Techniques for Sensing and Adjusting a Compliance Voltage in an Implantable Stimulator Device
First Claim
1. A method for adjusting a compliance voltage in an implantable medical device, the device comprising at least one source circuit coupled to the compliance voltage, at least one sink circuit coupled to a reference voltage, and at least two electrodes, the method comprising:
- providing a stimulation pulse to a load between the at least two electrodes, wherein at least one electrode is coupled to a source circuit and wherein at least one electrode is coupled to a sink circuit;
during the stimulation pulse while both the source circuit and the sink circuit are simultaneously active, measuring a first voltage across the source circuit and measuring a second voltage across the sink circuit; and
using the measured first and second voltages to adjust the compliance voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods and circuitry for monitoring and adjusting a compliance voltage in an implantable stimulator devices to an optimal value that is sufficiently high to allow for proper circuit performance (i.e., sufficient current output), but low enough that power is not needlessly wasted via excessive voltage drops across the current output circuitry. The algorithm measures output voltages across the current source and sink circuitry during at least periods of actual stimulation when both the current sources and sinks are operable, and adjusts the compliance voltage so as to reduce these output voltages to within guard band values preferably indicative for operation in transistor saturation. The output voltages can additionally be monitored during periods between stimulation pulses to improve the accuracy of the measurement, and is further beneficial in that such additional measurements are not perceptible to the patient.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for adjusting a compliance voltage in an implantable medical device, the device comprising at least one source circuit coupled to the compliance voltage, at least one sink circuit coupled to a reference voltage, and at least two electrodes, the method comprising:
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providing a stimulation pulse to a load between the at least two electrodes, wherein at least one electrode is coupled to a source circuit and wherein at least one electrode is coupled to a sink circuit; during the stimulation pulse while both the source circuit and the sink circuit are simultaneously active, measuring a first voltage across the source circuit and measuring a second voltage across the sink circuit; and using the measured first and second voltages to adjust the compliance voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. The method of clam 1, wherein either or both of the first or second voltages comprises a voltage across a transistor in a current mirror and a voltage across a selection transistor.
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9. A method for adjusting a compliance voltage in an implantable medical device, the device comprising at least one source circuit coupled to the compliance voltage, at least one sink circuit coupled to a reference voltage, and at least two electrodes, the method comprising:
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providing a stimulation pulse to a load between the at least two electrodes, wherein providing the pulses comprises simultaneously activating a source circuit coupled to at least one electrode and a sink circuit coupled to at least one electrode; measuring a first voltage across either the source circuit or the sink circuit during the stimulation pulse in which both of the source and sink circuits are activated; measuring a second voltage across the same of either the source circuit or the sink circuit during an interphase period in which neither of the source or the sink circuit is activated; and using the first and second voltages to adjust the compliance voltage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for adjusting a compliance voltage in an implantable medical device, the device comprising at least one source circuit coupled to the compliance voltage, at least one sink circuit coupled to a reference voltage, and at least two electrodes, the method comprising:
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providing a series of stimulation pulses to a load between at least two electrodes, wherein providing the pulses comprises activating a source circuit coupled to at least one electrode and activating a sink circuit coupled to at least one electrode; measuring a first voltage across the source circuit and measuring a second voltage across the sink circuit during the stimulation pulses; measuring a third voltage across the source circuit and measuring a fourth voltage across the sink circuit during interphase periods between the stimulation pulses; and using the first, second, third, and fourth voltages to adjust the compliance voltage. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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at least one source circuit coupled to a compliance voltage and at least one sink circuit coupled to a reference voltage, wherein each source circuit is coupled to an associated source electrode for stimulating tissue, and wherein each sink circuit is coupled to an associated sink electrode for stimulating tissue; voltage sensor circuitry for receiving an output voltage of each source or sink circuit coupled to each associated source or sink electrode, and for measuring the output voltages while both the at least one source circuit and the at least one sink circuit are simultaneously active; and compliance voltage generator circuitry for adjusting the compliance voltage depending on the measured output voltages. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification