METHODS, DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR EFFICIENTLY PROGRAMMING NEUROSTIMULATION
First Claim
1. A method for use with a system including a neurostimulator, a programmer configured to send instructions to the neurostimulator, and one or more leads connected to the neurostimulator, wherein each lead includes one or more electrodes,wherein the method is for enabling efficient identification of one or more preferred sets of neurostimulation parameters from among numerous possible sets of neurostimulation parameters, wherein each set of neurostimulation parameters specifies a lead, an electrode configuration for the specified lead, and one or more pulse parameters,the method, comprising:
- (a) sending instructions to the neurostimulator to cause testing of each of a plurality of different sets of neurostimulation parameters;
(b) saving, within the programmer and/or neurostimulator, information corresponding to a sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters,wherein the sub-plurality corresponds to those tested sets of neurostimulation parameters for which an indication is accepted from a user, via the programmer, that information is to be saved, andwherein a number of sets of neurostimulation parameters in the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters is less than a total number of sets of neurostimulation parameters for which testing is caused;
(c) displaying, via the programmer, a list indicative of at least some of the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters;
(d) accepting from a user, via the programmer, a selection of one of the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters from the displayed list; and
(e) in response to one of the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters being selected from the displayed list, sending instructions to the neurostimulator to cause retesting of the set of neurostimulation parameters selected from the displayed list without requiring that a user specify, via the programmer, the lead, the electrode configuration and the one or more pulse parameters corresponding to the selected set.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to neurostimulation systems, methods for use with neurostimulation systems, and devices (e.g., programmers) of neurostimulation systems. Such a neurostimulation system can include, e.g., a neurostimulator, a programmer configured to communicate with and program the neurostimulator, and one or more leads connected to the neurostimulator, wherein each lead includes one or more electrodes. A method, according to an embodiment of the present invention, is for enabling efficient identification of one or more preferred sets of neurostimulation parameters from among numerous possible sets of neurostimulation parameters, wherein each set of neurostimulation parameters specifies a lead, an electrode configuration for the specified lead, and one or more pulse parameters (e.g., a pulse amplitude value, a pulse width value and/or a pulse frequency value).
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method for use with a system including a neurostimulator, a programmer configured to send instructions to the neurostimulator, and one or more leads connected to the neurostimulator, wherein each lead includes one or more electrodes,
wherein the method is for enabling efficient identification of one or more preferred sets of neurostimulation parameters from among numerous possible sets of neurostimulation parameters, wherein each set of neurostimulation parameters specifies a lead, an electrode configuration for the specified lead, and one or more pulse parameters, the method, comprising: -
(a) sending instructions to the neurostimulator to cause testing of each of a plurality of different sets of neurostimulation parameters; (b) saving, within the programmer and/or neurostimulator, information corresponding to a sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters, wherein the sub-plurality corresponds to those tested sets of neurostimulation parameters for which an indication is accepted from a user, via the programmer, that information is to be saved, and wherein a number of sets of neurostimulation parameters in the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters is less than a total number of sets of neurostimulation parameters for which testing is caused; (c) displaying, via the programmer, a list indicative of at least some of the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters; (d) accepting from a user, via the programmer, a selection of one of the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters from the displayed list; and (e) in response to one of the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters being selected from the displayed list, sending instructions to the neurostimulator to cause retesting of the set of neurostimulation parameters selected from the displayed list without requiring that a user specify, via the programmer, the lead, the electrode configuration and the one or more pulse parameters corresponding to the selected set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A programmer configured to communicate with a neurostimulator to which one or more leads are connected, wherein each lead includes one or more electrodes, the programmer comprising:
-
a controller configured to generate or accept a plurality of different sets of neurostimulation parameters to be tested, wherein each set of neurostimulation parameters specifies a lead, an electrode configuration for the specified lead, and one or more pulse parameters; telemetry circuitry configured to send instructions to the neurostimulator to cause testing of each of the plurality of different sets of neurostimulation parameters; memory; a display; and a user interface configured to accept, from a user, indications that information corresponding to a sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters being tested are to be saved in the memory of the programmer and/or within memory of the neurostimulator, wherein a number of sets of neurostimulation parameters in the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters is less than a total number of sets of neurostimulation parameters for which testing is caused; wherein the controller is also configured to cause a list, indicative of at least some of the sub-plurality of tested sets of neurostimulation parameters for which a user indicated information is to be saved, to be displayed on the display; wherein the user interface is also configured to accept, from a user, a selection of one of the tested sets of neurostimulation parameters from the displayed list; and wherein the controller is also configured to cause, in response one of the tested sets of neurostimulation parameters being selected from the displayed list, the telemetry circuitry to send instructions to the neurostimulator to cause retesting of the set of neurostimulation parameters selected from the displayed list without requiring that a user specify the lead, the electrode configuration and the one or more pulse parameters corresponding to the selected set. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
-
20. A system comprising:
-
a neurostimulator including memory; one or more leads connected to the neurostimulator, wherein each lead includes one or more electrodes; a programmer including a controller, memory, telemetry circuitry, a display and a user interface; wherein the controller of the programmer is configured to generate or accept a plurality of different sets of neurostimulation parameters to be tested, wherein each set of neurostimulation parameters specifies a lead, an electrode configuration for the specified lead, and one or more pulse parameters; wherein the telemetry circuitry of the programmer is configured to send instructions to the neurostimulator to cause testing of each of the plurality of different sets of neurostimulation parameters; wherein the user interface of the programmer is configured to accept, from a user, an indication that information corresponding to a set of neurostimulation parameters being tested is to be saved in the memory of the programmer and/or within the memory of the neurostimulator; wherein the controller of the programmer is also configured to cause a list, indicative of a sub-plurality of the tested sets of neurostimulation parameters for which a user indicated information is to be saved, to be displayed on the display of the programmer, wherein a number of sets of neurostimulation parameters in the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters is less than a total number of sets of neurostimulation parameters for which testing is caused; wherein the user interface of the programmer is also configured to accept, from a user, a selection of one of the tested sets of neurostimulation parameters from the displayed list; and wherein the controller of the programmer is also configured to cause, in response one of the tested sets of neurostimulation parameters being selected from the displayed list, the telemetry circuitry of the programmer to send instructions to the neurostimulator to cause retesting of the set of neurostimulation parameters selected from the displayed list without requiring that a user specify the lead, the electrode configuration and the one or more pulse parameters corresponding to the selected set.
-
-
21. A method for use with a system including a neurostimulator, a programmer configured to send instructions to the neurostimulator, and one or more leads connected to the neurostimulator, wherein each lead includes one or more electrodes,
wherein the method is for enabling efficient identification of one or more preferred sets of neurostimulation parameters from among numerous possible sets of neurostimulation parameters, wherein each set of neurostimulation parameters specifies a lead, an electrode configuration for the specified lead, and one or more pulse parameters, the method, comprising: -
(a) effecting testing of a plurality of different sets of neurostimulation parameters; (b) during the testing effected at step (a), saving, within the programmer and/or neurostimulator, information corresponding to a sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters being tested, in response to accepting indications from a user that the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters being tested are of interest, wherein a number of sets of neurostimulation parameters in the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters is less than a total number of sets of neurostimulation parameters for which testing is effected at step (a); (c) accepting, from a user, a selection of a previously tested set of neurostimulation parameters for which information was saved at step (b); and (d) in response one of the previously tested sets of neurostimulation parameters being selected at step (c), effecting retesting of the set of neurostimulation parameters selected at step (c) without requiring that a user specify the lead, the electrode configuration and the one or more pulse parameters corresponding to the selected set.
-
-
22. A non-transitory computer readable medium, including instructions stored thereon which when read and executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform the steps comprising:
-
(a) sending instructions to a neurostimulator to cause testing of each of a plurality of different sets of neurostimulation parameters; (b) saving information corresponding to a sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters, wherein the sub-plurality corresponds to those tested sets of neurostimulation parameters for which an indication is accepted that information is to be saved, and wherein a number of sets of neurostimulation parameters in the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters is less than a total number of sets of neurostimulation parameters for which testing is caused; (c) displaying a list indicative of at least some of the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters; (d) accepting a selection of one of the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters from the displayed list; and (e) in response to one of the sub-plurality of sets of neurostimulation parameters being selected from the displayed list, sending instructions to the neurostimulator to cause retesting of the set of neurostimulation parameters selected from the displayed list without requiring that a user specify, via the programmer, the lead, the electrode configuration and the one or more pulse parameters corresponding to the selected set.
-
Specification