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A system and method are provided for both recharging and communicating with a stimulator having a rechargeable battery, which stimulator is implanted deeply in the body, in particular where the stimulator is a microstimulator, the system includes a base station and an external device, for instance a

A system and method are provided for both recharging and communicating with a stimulator having a rechargeable battery, which stimulator is implanted deeply in the body, in particular where the stimulator is a microstimulator, the system includes a base station and an external device, for instance a chair pad. The chair pad may contain an antenna/charging coil and a booster coil. The antenna/charging coil can be used for charging the rechargeable battery and also for communicating with the stimulator using frequency shift keying and on-off keying. The booster coil can be used to recharge a battery depleted to zero volts. The base station connected to the chair pad may be used to power the antenna/charging coil and the booster coil.

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1. A method for recharging and communicating with an implantable medical device having a rechargeable battery, wherein the implantable medical device is initially in a depletion mode in which the rechargeable battery cannot be recharged, comprising: temporarily driving a booster coil to produce a fi

1. A method for recharging and communicating with an implantable medical device having a rechargeable battery, wherein the implantable medical device is initially in a depletion mode in which the rechargeable battery cannot be recharged, comprising: temporarily driving a booster coil to produce a first magnetic field;receiving the first magnetic field at the implantable medical device, wherein the first magnetic field sets the implantable medical device from the depletion mode to a charging mode; andthereafter driving a charging coil to produce a second magnetic field that inductively charges the rechargeable battery in accordance with the regular charging mode. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the charging coil to also communicate with the implantable medical device. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the charging coil communicates with the implantable medical device using FSK telemetry. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the charging coil communicates with the implantable medical device using on-off keying (OOK). 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring a current to determine power consumption in the charging coil. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging coil and to the booster coil are coupled to a printed circuit board. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising sensing temperature via circuitry on the printed circuit board for sensing temperature. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising automatically shutting off the charging coil when the sensed temperature exceeds a predetermined level. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically shutting off the charging coil when power consumption through the charging coil exceeds a predetermined level. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically shutting off the booster coil when power consumption through the booster coil exceeds a predetermined level. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the booster coil has a plurality of turns of wire in a plurality of layers wrapped around a coil spool. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging coil and the booster coil are contained in a housing. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a chair pad. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein a base station is coupled to the housing. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the housing is comprised of a compliant material. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein an exterior slipcover surrounds the housing. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein a coil assembly contains the booster coil and the charging coil. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the booster coil and charging coil are wound over a spool coil. 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device is initially in the depletion mode because the rechargeable battery is depleted to zero Volts.