Stimulus generator for a closed loop neuromodulator

• US 20100056853A1
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dymedix Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dymedix Corporation
• Inventors: Zymowski, Thomas H., Henke, Reinhold, Stasz, Peter, Johnston, Evan S.
• Application Number:
  US12/583,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20100056853A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4058 for evaluating the central nervous system A61B5/4806, A61B5/4821 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0033 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0011 in a subliminal way, i.e. below the threshold of sensation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0022 by the tactile sense, e.g. vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0066 with heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0072 with application of electrical currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/40 Respiratory characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 1/0007 of radio frequency interference filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/1252 Two integrator-loop-filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/126 using a single operational amplifier H03H11/1204 takes precedence; parallel-T filters H03H11/1295
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, a system and method for providing a stimulus signal of a closed loop neuromodulator configured to optimize sleep therapy for a patient. A stimulus select signal can be received at a plurality of stimulus type generators from a stimulus sequencer of the closed loop neuromodulator, and a stimulus signal can be provided using one of the plurality of stimulus type generators in response to the stimulus select signal. An amplified stimulus signal can be provided to a stimulus escalator of the closed loop neural modulator to optimize sleep therapy for the patient.

Claims

1. A stimulus generator for providing a stimulus signal of a closed loop neuromodulator configured to optimize sleep therapy for a patient, the stimulus generator comprising:

a plurality of stimulus type generators configured to receive a stimulus select signal from a stimulus sequencer of the closed loop neuromodulator, each of the plurality of stimulus type generators configured to provide different stimulus signal types, wherein one of the plurality of stimulus type generators is configured to provide the stimulus signal in response to the stimulus select signal; and

a summing amplifier coupled to the plurality of stimulus generators, the summing amplifier configured to amplify the stimulus signal and to provide the amplified stimulus signal to a stimulus escalator of the close loop neural modulator to optimize sleep therapy for the patient.

2. The stimulus generator of claim 1, wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to detect a sleep disorder event using respiration information from the patient, to provide a first stimulus to the patient in response to the detected sleep disorder event, the first stimulus configured to not interrupt the detected sleep disorder event;

and

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to provide a second stimulus to the patient in response to the detected sleep disorder event, following the first stimulus, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the detected sleep disorder event.

3. The stimulus generator of claim 1, including a plurality of stimulus generator registers, each of the plurality of stimulus generator registers coupled to a corresponding stimulus type generator;

and

wherein each stimulus generator register of the plurality of stimulus generator registers is configured to receive parameter settings corresponding to the stimulus signal provided by the corresponding stimulus type generator.

4. The stimulus generator of claim 3, wherein each stimulus generator register is configured to receive the parameter settings corresponding to the stimulus signal from a user.

5. The stimulus generator of claim 1, wherein more than one of the plurality of stimulus type generators are configured to provide stimulus signals in response to the stimulus select signal.

6. The stimulus generator of claim 5, wherein the summing amplifier is configured to receive stimulus signals from more than one of the plurality of stimulus type generators and to amplify a combination of the received stimulus signals.

7. The stimulus generator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of stimulus type generators includes a tone generator configured to generate a tone type stimulus signal.

8. The stimulus generator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of stimulus type generators includes at least one of:

a click generator configured to generate a click type stimulus signal;

a pop generator configured to generate a pop type stimulus signal;

a noise generator configured to generate a noise type stimulus signal;

a hiss generator configured to generate a hiss type stimulus signal;

a modulated generator configured to generate a modulated type stimulus signal;

a siren generator configured to generate a siren type stimulus signal;

or

a warble generator configured to generate a warble type stimulus signal.

9. A system for providing a stimulus signal of a closed loop neuromodulator configured to optimize sleep therapy for a patient, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect information indicative of respiration from the patient;

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator includes;

a stimulus generator configured to provide a stimulus signal of the closed loop neural modulator, the stimulus generator comprising;

a plurality of stimulus type generators configured to receive a stimulus select signal from a stimulus sequencer of the closed loop neuromodulator, each of the plurality of stimulus type generators configured to provide different stimulus signal types, wherein one of the plurality of stimulus type generators is configured to provide the stimulus signal in response to the stimulus select signal; and

a summing amplifier coupled to the plurality of stimulus generators, the summing amplifier configured to amplify the stimulus signal and to provide the amplified stimulus signal to a stimulus escalator of the close loop neural modulator to optimize sleep therapy for the patient;

a plurality of stimulus generator registers, each of the plurality of stimulus generator registers coupled to a corresponding stimulus type generator, each stimulus generator register configured to receive parameter settings corresponding to the stimulus signal provided by the corresponding stimulus type generator of the plurality of stimulus type generators; and

wherein the plurality of stimulus type generators includes at least one of;

a tone generator configured to generate a tone type stimulus signal;

a click generator configured to generate a click type stimulus signal;

a pop generator configured to generate a pop type stimulus signal;

a noise generator configured to generate a noise type stimulus signal;

a hiss generator configured to generate a hiss type stimulus signal;

a modulated generator configured to generate a modulated type stimulus signal;

a siren generator configured to generate a siren type stimulus signal;

or

a warble generator configured to generate a warble type stimulus signal;

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to receive respiration information from the sensor, to detect a sleep disorder event using the respiration information, to provide a first stimulus to a transducer using the stimulus signal, the first stimulus configured to not interrupt the detected sleep disorder event, and to provide a second stimulus to the transducer, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the detected sleep disorder event; and

wherein the transducer is configured to deliver the first and second stimuli to the patient.

10. The stimulus generator of claim 9, wherein each stimulus generator register is configured to receive the parameter settings corresponding to the stimulus signal from a user.

11. The stimulus generator of claim 9, wherein more than one of the plurality of stimulus type generators are configured to provide stimulus signals in response to the stimulus select signal;

and

wherein the summing amplifier is configured to receive stimulus signals from more than one of the plurality of stimulus type generators and to sum the received stimulus signals.

12. A method for providing a stimulus signal of a closed loop neuromodulator configured to optimize sleep therapy for a patient, the method comprising:

receiving a stimulus select signal at a plurality of stimulus type generators from a stimulus sequencer of the closed loop neuromodulator, each of the plurality of stimulus type generators configured to provide different stimulus signal types;

providing a stimulus signal using one of the plurality of stimulus type generators in response to the stimulus select signal;

amplifying the stimulus signal using a summing amplifier; and

providing the amplified stimulus signal to a stimulus escalator of the close loop neural modulator to optimize sleep therapy for the patient.

13. The method of claim 12, including:

detecting a sleep disorder event using respiration information from the patient;

providing a first stimulus to the patient in response to the detected sleep disorder event, the first stimulus configured to not interrupt the first sleep disorder event; and

providing a second stimulus in response to the detected sleep disorder event, following the first stimulus, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the detected sleep disorder event.

14. The method of claim 12, including receiving, at one of a plurality of stimulus generator registers coupled to a corresponding stimulus type generator, parameter settings corresponding to the stimulus signal provided by the corresponding stimulus type generator.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving the parameter settings includes receiving parameter settings from a user.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the stimulus signal includes providing more than one stimulus signal using more than one of the plurality of stimulus type generators in response to the stimulus select signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the amplifying the stimulus signal includes amplifying a combination of the more than one stimulus signal.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the stimulus signal using one of the plurality of stimulus type generators includes providing a tone type stimulus signal using a tone stimulus generator.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the stimulus signal using one of the plurality of stimulus type generators includes providing a click type stimulus signal using a click stimulus generator.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the stimulus signal using one of the plurality of stimulus type generators includes providing a pop type stimulus signal using a pop stimulus generator.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing the stimulus signal using one of the plurality of stimulus type generators includes providing at least one of:

a noise type stimulus signal using a noise stimulus generator;

a hiss type stimulus signal using a hiss stimulus generator;

a modulated type stimulus signal using a modulated stimulus generator;

a siren type stimulus signal using a siren stimulus generator;

or

a warble type stimulus signal using a warble stimulus generator.