Architectures for an Implantable Medical Device System

• US 20080319497A1
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Nimmagadda, Kiran, Feldman, Emanuel, Aghassian, Daniel, Marnfeldt, Goran N., Shi, Jess W., Parramon, Jordi, Griffith, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,649,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/025 Digital circuitry features of electrotherapy devices, e.g. memory, clocks, processors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components

Abstract

An improved architecture for an implantable medical device such as an implantable pulse generator (IPG) is disclosed. In one embodiment, the various functional blocks for the IPG are incorporated into a signal integrated circuit (IC). Each of the functional blocks communicate with each other, and with other off-chip devices if necessary, via a centralized bus governed by a communication protocol. To communicate with the bus and to adhere to the protocol, each circuit block includes bus interface circuitry adherent with that protocol. Because each block complies with the protocol, any given block can easily be modified or upgraded without affecting the design of the other blocks, facilitating debugging and upgrading of the IPG circuitry. Moreover, because the centralized bus can be taken off the integrated circuit, extra circuitry can easily be added off chip to modify or add functionality to the IPG without the need for a major redesign of the main IPG IC.

Claims

1. An implantable stimulator device, comprising:

an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of functional blocks, each block for performing at least one function within the implantable medical device, wherein at least one other functional block comprises stimulation circuitry for the implantable stimulator device, wherein at least one tissue-stimulating electrodes is coupled to the stimulation circuitry;

a bus in communication with each of the functional blocks, wherein the functional blocks communicate with each other via a bus protocol.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the functional blocks comprises a master controller, and wherein all other functional blocks are slaves to the master controller.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the functional blocks comprises an analog-to-digital converter, and wherein the analog-to-digital converter receives a plurality of analog signals from at least some of the functional blocks outside of the bus.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit has external terminals, and wherein the bus communicates with at least one external terminal to allow the bus to communicate with at least one device outside the integrated circuit.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the device comprises a memory circuit.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the device comprises a controller.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein at least some of the functional blocks issue interrupts to other functional blocks, and wherein the interrupts do not travel on the bus.

8. An implantable stimulator device, comprising:

a plurality of functional blocks, each block for performing at least one function within the implantable medical device, wherein at least one other functional block comprises stimulation circuitry for the implantable stimulator device, wherein at least one tissue-stimulating electrodes is coupled to the stimulation circuitry;

a parallel bus in communication with each of the functional blocks, wherein the functional blocks communicate with each other via a bus protocol.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein one of the functional blocks comprises a master controller, and wherein all other functional blocks are slaves to the master controller.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein one of the functional blocks comprises an analog-to-digital converter, and wherein the analog-to-digital converter receives a plurality of analog signals from at least some of the functional blocks outside of the bus.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of functional blocks and the bus are integrated on a single integrated circuit, and wherein the integrated circuit has external terminals, and wherein the bus communicates with a plurality of external terminals to allow the bus to communicate with at least one device outside the integrated circuit.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the device comprises a memory circuit.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the device comprises a controller.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein at least some of the functional blocks issue interrupts to other functional blocks, and wherein the interrupts do not travel on the bus.

15. An implantable stimulator device, comprising:

a plurality of functional blocks, each block for performing at least one function within the implantable stimulator device, wherein at least one other functional block comprises stimulation circuitry for the implantable stimulator device, wherein at least one tissue-stimulating electrodes is coupled to the stimulation circuitry;

a parallel bus in communication with each of the functional blocks; and

bus interface circuitry interposed between each functional block and the bus, wherein the bus interface circuitry allows each block to communicate with other functional blocks via the bus in accordance with a protocol.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein one of the functional blocks comprises a master controller, and wherein all other functional blocks are slaves to the master controller.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein one of the functional blocks comprises an analog-to-digital converter, and wherein the analog-to-digital converter receives a plurality of analog signals from at least some of the functional blocks outside of the bus.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of functional blocks, the bus, and the bus interface circuitry are integrated on a single integrated circuit.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the integrated circuit has external terminals, and wherein the bus communicates with at least one external terminal to allow the bus to communicate with at least one device outside the integrated circuit.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the device comprises a memory circuit.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the device comprises a controller.

22. The device of claim 15, wherein at least some of the functional blocks issue interrupts to other functional blocks, and wherein the interrupts do not travel on the bus.

23. An implantable stimulator device, comprising:

an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of functional blocks, each block for performing at least one function within the implantable stimulator device, wherein at least one other functional block comprises stimulation circuitry for the implantable stimulator device, wherein at least one tissue-stimulating electrodes is coupled to the stimulation circuitry;

at least one device external to the integrated circuit; and

a bus in communication with each of the functional blocks and with the external device, wherein the external device and the functional blocks communicate with the bus in accordance with a protocol.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein one of the functional blocks comprises a master controller, and wherein all other functional blocks are slaves to the master controller.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein one of the functional blocks comprises an analog-to-digital converter, and wherein the analog-to-digital converter receives a plurality of analog signal outside of the bus.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the integrated circuit has external terminals, and wherein each signal in the bus communicates with an external terminal to allow the bus to communicate with the at least one device external to the integrated circuit.

27. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a plurality of functional blocks, each block for performing at least one function within the implantable medical device, at least one block comprising a first controller for the other functional blocks;

a second controller capable of controlling at least some of the functional blocks; and

a bus in communication with each of the functional blocks and with the second controller,

wherein the first controller and the second controller share control of the other functional blocks.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the implantable medical device is an implantable stimulator.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein at least one of the other functional blocks comprises stimulation circuitry coupled to at least one electrode that delivers electrical stimulation to a tissue of a patient.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the functional blocks including the first controller are integrated in an integrated circuit, and wherein the second controller is external to the integrated circuit.

31. An implantable medical device, comprising:

an integrated circuit, comprising a plurality of functional blocks, each block for performing at least one function within the implantable medical device, at least one block comprising an internal controller for the other functional blocks in the integrated circuit;

an external controller device external to the integrated circuit; and

a bus in communication with each of the functional blocks and with the external controller,

wherein at least one first command on the bus is executable by the internal controller, and wherein at least one second command on the bus is executable by the external controller.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the implantable medical device is an implantable stimulator.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein at least one of the other functional blocks comprises stimulation circuitry coupled to at least one electrode that delivers electrical stimulation to a tissue of a patient.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein the internal controller comprises circuitry for determining whether an issued command comprises a first command executable by the internal controller or a second command executable by the external controller.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the circuitry comprises a register of bits for designating the issued command as either a first command or a second command.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the circuitry sends a controller select bit to an arbitration circuit in the external controller.

37. A method for operating an implantable stimulator device, comprising:

coupling functional blocks to a bus, wherein one of the function blocks comprises an first controller, and wherein at least one other functional block comprises stimulation circuitry for the implantable stimulator device, wherein at least one tissue-stimulating electrode is coupled to the stimulation circuitry;

coupling a second controller to the bus;

issuing a command on the bus; and

determining whether the command is to be executed by the first controller or the second controller, and executing the command accordingly.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the functional blocks are integrated on an integrated circuit, and wherein the second controller is external to the integrated circuit.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the determining step is accomplished by the first controller via decoding the command and querying an associated owner bit in the first controller.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising if the command is to be executed by the second controller, sending a signal to the second controller, which second controller in turn retrieves the command from the first controller and executes the retrieved command.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising returning control back to the first controller after the retrieved command'"'"'s execution by the second controller.