Implantable medical device and charging system employing electric fields

摘要

An implantable medical device and external base station system are disclosed. The external base station can provide a passive electric field to power the implant, or to charge its battery. The base station may also power or charge using magnetic fields under certain circumstances. The Implantable medical device may comprise an implantable neurostimulator having a number of electrode leads extending from its body. One or more of the electrode leads can comprise the antenna for receiving the electric field from the base station, and resonance in that antenna can be rectified to provide the power for recharging the battery. Although the E-field provided by the base station does not provide as much power for recharging as does other traditional charging techniques (such as those using magnetic fields), it can occur passively and over longer distances to allow the patent's implant to be recharged when in relative proximity to the base station.