NEUROSTIMULATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMBINING CURRENT USING RECONFIGURABLE CURRENT SOURCES

• US 20110125224A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Carbunaru, Rafael, DiGiore, Andrew, Jaax, Kristen
• Application Number:
  US12/952,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20110125224A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/66
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain

Abstract

A neurostimulation system and method of providing therapy to a patient implanted with a plurality of electrodes using a plurality of electrical sources is provided. One of the electrical sources is reconfigured from a second polarity to a first polarity. A first electrical current is generated with the one electrical source when configured in the first polarity. A second electrical current is generated with another one of the electrical sources. At least a portion of the first electrical current and at least a portion of the second electrical current is combined in one of an additive manner and a subtractive manner to produce a first combined electrical current. The first combined electrical current is conveyed to or from one or more of the electrodes.

Claims

1. A neurostimulation system, comprising:

a plurality of electrical terminals configured for being coupled to a respective plurality of electrodes;

a plurality of electrical sources;

a switching network coupled between the electrical sources and the electrical terminals; and

control circuitry configured for reconfiguring one of the electrical sources from a second polarity to a first polarity, causing the one electrical source to generate a first electrical current when configured in the first polarity, causing another one of the electrical sources to generate a second electrical current, causing the switching network to combine at least a portion of the first electrical current and at least a portion of the second electrical current in one of an additive manner and a subtractive manner to produce a first combined electrical current, and conveying the first combined electrical current to or from one of the electrodes.

2. The neurostimulation system of claim 1, wherein the one electrical source comprises an anodic source and a cathodic source, and wherein the control circuitry is configured for reconfiguring the one electrical source from the second polarity to the first polarity by activating one of the anodic source and cathodic source and deactivating the other of the anodic source and cathodic source.

3. The neurostimulation system of claim 1, further comprising a switch associated with the one electrical source, wherein the control circuitry is configured for reconfiguring the one electrical source by operating the switch to switch the one electrical source between a positive terminal of an energy source and a negative terminal of the energy source.

4. The neurostimulation system of claim 1,

wherein the control circuitry is configured for reconfiguring the one electrical source from the first polarity to the second polarity, causing the one electrical source to generate a third electrical current when configured in the second polarity, causing another one of the electrical sources to generate fourth electrical current;

causing the switching network to combine at least a portion of the third electrical current and at least a portion of the fourth electrical current in the other of the additive manner and a subtractive manner to produce a second combined electrical current, and conveying the second combined electrical current to or from one or more of the electrodes.

5. The neurostimulation system of claim 4, wherein the other electrical source that generates the second electrical current, and the other electrical source that generates the fourth electrical current are the same electrical source.

6. The neurostimulation system of claim 4, wherein the other electrical source that generates the second electrical current, and the other electrical source that generates the fourth electrical current are different electrical sources.

7. The neurostimulation system of claim 4, wherein the electrode to or from which the first combined electrical current is conveyed, and the electrode to or from which the second combined electrical current is conveyed are the same electrode.

8. The neurostimulation system of claim 4, wherein the electrode to or from which the first combined electrical current is conveyed, and the electrode to or from which the second combined electrical current is conveyed are different electrodes.

9. The neurostimulation system of claim 1, wherein the one electrical source has a fixed absolute output.

10. The neurostimulation system of claim 1, wherein the one electrical source has a variable absolute output.

11. The neurostimulation system of claim 1, wherein all of the first electrical current is combined with the at least a portion of the second electrical current to produce the first combined electrical current.

12. The neurostimulation system of claim 1, further comprising a housing containing the plurality of electrical terminals, control circuitry, and switching network.

13. A method of providing therapy to a patient implanted with a plurality of electrodes using a plurality of electrical sources, the method comprising:

reconfiguring one of the electrical sources from a second polarity to a first polarity;

generating a first electrical current with the one electrical source when configured in the first polarity;

generating a second electrical current with another one of the electrical sources;

combining at least a portion of the first electrical current and at least a portion of the second electrical current in one of an additive manner and a subtractive manner to produce a first combined electrical current; and

conveying the first combined electrical current to or from one or more of the electrodes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one electrical source comprises an anodic source and a cathodic source, and wherein the one electrical source is reconfigured from the second polarity to the first polarity by activating one of the anodic source and cathodic source and deactivating the other of the anodic source and cathodic source.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one electrical source is reconfigured by switching the one electrical source between a positive terminal of an energy source and a negative terminal of the energy source.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

reconfiguring the one electrical source from the first polarity to the second polarity;

generating a third electrical current with the one electrical source when configured in the second polarity;

generating a fourth electrical current with another one of the electrical sources;

combining at least a portion of the third electrical current and at least a portion of the fourth electrical current in the other of the additive manner and a subtractive manner to produce a second combined electrical current;

conveying the second combined electrical current to or from one of the electrodes.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the other electrical source with which the second electrical current is generated, and the other electrical source with which the fourth electrical current is generated are the same electrical source.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the other electrical source with which the second electrical current is generated, and the other electrical source with which the fourth electrical current is generated are different electrical sources.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the electrode to or from which the first combined electrical current is conveyed, and the electrode to or from which the second combined electrical current is conveyed are the same electrode.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the electrode to or from which the first combined electrical current is conveyed, and the electrode to or from which the second combined electrical current is conveyed are different electrodes.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the one electrical source has a fixed absolute output.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the one electrical source has a variable absolute output.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein all of the first electrical current is combined with the at least a portion of the second electrical current to produce the first combined electrical current.