Human-implantable-neurostimulator user interface having multiple levels of abstraction

• US 20060155333A1
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Goetz, Steven M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,623,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

A programming-device user interface may include multiple levels of abstraction for programming treatment settings. A stimulation zone-programming interface may be at a highest level of abstraction and may include idealized stimulation zones. A field strength-programming interface may be at a middle level of abstraction and may include electromagnetic field-strength patterns generated by the stimulation zones, and/or electrode settings, and a depiction of how the electromagnetic fields interact with each other. An electrode-programming interface may be at a lowest level of abstraction and may depict treatment settings at an electrodes-view level. These interfaces may include a display of a stimulatable area of the patient'"'"'s body. The display may include a depiction of leads and/or the underlying physiology, such as a depiction of a portion of a spine. Algorithms map treatment settings from one level of abstraction to settings at one or more other levels of abstraction.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

representing an anatomical region on a display;

representing an electrical stimulation lead on the display;

receiving directional user input specifying movement of the lead relative to the anatomical region;

moving the representation of the lead on the display to a position in response to the directional user input;

receiving user input specifying one or more stimulation parameters associated with stimulation therapy applied by an electrical stimulator via the lead; and

representing a stimulation field produced by the lead based on the position of the lead and the specified stimulation parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the directional user input includes drag-and-drop movement of the lead.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein representing a stimulation field includes representing at least one idealized stimulation zone on the display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein representing a stimulation field includes representing an electromagnetic field strength corresponding to an idealized stimulation zone on the display.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the representation of the stimulation field in response to user input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the anatomical region includes a brain.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the anatomical region includes a spine.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

representing the stimulation field on the display as an idealized stimulation zone at a first level of abstraction of a user interface;

permitting the user to specify the stimulation parameters by modification of the idealized stimulation zone;

representing the stimulation field as an electromagnetic field strength at a second level of abstraction of the user interface lower than the first level of abstraction;

permitting the user to specify the stimulation parameters by modification of the electromagnetic field strength;

presenting an electrode programming interface at a third level of abstraction of the user interface lower than the second level of abstraction; and

permitting the user to specify the stimulation parameters by interaction with the electrode programming interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulator is an implantable electrical stimulator.

10. A programming device for an electrical stimulator, the device comprising:

a display that displays a representation of an anatomical region, and a representation of an electrical stimulation lead; and

a user input interface that receives directional user input specifying movement of the lead relative to the anatomical region, and receives user input specifying one or more stimulation parameters associated with stimulation therapy applied by an electrical stimulator via the lead,

wherein the display moves the representation of the lead in response to the user input, and displays a representation of a stimulation field produced by the lead based on the position of the lead and the specified stimulation parameters.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the directional user input includes drag-and-drop movement of the lead.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the display represents the stimulation field as an idealized stimulation zone.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the display represents the stimulation field as an electromagnetic field strength corresponding to an idealized stimulation zone.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the display modifies the representation of the stimulation field in response to user input.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the anatomical region includes a brain.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the anatomical region includes a spine.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the display represents the stimulation field as an idealized stimulation zone at a first level of abstraction of a user interface, represents the stimulation field as an electromagnetic field strength at a second level of abstraction of the user interface lower than the first level of abstraction, and presents an electrode programming interface at a third level of abstraction of the user interface lower than the second level of abstraction, and wherein the user input interface permits the user to specify the stimulation parameters by modification of the idealized stimulation zone, permits the user to specify the stimulation parameters by modification of the stimulation field, and permits the user to specify the stimulation parameters by interaction with the electrode programming interface.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the electrical stimulator is an implantable electrical stimulator.

19. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions to cause a processor to:

represent an anatomical region on a display;

represent an electrical stimulation lead on the display;

receive directional user input specifying movement of the lead relative to the anatomical region;

move the representation of the lead on the display in response to the directional user input;

receive user input specifying one or more stimulation parameters associated with stimulation therapy applied by an electrical stimulator via the lead; and

represent a stimulation field produced by the lead based on the position of the lead and the specified stimulation parameters.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the directional user input includes drag-and-drop movement of the lead.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause the processor to represent at least one idealized stimulation zone on the display.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause the processor to represent an electromagnetic field strength corresponding to an idealized stimulation zone on the display.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause the processor to modify the representation of the stimulation field in response to user input.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the anatomical region includes a brain or a spine.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:

represent the stimulation field on the display as an idealized stimulation zone at a first level of abstraction of a user interface;

permit the user to specify the stimulation parameters by modification of the idealized stimulation zone;

represent the stimulation field as an electromagnetic field strength at a second level of abstraction of the user interface lower than the first level of abstraction;

permit the user to specify the stimulation parameters by modification of the electromagnetic field strength;

present an electrode programming interface at a third level of abstraction of the user interface lower than the second level of abstraction; and

permit the user to specify the stimulation parameters by interaction with the electrode programming interface.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 45, wherein the electrical stimulator is an implantable electrical stimulator.