Vestibular stimulation system and method
First Claim
1. A vestibular stimulation system comprising:
- a power supply;
a first, non-invasive electrode disposed on a surface of a patient proximate to such a patient'"'"'s left vestibular system;
a second, non-invasive electrode disposed on a surface of such a patient proximate to such a patient'"'"'s right vestibular system;
a control unit operatively coupled to the power supply, the first electrode, and the second electrode, wherein the control unit controls an application of the stimulation energy from the power supply to at least a portion of such a patient'"'"'s left or right vestibular system via the first or second electrodes, so as to induce a rocking sensation in such a patient by causing varying current waveform to be provided between the first and the second electrodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method in which the portions of the labyrinth associated with the labyrinthine sense and/or the nerves associated therewith are stimulated to perform at least one of the following functions: augment or control a patient'"'"'s respiratory function, open the patient'"'"'s airway, induce sleep, and/or counteract vertigo. In one embodiment, the vestibular stimulating system of the present invention includes 1) a stimulation element that performs the actual stimulation of the tissue, 2) a sensor to detect a physiological condition of the patient, and 3) a power/control unit that receives the signals provided by the sensor and causes stimulation energy to be provided to the stimulation element at an appropriate timing, level, pattern, and/or frequency to achieve the desired function. However, the present invention also contemplates eliminating the sensor in favor of applying a predetermined pattern of stimulation to the patient.
87 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A vestibular stimulation system comprising:
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a power supply;
a first, non-invasive electrode disposed on a surface of a patient proximate to such a patient'"'"'s left vestibular system;
a second, non-invasive electrode disposed on a surface of such a patient proximate to such a patient'"'"'s right vestibular system;
a control unit operatively coupled to the power supply, the first electrode, and the second electrode, wherein the control unit controls an application of the stimulation energy from the power supply to at least a portion of such a patient'"'"'s left or right vestibular system via the first or second electrodes, so as to induce a rocking sensation in such a patient by causing varying current waveform to be provided between the first and the second electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A vestibular stimulation system comprising:
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a power supply;
a first pair of non-invasive electrodes disposed on a surface of a patient proximate to a vestibular system on a first side of such a patient;
a control unit operatively coupled to the power supply and the first pair of electrodes, wherein the control unit controls an application of the stimulation energy from the power supply to at least a portion of such a patient'"'"'s vestibular system via the first pair of electrodes so as to induce a rocking sensation in such a patient by causing a first waveform having a varying current to be provided between the electrodes in the first pair of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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14. A vestibular stimulation method comprising:
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providing a first, non-invasive electrode disposed on a surface of a patient proximate to such a patient'"'"'s left vestibular system;
providing a second, non-invasive electrode disposed on a surface of such a patient proximate to such a patient'"'"'s right vestibular system;
applying stimulation energy in the form of varying current waveform provided between the first and the second electrodes so as to induce a rocking sensation in such a patient.
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18. A vestibular stimulation method comprising:
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providing a first pair of non-invasive electrodes on a surface of a patient proximate to a vestibular system on a first side of such a patient;
applying stimulation energy to at least a portion of such a patient'"'"'s vestibular system via the first pair of electrodes, so as to induce a rocking sensation in such a patient, by causing a first waveform having a varying current to be provided between the electrodes in the first pair of electrodes.
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Specification