Neuromodulation using stochastically-modulated stimulation parameters

• US 10,258,797 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2018
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhu, Changfang
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahmood, Nadia A
• Application Number:
  US16/156,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20190038901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 188 Days
• Field of Search: 607 2, 607 45, 607 46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36189 using modulation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

An example of a system may include an electrode arrangement and a neuromodulation device configured to use electrodes in the electrode arrangement to generate a neuromodulation field. The neuromodulation device may include a neuromodulation generator, a neuromodulation control circuit and a storage. The storage may include a stochastically-modulated neuromodulation parameter set and the stochastically-modulated neuromodulation parameter set may include at least one stochastically-modulated parameter. The controller may be configured to control the neuromodulation generator using the stochastically-modulation parameter set to generate the neuromodulation field.

Claims

1. A system for use with an electrode arrangement, comprising:

a neuromodulator configured to deliver neuromodulation energy through at least two timing channels to corresponding electrode sets in the electrode arrangement such that the neuromodulator is configured to deliver a first neuromodulation signal through a first one of the at least two timing channels to a first electrode set in the electrode arrangement and is further configured to deliver a second neuromodulation signal through a second one of the at least two timing channels to a second electrode set in the electrode arrangement,

wherein the first neuromodulation signal is defined by a first set of modulation parameters including at least one stochastically-modulated parameter, and

wherein the second neuromodulation signal is defined by a second set of modulation parameters which does not include a stochastically-modulated parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one stochastically-modulated parameter includes a sequence of parameter values determined using to a sequence of random or pseudo-random values from a modulation model.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a timer configured to control when the neuromodulator advances to a subsequent value in the sequence of parameter values.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the modulation model includes a probability distribution model, or a stochastic process model or a real-time/semi-real-time computational model.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one stochastically-modulated parameter includes a temporal modulation parameter to control signal timing.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one stochastically-modulated parameter includes a spatial modulation parameter to control a location or shape of a neuromodulation field.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second neuromodulation signals includes fractionalized current.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first neuromodulation signal is used to provide stochastic resonance and the second neuromodulation signal is used to provide therapy.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the therapy includes deep brain stimulation.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the therapy includes spinal cord stimulation.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one stochastically-modulated parameter includes at least one of amplitude, pulse width, pulse frequency, on/off timing.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one stochastically-modulated parameter includes electrode configuration.

13. A method performed using a neuromodulator configured to deliver neuromodulation energy through at least two timing channels to corresponding electrode sets in the electrode arrangement, the method comprising:

delivering a first neuromodulation signal through a first one of the at least two timing channels to a first electrode set in the electrode arrangement;

delivering a second neuromodulation signal through a second one of the at least two timing channels to a second electrode set in the electrode arrangement;

wherein the first neuromodulation signal is defined by a first set of modulation parameters including at least one stochastically-modulated parameter, and

wherein the second neuromodulation signal is defined by a second set of modulation parameters which does not include a stochastically-modulated parameter.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one stochastically-modulated parameter includes a sequence of parameter values determined using to a sequence of random or pseudo-random values from a modulation model.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one stochastically-modulated parameter includes at least one of a temporal modulation parameter to control signal timing, or a spatial modulation parameter to control a location or shape of a neuromodulation field.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing stochastic resonance using the first neuromodulation signal and providing therapy using the second neuromodulation signal.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

deliver a first neuromodulation signal through a first one of the at least two timing channels to a first electrode set in the electrode arrangement;

deliver a second neuromodulation signal through a second one of the at least two timing channels to a second electrode set in the electrode arrangement;

wherein the first neuromodulation signal is defined by a first set of modulation parameters including at least one stochastically-modulated, and

wherein the second neuromodulation signal is defined by a second set of modulation parameters which does not include a stochastically-modulated parameter.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one stochastically-modulated parameter includes a sequence of parameter values determined using to a sequence of random or pseudo-random values from a modulation model.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one stochastically-modulated parameter includes at least one of a temporal modulation parameter to control signal timing, or a spatial modulation parameter to control a location or shape of a neuromodulation field.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising providing stochastic resonance using the first neuromodulation signal and providing therapy using the second neuromodulation signal.