Systems and methods for reducing power consumption in an implantable medical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017246451-A1
Application number	US-201715594841-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 15, 2017
Priority date	Jul 2, 2013
Publication date	Aug 31, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A medical device includes telemetry circuitry configured to receive programming instructions. The medical device also includes stimulation circuitry configured to generate a plurality of electrical pulses in response to the programming instructions to provide an electrical stimulation therapy for a patient. The stimulation circuitry includes a voltage converter, a multiplexor, and a stimulation driver. At least one of the voltage converter, the multiplexer, or the stimulation driver is selectively enabled and disabled during or between the electrical pulses to reduce power consumption of the medical device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A medical device, comprising:
telemetry circuitry configured to receive programming instructions; and stimulation circuitry configured to generate a plurality of electrical pulses in response to the programming instructions to provide an electrical stimulation therapy for a patient; wherein: the stimulation circuitry includes a voltage converter, a multiplexor, and a stimulation driver; and at least one of the voltage converter, the multiplexer, or the stimulation driver is selectively enabled and disabled during or between the electrical pulses to reduce power consumption of the medical device.

2 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein:
each electrical pulse includes a primary phase, an interphase after the primary phase, and a recovery phase after the primary phase; and a standby period exists between any two consecutive electrical pulses.

3 . The medical device of claim 2 , wherein the multiplexer is disabled during the interphase.

4 . The medical device of claim 3 , wherein the multiplexer is disabled during the standby period.

5 . The medical device of claim 2 , wherein:
the recovery phase is a passive recovery phase; the voltage converter and the stimulation driver are disabled during the passive recovery phase; and the voltage converter and the stimulation driver are disabled at least partially during the interphase and the standby period.

6 . The medical device of claim 5 , wherein:
the stimulation circuitry further includes a microcontroller configured to generate control signals to selectively enable and disable the voltage converter, the multiplexer, or the stimulation driver; the microcontroller is enabled during the primary phase; and the microcontroller is disabled during the passive recovery phase and at least partially during the interphase and the standby period.

7 . The medical device of claim 2 , wherein:
the recovery phase is an active recovery phase; the voltage converter and the stimulation driver are enabled during the primary phase, the interphase, and the active recovery phase; and the voltage converter and the stimulation driver are disabled at least partially during the standby period.

8 . The medical device of claim 7 , wherein:
the stimulation circuitry further includes a microcontroller configured to generate control signals to selectively enable and disable the voltage converter, the multiplexer, or the stimulation driver; the microcontroller is enabled during the primary phase, the interphase, and the active recovery phase; and the microcontroller is disabled at least partially during the standby period.

9 . A medical system, comprising:
an electronic programmer configured to generate stimulation programming instructions; an implantable pulse generator (IPG) configured to receive the stimulation programming instructions to generate electrical pulses as a part of a stimulation therapy for a patient; and a lead configured to deliver the electrical pulses to the patient; wherein: the IPG includes a voltage converter, a multiplexor, a stimulation driver, and a microcontroller; and the microcontroller is configured to automatically generate control signals to selectively enable and disable the voltage converter, the multiplexer, or the stimulation driver during the stimulation therapy to reduce power consumption of the IPG.

10 . The medical system of claim 9 , wherein:
each electrical pulse includes a primary phase, an interphase after the primary phase, and a recovery phase after the primary phase; and a standby period exists between any two consecutive electrical pulses.

11 . The medical system of claim 10 , wherein:
the recovery phase is a passive recovery phase; the voltage converter and the stimulation driver are disabled during the passive recovery phase; the voltage converter and the stimulation driver are disabled at least partially during the interphase and the standby period; and the multiplexer is disabled during the standby period and during the interphase.

12 . The medical system of claim 10 , wherein:
the recovery phase is an active recovery phase; the voltage converter and the stimulation driver are enabled during the primary phase, the interphase, and the active recovery phase; the voltage converter and the stimulation driver are disabled at least partially during the standby period; and the multiplexer is disabled during the standby period and during the interphase.

13 . A method, comprising:
receiving programming instructions via telemetry circuitry of a pulse generator; and generating, via stimulation circuitry of the pulse generator that includes a voltage converter, a multiplexor, and a stimulation driver, a plurality of electrical pulses in response to the programming instructions to provide an electrical stimulation therapy for a patient, wherein the generating comprises automatically enabling and disabling the voltage converter, the multiplexor, or the stimulation driver during or between e electrical pulses to reduce power consumption of the pulse generator.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
each electrical pulse includes a primary phase, an interphase after the primary phase, and a recovery phase after the primary phase; and a standby period exists between any two consecutive electrical pulses.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the automatically enabling and disabling comprises automatically disabling the multiplexer during the interphase.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the automatically enabling and disabling further comprises automatically disabling the multiplexer during the standby period.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the recovery phase is a passive recovery phase; the automatically enabling and disabling comprises automatically disabling the voltage converter and the stimulation driver during the passive recovery phase; and the automatically enabling and disabling comprises automatically disabling the voltage converter and the stimulation at least partially during the interphase and the standby period.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the stimulation circuitry further includes a microcontroller configured to generate control signals to selectively enable and disable the voltage converter, the multiplexer, or the stimulation driver; the automatically enabling and disabling comprises automatically enabling the microcontroller during the primary phase; and the automatically enabling and disabling comprises automatically disabling the microcontroller during the passive recovery phase and at least partially during the interphase and the standby period.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the recovery phase is an active recovery phase; the automatically enabling and disabling comprises automatically enabling the voltage converter and the stimulation driver during the primary phase, the interphase, and the active recovery phase; and the automatically enabling and disabling comprises automatically disabling the voltage converter and the stimulation driver at least partially during the standby period.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:
the stimulation circuitry further includes a microcontroller configured to generate control signals to selectively enable and disable the voltage converter, the multiplexer, or the stimulation driver; the automatically enabling and disabling comprises automatically enabling the microcontroller during the primary phase, the interphase, and the active r

Assignees

• Greatbatch Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Joey
• Bradley Kerry
• Halberg Leslie

Classifications

• A61N1/0551 Primary

  Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes · CPC title

• A61N1/36146

  specified by the stimulation parameters · CPC title

• A61N1/36139

  with automatic adjustment · CPC title

• A61N1/3787

  from an external energy source · CPC title

• A61N1/36125

  Details of circuitry or electric components · CPC title