COIL ARRANGEMENT FOR A PROGRAMMING DEVICE AND PROGRAMMING DEVICE

Abstract

A coil arrangement for a programming device has a transmitting coil that is set up to emit a transmitted signal, and multiple receiving coils that are set up to receive a received signal. The transmitting coil and the receiving coils are arranged such that the magnetic fluxes generated in the receiving coils by a transmitted signal emitted from the transmitting coil essentially cancel out each other or the voltages induced in the receiving coils by a transmitted signal emitted from the transmitting coil essentially cancel out each other. In addition, a programming device has such a coil arrangement.

Claims

1. A coil configuration for a programming device, the coil configuration comprising: a transmitting coil configured to emit a transmitted signal; a plurality of receiving coils configured to receive a received signal; said transmitting coil and said receiving coils being disposed such that: magnetic fluxes generated in said receiving coils by a transmitted signal emitted from said transmitting coil essentially cancel out each other; or voltages induced in said receiving coils by the transmitted signal emitted from said transmitting coil essentially cancel out each other; and said receiving coils include a first receiving coil and a second receiving coil, wherein: said transmitting coil, said first receiving coil, and said second receiving coil lie in three planes that are different from one another; or said transmitting coil lies in a first plane, and said first receiving coil and said second receiving coil lie in a second common plane, the first plane being different from the second plane.

2. The coil configuration according to claim 1, wherein a distance between said transmitting coil and said first receiving coil is a same as a distance between said transmitting coil and said second receiving coil.

3. The coil configuration according to claim 1, wherein said first receiving coil and said second receiving coil are configured identically.

4. The coil configuration according to claim 1, wherein said first receiving coil and said second receiving coil are configured differently.

5. The coil configuration according to claim 1, wherein said first receiving coil and said second receiving coil are coaxially disposed.

6. The coil configuration according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting coil is disposed between said first receiving coil and said second receiving coil.

7. A programming device for an implant, the programming device comprising: a coil configuration, containing: a transmitting coil configured to emit a transmitted signal; a plurality of receiving coils configured to receive a received signal; said transmitting coil and said receiving coils being arranged such that: magnetic fluxes generated in said receiving coils by a transmitted signal emitted from said transmitting coil essentially cancel out each other; or voltages induced in said receiving coils by the transmitted signal emitted from said transmitting coil essentially cancel out each other; and said receiving coils include a first receiving coil and a second receiving coil, wherein: said transmitting coil, said first receiving coil, and said second receiving coil lie in three planes that are different from one another; or said transmitting coil lies in a first plane, and said first receiving coil and said second receiving coil lie in a second common plane, the first plane being different from the second plane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0028] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of a programming head of a programming device according to the invention;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a side view of the programming head from FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a side view (upper picture of FIG. 3), and a top view (lower picture of FIG. 3) of a coil arrangement;

[0031] FIG. 4 is an illustration showing a field line pattern for the coil arrangement according to FIG. 3, when signals are received from an implant;

[0032] FIG. 5 is an illustration showing the field line pattern for the coil arrangement according to FIG. 3, when signals are transmitted to an implant;

[0033] FIG. 6 is a side view of another embodiment of a coil arrangement;

[0034] FIG. 7 is an illustration showing the field line pattern for the coil arrangement according to FIG. 6, when signals are transmitted to an implant;

[0035] FIG. 8 is a side view of yet another embodiment of a coil arrangement;

[0036] FIG. 9 is a side view of yet another embodiment of a coil arrangement;

[0037] FIG. 10 is a side view (upper picture of FIG. 10) and a top view (lower picture of FIG. 10) of another embodiment of a coil arrangement; and

[0038] FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram with two receiving coils and one transmitting coil.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] In the following discussion, the same reference numbers are used for the same components.

[0040] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a programming head of a programming device of the invention with a coil arrangement. A bobbin (coil former) 1 has a transmitting coil 2, a first receiving coil 3a, and a second receiving coil 3b wound on it. Each of the coils 2, 3a, 3b forms a circle. The bobbin 1 has a magnet 4 (e.g., a permanent magnet) and a printed circuit board 5 arranged inside it. The printed circuit board 5 has electronic components (e.g., a processor and memory) for operating the programming device arranged on it.

[0041] The transmitting coil 2 is centrally arranged between the first receiving coil 3a and the second receiving coil 3b (FIG. 2). The distance between the transmitting coil 2 and the first receiving coil 3a is the same as the distance between the transmitting coil 2 and the second receiving coil 3b. For the transmitting coil 2, the number of turns is n=The first receiving coil 3a and the second receiving coil 3b have an identical structure. Both receiving coils 3a, 3b have the same diameter and the same number of turns (e.g., n=40).

[0042] The transmitting coil 2, the first receiving coil 3a, and the second receiving coil 3b are arranged such that when a signal is transmitted from the transmitting coil 2 to the two receiving coils 3a, 3b, two fields of equal magnitude and opposite direction are generated. Thus, the sum of the field in the first receiving coil 3a and the field in the second receiving coil 3b is almost zero. Deviations from the exact value of zero may result on the basis of manufacturing tolerances of the components.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment similar to that in FIG. 1. The transmitting coil 2 (e.g., with a number of turns n=14) is centrally arranged between two identical receiving coils 3a, 3b. Each receiving coil 3a, 3b can have a number of turns n=60, each comprising two layers of 30 turns. The magnet 4 is arranged in the middle of the coil former 1.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of exemplary field lines courses 8 for the case, in which an implant 6 (with an implant coil 7) transmits a signal to the programming device. This is the receiving case for the coil arrangement. The fluxes in the first receiving coil 3a are different from those in the second receiving coil 3b. Thus, the voltage induced in the two receiving coils 3a, 3b is also different. The difference of the voltages induced in the two receiving coils 3a, 3b is fed to a receiver (not shown). This is the so-called double coil principle.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the field lines 8 for the case in which the transmitting coil 2 of the programming device is used to transmit a signal to the implant 6 (transmission case). Due to the central position of the transmitting coil 2 between the two receiving coils 3a, 3b the flux and the voltage in these two receiving coils 3a, 3b are of the same magnitude and opposite direction. The differential voltage fed to the receiver is zero.

[0046] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment with asymmetric receiving coils. The first receiving coil 3a has a larger diameter than the second receiving coil 3b. The diameters and numbers of turns of the two receiving coils 3a, 3b are configured in such a way that in the case of transmission the flux in the two receiving coils 3a, 3b multiplied by the number of turns of the respective coils is of the same magnitude. This makes the voltage difference fed to the receiver equal to zero. Sample field lines 8 during transmission to an implant 6 are shown in FIG. 7.

[0047] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment in which all three coils (transmitting coil 2, first receiving coil 3a, and second receiving coil 3b) are arranged in a common plane. The first receiving coil 3a has a larger diameter than the second receiving coil 3b. The diameter of the transmitting coil 2 is greater than the diameter of the first receiving coil 3a. The second receiving coil 3b has a larger number of turns than the first receiving coil 3a, The diameters and numbers of turns of the two receiving coils 3a, 3b are configured such that in the case of transmission the flux in the two receiving coils 3a, 3b multiplied by the number of turns of the respective coils is of the same magnitude, or that the flux of a homogeneous far field in the two receiving coils 3a, 3b multiplied by the respective number of turns is of the same magnitude. In this arrangement, the design of the numbers of turns can achieve either an optimal far-field suppression or a minimal transmission field coupling, or a compromise.

[0048] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the two receiving coils 3a, 3b are arranged in a common first plane and the transmitting coil 2 is arranged in a second plane, the first plane being parallel to the second plane. The first receiving coil 3a has a larger diameter than the second receiving coil 3b.

[0049] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 through 9, the transmitting coil 2, the first receiving coil 3a, and the second receiving coil 3b are each circular and coaxially arranged.

[0050] FIG. 10 shows another embodiment. The transmitting coil 2, the first receiving coil 3a, and the second receiving coil 3b are arranged in a common plane. The two receiving coils 3a, 3b are circular, however they are not coaxially arranged. Both receiving coils 3a, 3b have the same diameter and are arranged adjacent to each other inside the transmitting coil 2.

[0051] In all disclosed embodiments, the first receiving coil 3a and the second receiving coil 3b are coupled together. FIG. 11 shows a schematically depicted wiring or circuitry of the transmitting coil 2, the first receiving coil 3a, and the second receiving coil 3b as it may be used in all disclosed embodiments.

[0052] With the embodiments disclosed here it is possible to achieve the following advantages:

a) compensation of the transmission fields at the receiver without additional compensating coils or circuits;
b) allowing or improving the full-duplex operation (simultaneous transmission and reception); and/or
c) receiving coils may have electrical loads placed on them without distorting or weakening the transmission field, and do not need to be released in the case of transmission.

[0053] The features disclosed in the description, the claims, and the figures may be relevant, both individually and in any combination with one another, for realization of the embodiments.

[0054] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: [0055] 1 Bobbin (coil former) [0056] 2 Transmitting coil [0057] 3a First receiving coil [0058] 3b Second receiving coil [0059] 4 Magnet [0060] 5 Printed circuit board [0061] 6 Implant [0062] 7 Implant coil [0063] 8 Field lines