltage source configured to provide respective excitation signals to the one or more sub-wavelength structures; anda controller configured to adjust an amplitude and/or phase of at least one of the excitation signals to focus the transmitted wireless power signal toward the implantable module.