Neurostimulator output switching circuitry with self-test mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11969600-B2
Application number	US-202117355677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2021
Priority date	Jun 23, 2021
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

An implantable medical device (IMD) includes one or more stimulation engines (SEs) and selectively connectable output switching circuitry for driving a plurality of output nodes associated with a respective plurality of electrodes of the IMD's lead system when implanted in a patient. The output switching circuitry may be configured to facilitate self-test mode (STM) functionality in the IMD (e.g., when it is in a hermetically sealed package) by using a dual mode switch in series with a stimulation engine selection switch with respect to each output node in the output switching circuitry under mode selection control.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:
a power supply;
one or more processors;
communication circuitry operative to effectuate a machine-to-machine (M2M) communication link with an external device using a wireless communication protocol;
a voltage multiplier (VM) configured to generate an adjustable target voltage at a VM node based on a voltage supplied by the power supply;
at least one stimulation engine operative to energize at least a portion of a plurality of electrodes of a lead system when implanted proximate to a tissue of a patient; and
output switching circuitry operative to drive a plurality of output nodes, each output node connectable to a corresponding electrode of the plurality of electrodes when implanted, the output switching circuitry comprising, for each respective output node a switching portion including:
a dual mode (DM) switch for selectively coupling the respective output node to the VM node operative to power an anodic node of the at least one stimulation engine; and
one or more stimulation engine selection (SES) switches operative to be disposed in a series connection with the DM switch, wherein a select one of the one or more SES switches is configured for selectively coupling the respective output node to a cathodic node of the at least one stimulation engine, and wherein the DM switch and the select one of the one or more SES switches are activated to close so as to effectuate an internal circuit path in the output switching circuitry of the IMD in a self-test mode in response to one or more digital control signals generated under control of the one or more processors operating responsive to a mode selection control signal from the external device while the IMD is disposed in a sealed package condition.

2. The IMD as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a programmable measurement circuit having selectable inputs operative to effectuate one or more measurement loops involving at least a portion of the internal circuit path when the IMD is in the self-test mode, wherein the one or more measurement loops comprise, for each respective output node of the output switching circuitry, a measurement path across at least one of the DM switch in a closed state and the select one of the one or more SES switches in a closed state.

3. The IMD as recited in claim 2 , wherein the programmable measurement circuit is configured to measure, for each respective output node, at least one of an impedance of the DM switch in the closed state, an impedance of the select one of the one or more SES switches in the closed state, and programmability of a pulse current through the measurement path, the pulse current having configurable pulse settings and patterns selectable from a user interface of the external device.

4. The IMD as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a self-test mode check register configured to enable the self-test mode of the IMD responsive to the mode selection control signal from the external device.

5. The IMD as recited in claim 1 , wherein the self-test mode check register is configured to be actuated to selectively disable the self-test mode of the IMD when the IMD is implanted in the patient.

6. The IMD as recited in claim 5 , wherein, when the IMD is disposed in a stimulation mode after the IMD is implanted in the patient, a first DM switch associated with a first electrode is activated to be in a closed state and a first SES switch associated with the first electrode is activated to be in an open state when the first electrode is configured to be an anode, and further wherein a second DM switch associated with a second electrode is activated to be in an open state and a second SES switch associated with the second electrode is activated to be in a closed state when the second electrode is configured to be a cathode, thereby causing a particular one of the at least one stimulation engine to energize, responsive to enabling a pulse signal, the first and second electrodes to provide stimulation therapy to the patient.

7. The IMD as recited in claim 6 , wherein, when the IMD is disposed in a discharge mode after providing stimulation therapy to the patient, the discharge mode involving disabling of the pulse signal, the first DM switch associated with the first electrode is activated to be in an open state and the first SES switch associated with the first electrode is activated to be in a closed state to couple to a cathodic node of the particular one of the at least one stimulation engine while the second SES switch associated with the second electrode remains in the closed state, thereby continuing to maintain an electrical connection between the second electrode and the cathodic node of the particular one of the at least one stimulation engine.

8. The IMD as recited in claim 6 , wherein the at least one stimulation engine is operative to provide stimulation therapy including at least one of a spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy, a neuromuscular stimulation therapy, a dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation therapy, a deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy, a cochlear stimulation therapy, a cardiac pacemaker therapy, a cardioverter-defibrillator therapy, a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) therapy, an electrophysiology (EP) mapping and radio frequency (RF) ablation therapy, an electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) therapy, and a vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy.

9. The IMD as recited in claim 1 , wherein the communication circuitry comprises circuitry for effectuating the M2M communication link using a wireless communication protocol including at least one of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Bluetooth, Wireless USB, Zigbee, Near-Field Communications (NFC), an IEEE 802.11-compliant protocol, Infrared Wireless protocol, induction wireless protocol, Medical Implant Communication Service (MICS) protocol, Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (MTS) protocol, Medical Device Radiocommunications Service (MDRS) protocol, and Medical Data Service (MDS) protocol.

Assignees

• Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc

Inventors

• Deshazo Daran
• Rade Gavin

Classifications

• A61N1/37235 Primary

  Aspects of the external programmer · CPC title

• A61N1/37223

  Circuits for electromagnetic coupling · CPC title

• A61N1/378

  Electrical supply · CPC title

• A61B5/367

  Electrophysiological study [EPS], e.g. electrical activation mapping or electro-anatomical mapping · CPC title

• A61N1/36038

  Cochlear stimulation · CPC title