Voltage/current regulator improvements for an implantable medical device
First Claim
1. An apparatus for generating a neurological stimulation waveform with an implantable medical device, comprising in combination:
- a capacitor arrangement coupled to an electrical reference through a first connection, wherein the capacitor arrangement comprises a plurality of capacitors;
a first regulator module coupled to the capacitor arrangement through a second connection and coupled to a first electrode, wherein the second connection corresponds to a first value of voltage; and
a switching array coupled to the capacitor arrangement in order to reconfigure the capacitor arrangement with respect to the electrical reference, wherein the second connection corresponds to a second value of voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method provide flexibility in generating a stimulation waveform to an electrode of an implantable medical device. The stimulation waveform comprises at least one stimulation pulse. The embodiment of the invention supports a generation of a stimulation pulse in which an amplitude and an electrical polarity of the stimulation pulse can be dynamically changed. The embodiment comprises a capacitor arrangement, a regulator and a switching array. The capacitor arrangement can be reconfigured with respect to an electrical reference through the switching array in order for the regulator to deliver the stimulation pulse to a pair of electrodes. In another embodiment, a plurality of stimulation waveforms are generated in which different stimulation waveforms are associated with different electrodes. With the embodiment, a plurality of regulators are connected and reconfigured to the capacitor arrangement in order that the different stimulation waveforms are generated by different regulators.
32 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating a neurological stimulation waveform with an implantable medical device, comprising in combination:
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a capacitor arrangement coupled to an electrical reference through a first connection, wherein the capacitor arrangement comprises a plurality of capacitors;
a first regulator module coupled to the capacitor arrangement through a second connection and coupled to a first electrode, wherein the second connection corresponds to a first value of voltage; and
a switching array coupled to the capacitor arrangement in order to reconfigure the capacitor arrangement with respect to the electrical reference, wherein the second connection corresponds to a second value of voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for generating a neurological stimulation waveform with an implantable medical device, the steps comprising the steps of:
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(a) configuring a capacitor arrangement with respect to an electrical reference, wherein the capacitor arrangement comprises a plurality of capacitors;
(b) connecting a first regulator to the capacitor arrangement in order to obtain a first value of voltage; and
(c) reconfiguring the capacitor arrangement with respect to the electrical reference in order to obtain a second value of voltage, the second value of voltage associated with the first regulator. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for generating a neurological stimulation waveform with an implantable medical device, comprising instructions that cause the implantable medical device to perform the steps of:
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(a) configuring a capacitor arrangement with respect to an electrical reference, wherein the capacitor arrangement comprises a plurality of capacitors;
(b) connecting a regulator to the capacitor arrangement in order to obtain a first value of voltage; and
(c) reconfiguring the capacitor arrangement with respect to the electrical reference in order to obtain a second value of voltage, the second value of voltage associated with the regulator.
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19. An implantable medical device, comprising in combination:
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a telemetry module;
a processor that communicates with a programmer through the telemetry module in order to configure the implantable medical device;
a therapy module connected to at least one electrode in order to provide a neurological stimulation waveform to a patient and connected to the processor in order to receive configuration information and commands about therapeutical treatment, the therapy module comprising;
a waveform generator, comprising;
a regulator;
a capacitor arrangement connected to an input of the regulator; and
a switching array coupled to the capacitor arrangement in order to configure the capacitor arrangement, the capacitor arrangement comprising a plurality of capacitors; and
a waveform controller coupled to the switching array in order to control the switching array, the waveform controller configured to perform the steps of;
(a) configuring the capacitor arrangement with respect to an electrical reference in order to obtain a first value of voltage; and
(b) reconfiguring the capacitor arrangement with respect to the electrical reference in order to obtain a second value of voltage, the second value of voltage having an opposite polarity as the first value of voltage.
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Specification