Charge pump system, devices and methods for an implantable stimulator

• US 10,384,054 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2017
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chen, Joey
• Primary Examiner(s): Alter, Alyssa M
• Application Number:
  US15/583,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20170232260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36153 Voltage A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A medical device for providing an electrical stimulation therapy for a patient includes a microcontroller configured to generate a plurality of electrical pulses and a control signal. The medical device includes a stimulation driver coupled to the microcontroller. The stimulation driver is configured to amplify the electrical pulses into amplified electrical pulses to be delivered to the patient as a part of the electrical stimulation therapy. The medical device includes a battery configured to supply a first voltage. The medical device includes a voltage up-converter coupled between the battery and the stimulation driver. The voltage up-converter is configured to convert, in response to the control signal from the microcontroller, the first voltage to a compliance voltage for the stimulation driver. The compliance voltage is a fraction of the first voltage, and the fraction is greater than 1.

Claims

1. A medical device for providing electrical stimulation pulses as a part of a stimulation therapy, the medical device comprising:

a microcontroller configured to generate a control signal;

a battery configured to supply a first voltage; and

a voltage converter configured to receive the first voltage and convert, in response to the control signal from the microcontroller, the first voltage to a second voltage;

wherein;

the voltage converter is enabled for a first amount of time before an electrical stimulation pulse and then is repeatedly enabled and disabled during the electrical stimulation pulse in response to the control signal;

when the voltage converter is enabled during the electrical stimulation pulse, it is for a second amount of time that is less than the first amount of time; and

the second voltage is a function of the first voltage based on the repeated enabling and disabling of the voltage converter.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to change the control signal in a pulse-to-pulse manner such that a relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage changes from a previous electrical stimulation pulse to a next electrical stimulation pulse.

3. The medical device of claim 2, wherein for the electrical stimulation pulse, the microcontroller is configured to generate the control signal based on an amplitude of said electrical stimulation pulse.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage but is not an integer multiple of the first voltage.

5. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a stimulation driver configured to amplify the electrical stimulation pulse, wherein the second voltage serves as a rail voltage for the stimulation driver.

6. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a capacitor that charges while the voltage converter is enabled and discharges while the voltage converter is disabled.

7. The medical device of claim 6, wherein the capacitor is coupled between the battery and an electrical ground.

8. A medical system, the medical system comprising:

an electronic programmer configured to generate stimulation programming instructions for a pulse generator; and

the pulse generator configured to generate an electrical stimulation pulse in response to the stimulation programming instructions, wherein the pulse generator includes;

a microcontroller configured to generate a control signal;

a battery configured to supply a first voltage; and

a voltage converter configured to receive the first voltage and convert, in response to the control signal from the microcontroller, the first voltage to a second voltage;

wherein;

the voltage converter is enabled for a first amount of time before the electrical stimulation pulse and then is repeatedly enabled and disabled during the electrical stimulation pulse in response to the control signal;

when the voltage converter is enabled during the electrical stimulation pulse, it is for a second amount of time that is less than the first amount of time; and

the second voltage is a function of the first voltage based on the repeated enabling and disabling of the voltage converter.

9. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the microcontroller is configured to change the control signal in a pulse-to-pulse manner such that a relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage changes from a previous electrical stimulation pulse to a next electrical stimulation pulse.

10. The medical system of claim 9, wherein for the electrical stimulation pulse, the microcontroller is configured to generate the control signal based on an amplitude of said electrical stimulation pulse.

11. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage but is not an integer multiple of the first voltage.

12. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the pulse generator further comprises a stimulation driver configured to amplify the electrical stimulation pulse, and wherein the second voltage serves as a rail voltage for the stimulation driver.

13. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the pulse generator further comprises a capacitor that charges while the voltage converter is enabled and discharges while the voltage converter is disabled.

14. The medical system of claim 13, wherein the capacitor is coupled between the battery and an electrical ground.

15. A method of generating electrical stimulation pulses, the method comprising:

generating a control signal via a microcontroller;

supplying a first voltage via a battery;

generating an electrical stimulation pulse;

enabling, in response to the control signal, a voltage converter for a first amount of time before the electrical stimulation pulse is generated; and

repeatedly enabling and disabling, in response to the control signal, the voltage converter during the electrical stimulation pulse to convert the first voltage to a second voltage, wherein the second voltage is a function of the first voltage based on the repeated enabling and disabling of the voltage converter, and wherein the voltage converter is enabled for a second amount of time each time it is enabled during the stimulation pulse, the second amount of time being shorter than the first amount of time.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

changing the control signal pulse-to-pulse such that a relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage changes from a previous electrical stimulation pulse to a next electrical stimulation pulse.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein for the electrical stimulation pulse, the microcontroller is configured to generate the control signal based on an amplitude of said electrical stimulation pulse.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage but is not an integer multiple of the first voltage.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the generating of the electrical stimulation pulse is performed at least in part via a stimulation drive, and wherein the method further comprises supplying the second voltage serves as a rail voltage to the stimulation driver.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

charging a capacitor while the voltage converter is enabled and discharging the capacitor while the voltage converter is disabled, the capacitor being coupled between the battery and an electrical ground.