Controlling charge flow in the electrical stimulation of tissue

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11179568-B2
Application number	US-201816056165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2018
Priority date	May 26, 2005
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

Systems of techniques for controlling charge flow during the electrical stimulation of tissue. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a charge setting describing an amount of charge that is to flow during a stimulation pulse that electrically stimulates a tissue, and generating and delivering the stimulation pulse in a manner such that an amount of charge delivered to the tissue during the stimulation pulse accords with the charge setting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An implantable medical device, comprising:
a plurality of electrodes;
control circuitry configured to:
receive a charge setting value that is expressed in Coulombs; and
convert the charge setting value into one or more stimulation parameters; and

a waveform generator configured to generate a stimulation waveform from the one or more stimulation parameters at one or more of the plurality of the electrodes to provide the stimulation waveform to a patient.

2. The implantable medical device of claim 1 , further comprising a receiver configured to receive the charge setting value from an external controller and to provide the charge setting value to the control circuitry.

3. The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry configured to convert the charge setting value into one or more stimulation parameters comprises control circuitry configured to determine a pulse duration based on the charge setting value and a stimulation current amplitude.

4. The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry configured to convert the charge setting value into one or more stimulation parameters comprises control circuitry configured to determine a pulse duration based on the charge setting value, a stimulation voltage amplitude, and an impedance value.

5. The implantable medical device of claim 4 , wherein the impedance value is a measured impedance between the one or more of the electrodes.

6. The implantable medical device of claim 4 , wherein the impedance value is an estimated value.

7. The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry configured to convert the charge setting value into one or more stimulation parameters comprises control circuitry configured to retrieve the one or more stimulation parameters from a data compilation using the charge setting value.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more stimulation parameters comprise a primary pulse amplitude and a primary pulse duration.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 8 , wherein the stimulation waveform is a balanced-charge stimulation waveform and wherein the one or more stimulation parameters further comprise a secondary pulse amplitude and a secondary pulse duration for a recovery pulse.

10. A method for operating an implantable medical device comprising a plurality of electrodes, the method comprising:
receiving a charge setting value that is expressed in Coulombs;
converting the charge setting value into one or more stimulation parameters; and
programming a waveform generator in the implantable medical device to generate a stimulation waveform using the one or more stimulation parameters at one or more of the plurality of the electrodes to provide the stimulation waveform to a patient.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the charge setting value is received at an external controller.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the external controller transmits the charge setting value to the implantable medical device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the implantable medical device converts the charge setting value into the one or more stimulation parameters.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more stimulation parameters are retrieved in the implantable medical device from a data compilation using the charge setting value.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the external controller converts the charge setting value into the one or more stimulation parameters.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the external controller transmits the one or more stimulation parameters to the implantable medical device.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more stimulation parameters comprise a pulse duration and a stimulation current amplitude based on the charge setting value.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more stimulation parameters comprise a pulse duration based on the charge setting value, a stimulation voltage amplitude, and an impedance value.

Assignees

• Boston Scient Neuromodulation Corp
• Boston Scient Neuromodufation Corporation

Inventors

• Carbunaru Rafael
• Mcclure Kelly H
• Parramon Jordi

Classifications

• A61N1/36107

  Sexual dysfunction (stimulating genital organs A61N1/36007) · CPC title

• A61N1/36103

  Neuro-rehabilitation; Repair or reorganisation of neural tissue, e.g. after stroke · CPC title

• A61N1/37264

  Changing the program; Upgrading firmware · CPC title

• A61N1/37247

  User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means · CPC title

• A61N1/36146 Primary

  specified by the stimulation parameters · CPC title