MANAGEMENT OF STIMULATION SAFETY LIMITS IN A NEUROSTIMULATION SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A neurostimulation system for use with at least one electrode, comprising:
- a neurostimulator configured for delivering electrical stimulation energy to a tissue region in accordance with a stimulation parameter, thereby injecting a charge into the tissue region at the at least one electrode;
an external control device configured for allowing a user to modify the stimulation parameter;
memory storing a hard stop charge limit; and
control circuitry configured for determining a tissue charge density injection metric at the at least one electrode, comparing the tissue charge injection metric to the hard stop charge limit, and preventing the neurostimulator from delivering the electrical stimulation energy to the tissue region in accordance with the modified stimulation parameter based on the comparison.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A neurostimulation system for management of stimulation safety limits. The system determines a tissue charge injection metric at each electrode, compares the metric to the hard stop charge limit, and prevents the neurostimulator from delivering stimulation energy to the tissue region in accordance based on the comparison. The hard stop limit may be user-programmable or may be automatically modified in response to detection of electrode characteristics. The system may quantitatively notify a user of a value of the injected charge injected into the tissue. The electrodes may be organized into different sets, in which case, the system may directly control tissue charge independently at each of the electrode sets. If current steering is provided, the system may displace the electrical stimulation energy along the tissue region in one direction, while preventing the charge injection value at each of the electrodes from meeting or exceeding the hard stop charge limit.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A neurostimulation system for use with at least one electrode, comprising:
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a neurostimulator configured for delivering electrical stimulation energy to a tissue region in accordance with a stimulation parameter, thereby injecting a charge into the tissue region at the at least one electrode; an external control device configured for allowing a user to modify the stimulation parameter; memory storing a hard stop charge limit; and control circuitry configured for determining a tissue charge density injection metric at the at least one electrode, comparing the tissue charge injection metric to the hard stop charge limit, and preventing the neurostimulator from delivering the electrical stimulation energy to the tissue region in accordance with the modified stimulation parameter based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A neurostimulation system for use with at least one electrode, comprising:
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a neurostimulator configured for delivering electrical stimulation energy to a tissue region, thereby injecting a charge into the tissue region at the at least one electrode; and an external control device configured for being actuated to actively modify the characteristics of the delivered electrical stimulation energy, and for, in response to the modification of the delivered electrical stimulation energy characteristics, quantitatively notifying a user of a value of the charge injected into the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21-54. -54. (canceled)
Specification