Implantable sensor electrodes and electronic circuitry

Abstract

An electronic circuit for sensing an output of a sensor having at least one electrode pair and circuitry for obtaining and processing the sensor output. The electrode pair may be laid out such that one electrode is wrapped around the other electrode in a U-shaped fashion. The electronic circuitry may include, among other things, a line interface for interfacing with input/output lines, a rectifier in parallel with the line interface, a counter connected to the line interface and a data converter connected to the counter and the electrode pair. The data converter may be a current-to-frequency converter. In addition, the rectifier may derive power for the electronic circuit from communication pulses received on the input/output lines.

1 .- 22 . (canceled) 
   
   
       23 . A sensor system comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters and to provide one or more signals corresponding to the one or more parameters; and   electronic circuitry configured to be coupled to a device and configured to:
 receive the one or more signals from the one or more sensors; and 
 receive one or more information signals from the device; 
   wherein the electronic circuitry is configured for implantation in a living body, and   wherein, upon the implantation of the electronic circuitry in the living body, the electronic circuitry is located external of the device.   
   
   
       24 . The sensor system of  claim 23 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to generate information responsive to the received information signals. 
   
   
       25 . The sensor system of  claim 24 , wherein the generated information includes at least one of a counter value, a trim setting value, a mode status, a channel setting, and an electronic circuitry identifier. 
   
   
       26 . The sensor system of  claim 24 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to provide to the device one or more response signals corresponding to the generated information. 
   
   
       27 . The sensor system of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more response signals comprise a plurality of unipolar pulses. 
   
   
       28 . The sensor system of  claim 23 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a line interface configured to receive the one or more information signals from the device. 
   
   
       29 . The sensor system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more information signals comprise a plurality of bipolar pulses. 
   
   
       30 . The sensor system of  claim 29 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to decode a first pair of adjacent ones of the bipolar pulses as a first binary information unit. 
   
   
       31 . The sensor system of  claim 30 ,
 wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to decode a second pair of adjacent ones of the bipolar pulses as a second binary information unit,   wherein the receipt of the first pair and the receipt of the second pair are separated by a time delay, and   wherein one or more other pulses of the bipolar pulses are received by the electronic circuitry over the time delay.   
   
   
       32 . The sensor system of  claim 31 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to ignore the one or more other pulses received over the time delay. 
   
   
       33 . The sensor system of  claim 32 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to generate information responsive to the receipt of the first pair and the receipt of the second pair but not the receipt of the one or more other pulses received over the time delay. 
   
   
       34 . The sensor system of  claim 23 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises variable bias circuitry configured to provide a suitable amount of bias current responsive to the receipt of the one or more information signals. 
   
   
       35 . The sensor system of  claim 23 , further comprising the device, wherein the device is configured for implantation in a living body. 
   
   
       36 . A sensor system comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters and to provide one or more signals corresponding to the parameters; and   electronic circuitry configured to be coupled to a source and configured to receive electrical power from the source to:
 receive the one or more signals from the one or more sensors; and 
 process the received one or more signals; 
   wherein the electronic circuitry is configured for implantation in a living body, and   wherein, upon the implantation of the electronic circuitry in the living body, the electronic circuitry is located external of the source.   
   
   
       37 . The sensor system of  claim 36 ,
 wherein the electrical power is provided from the source to the electronic circuitry via one or more second signals.   
   
   
       38 . The sensor system of  claim 37 ,
 wherein the one or more second signals comprise a plurality of pulses.   
   
   
       39 . The sensor system of  claim 37 ,
 wherein the electronic circuitry comprises:
 a storage device; and 
 a rectifier coupled with the storage device and coupled with a plurality of input/output lines to receive the one or more second signals, 
   wherein the rectifier is configured to store electrical power of the received one or more second signals at the storage device.   
   
   
       40 . The sensor system of  claim 39 , wherein the storage device comprises a capacitor. 
   
   
       41 . The sensor system of  claim 39 , further comprising a casing configured to encase the electronic circuitry. 
   
   
       42 . The sensor system of  claim 41 , wherein the casing is hermetically sealed.