METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION IN IMPLANTABLE STIMULATION DEVICES

• US 20090292339A1
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Erickson
• Original Assignee: John Erickson
• Inventors: Erickson, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals

Abstract

The application relates to a stimulation device with power conservation functionality. In implantable devices, power supplies may be limited. Replenishing these power supplies may require costly surgery or periodic recharging depending on the model. A method may be implemented that skips or drops periodic pulses without apparently changing the frequency of the pulses. In this manner, the dropped pulses may be undetected by the patient. On the other hand, the dropped pulse represents power savings. Dropping one in ten pulses may lead to a 10% energy savings. The stimulation device may implement the method with one or more counters implemented in hardware or software.

Claims

1. An implantable neurostimulator, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of stimulation sets with each stimulation set comprising a plurality of stimulation parameters including an electrode configuration;

means for generating a pulse and for delivering the pulse through output contacts according to stimulation parameters including an electrode configuration;

means for controlling the pulse generator by successively loading parameters into the pulse generator to deliver a repeating pattern of substantially continuously occurring pulses to one or more tissues, the repeating pattern being produced by (i) cycling through the plurality of stimulation sets (ii) loading the values of the respective stimulation sets into registers of the means for generating;

wherein the means for controlling further comprises;

(i) first means for counting each stimulation pulse in the repeating pattern of pulses to determine completion of a stimulation set upon counting a first number of pulses associated with a stimulation parameter;

(ii) circuitry configurable to drop one or more pulses within the repeating pattern of pulses to form a dropped set of pulses; and

(iii) a second means for counting each of the one or more pulses in the dropped set to determining completion of the dropped set upon counting a second number of pulses associated with a drop parameter, resetting the first means and second means upon completion of the repeating pattern of pulses.