Magnitude programming for implantable electrical stimulator
First Claim
1. A method for operating an implantable neural stimulator, wherein the implantable neural stimulator includes a programmable pulse generator circuit housed within a sealed case, an electrode array connected to the neural stimulator, the electrode array having a plurality of electrode contacts, and wherein various combinations of the electrode contacts comprise sets of electrodes through which an electrical stimulus may be applied, wherein the method comprises:
- (a) measuring and recording at least one perception point for at least a selected subset of the sets of electrodes;
(b) estimating and recording perception points for unmeasured sets of electrodes; and
(c) mapping the recorded measured and estimated values to magnitude levels for use with other designated stimulation parameters in a set of stimulus parameters that are programmed into said implantable neural stimulator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A neural stimulation system allows the magnitude of electrical stimuli generated by the system to be programmed to a desired level greater than or equal to a minimum perceived threshold and less than or equal to a maximum tolerable perceived threshold. The electrical stimuli are applied through selected groupings of individual electrode contacts of a multi-electrode-contact electrode array attached to pulse generation circuitry as either cathodes or anodes. The electrode array is implanted so that the individual electrode contacts are in contact with the body tissue to be stimulated. Stimulating electrical current pulses, defined by a prescribed set of stimulus parameters are generated and applied to the selected electrode contacts so as to flow from the anode electrodes to the cathode electrodes. The perceived magnitude of the applied stimuli is equalized in order to enable quick, automated, and/or interactive programming of the values of the stimulation parameters.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for operating an implantable neural stimulator, wherein the implantable neural stimulator includes a programmable pulse generator circuit housed within a sealed case, an electrode array connected to the neural stimulator, the electrode array having a plurality of electrode contacts, and wherein various combinations of the electrode contacts comprise sets of electrodes through which an electrical stimulus may be applied, wherein the method comprises:
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(a) measuring and recording at least one perception point for at least a selected subset of the sets of electrodes;
(b) estimating and recording perception points for unmeasured sets of electrodes; and
(c) mapping the recorded measured and estimated values to magnitude levels for use with other designated stimulation parameters in a set of stimulus parameters that are programmed into said implantable neural stimulator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An implantable neural stimulator comprising:
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(a) pulse generation circuitry housed within a sealed case, said pulse generation circuitry being adapted to generate electrical stimuli in accordance with programmed stimulus parameters;
(b) an implantable electrode array having a multiplicity of electrode contacts, wherein each of the multiplicity of electrode contacts may be selectively connected to the pulse generation circuitry, and wherein the electrode contacts may be grouped in selected electrode sets through which the electrical stimuli generated by the pulse generation circuitry may be directed, each electrode set including a plurality of the electrode contacts, wherein one of the electrode contacts comprises the sealed case wherein the pulse generation circuitry is housed;
(c) a known threshold level for at least a plurality of the multiplicity of electrode contacts, where such known threshold levels are expressed in units of current or voltage; and
(d) an equalizer circuit that equalizes the threshold level(s) to unit-less magnitude levels. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A system for determining an optimal set of stimulus parameters to be programmed into implantable pulse generation circuitry, the implantable pulse generation circuitry being housed within a sealed case, the pulse generation circuitry being adapted to generate electrical stimuli in accordance with programmed stimulus parameters;
- and further wherein an electrode array having a plurality of electrode contacts is selectively connected to the pulse generation circuitry;
said programming system comprising;
at least one measured perception threshold for a selected set of the plurality of electrode contacts, where said at least one perception threshold is measured in units of current or voltage;
an equalizer that equalizes the at least one measured perception threshold for the selected set of electrode contacts to a unit-less magnitude level, and that estimates perception thresholds and corresponding magnitude levels for sets of electrodes where perception thresholds have not been measured; and
means for automatically adjusting the magnitude of the stimulus applied by the implantable neural stimulator through a selected set of electrodes as a function of the unit-less magnitude levels associated with the selected set of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- and further wherein an electrode array having a plurality of electrode contacts is selectively connected to the pulse generation circuitry;
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20. A neural stimulation system comprising:
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implantable pulse generation circuitry housed within a sealed case, said pulse generation circuitry being adapted to generate a stimulus pulse in accordance with programmed stimulus parameters;
an electrode array having a multiplicity of electrode contacts, wherein each of the multiplicity of electrode contacts may be selectively connected to the pulse generation circuitry within the implantable neural stimulator;
wherein a minimum perception threshold and a maximum tolerable threshold for each of the multiplicity of electrode contacts is known or determinable, wherein said thresholds are measured in appropriate units; and
an equalizer that equalizes the minimum perception threshold measurement and the maximum tolerable threshold measurement to unit-less magnitude levels; and
wherein the pulse generation circuitry, upon command, automatically adjusts the magnitude of the stimulus pulse applied through a selected combination of the multiplicity of electrode contacts to a level referenced to the unit-less magnitude levels. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification