System and method for programming an implantable pulse generator

• US 20060259097A1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Erickson, John H., Brock, Matthew J., Hickman, Thomas K., Engstrom, Erik D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,738,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36192 Amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37241 providing test stimulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of programming an IPG comprises providing one or several GUI screens on the programmer device, the GUI screens comprising a master amplitude GUI control for controlling amplitudes for stimsets of a stimulation program and one or several balancing GUI controls for controlling amplitudes of each stimset of the stimulation program; communicating one or several commands from the programmer device to the IPG to change the amplitude of all stimsets of the stimulation program in response to manipulation of the master amplitude GUI control, wherein the amplitude of each stimulation set is automatically calculated by a level selected through the master amplitude GUI control and one or several calibration parameters for the respective stimulation set; and automatically recalculating the one or several calibration parameters for a respective stimulation set in response to manipulation of one of the balancing GUI controls and storing the recalculated calibration parameters.

Claims

1. A method of programming an implantable pulse generator (IPG), comprising:

providing one or several graphical user interface (GUI) screens on the programmer device, the one or several GUI screens comprising (i) a master amplitude GUI control for controlling amplitudes for multiple stimsets of a stimulation program and (ii) one or several balancing GUI controls for controlling amplitudes of each individual stimset of the stimulation program;

communicating one or several commands from the programmer device to the IPG to change the amplitude of all stimsets of the stimulation program in response to manipulation of the master amplitude GUI control by a user of the programmer device, wherein the amplitude of each stimulation set is automatically calculated by a level selected through the master amplitude GUI control and one or several calibration parameters for the respective stimulation set; and

automatically recalculating the one or several calibration parameters for a respective stimulation set in response to manipulation of one of the balancing GUI controls by the user and storing the recalculated one or several calibration parameters to affect a change in amplitude for the respective stimulation set.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically ramping a master amplitude level to a predetermined amplitude level.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user adjusts the one or several balancing GUI controls when the patient experiences stimulation at a particular subjective level at different times for different ones of the multiple stimsets.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or several calibration parameters comprises a perception threshold parameter, a comfort level parameter, and a maximum tolerable parameter for each stimset.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the maximum tolerable parameter is automatically calculated as a function of the perception threshold parameter and the comfort level parameter.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the IPG continuously executes the program and changes applied amplitudes in real-time as a user of the programming device manipulates the master amplitude GUI control.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing one or several GUI controls for controlling which stimsets in the program are designated as activate during a test process.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

communicating, in real-time as the program is executed by the IPG, one or several commands to the IPG containing data identifying active or inactive stimsets for the program to control which stimsets are used to generate pulses by the IPG during execution of the program.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the stimsets are adapted to provide stimulation for distinct regions of the patient'"'"'s body.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the stimsets are adapted to provide stimulation for overlapping regions of the patients'"'"' body.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein wherein the IPG continuously executes the program and changes applied amplitudes in real-time as a user of the programming device manipulates the one or several balancing GUI controls.

12. A method of programming an implantable pulse generator (IPG), comprising:

providing a plurality of stimsets for a stimulation program for execution by the IPG;

executing the stimulation program by the IPG;

providing one or several graphical user interface (GUI) screens on a programmer device, the one or several GUI screens comprising one or several GUI controls for controlling a respective stimulation amplitude associated with each stimset of the stimulation program; and

communicating one or several commands from the programmer device to the IPG to change the amplitude of a respective stimset in response to manipulation of one GUI control of the one or several GUI controls, wherein the one or several commands are communicated while the IPG is executing the stimulation program and the IPG changes the amplitude of the respective stimset without the patient sensing interruption of the execution of the stimulation program.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein software on the programmer device calculates an updated amplitude value in a manner dependent upon a level associated with the manipulated GUI control and one or several calibration parameters.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the one or several calibration parameters comprises a perception threshold parameter, a comfort level parameter, and a maximum tolerable parameter for each stimset

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

providing one or several GUI controls for controlling which stimsets in the program are designated as being active.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

communicating, as the program is executed by the IPG, one or several commands to the IPG containing data identifying active or inactive stimsets for the program to control which stimsets are used to generate pulses by the IPG during execution of the program.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the stimsets are adapted to provide stimulation for distinct regions of the pafient'"'"'s body.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the stimsets are adapted to provide stimulation for overlapping regions of the patients'"'"' body.