Low Power Loss Current Digital-to-Analog Converter Used in an Implantable Pulse Generator
First Claim
1. An implantable stimulator device, comprising:
- a first electrode implantable adjacent to tissue to be stimulated;
a first transistor configured to source a stimulation current along a first output path to the first electrode;
a second electrode implantable adjacent to tissue to be stimulated; and
a second transistor configured to sink the stimulation current along a second output path from the second electrode,wherein the first and second transistors are controlled to operate in a linear mode.
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Abstract
An implantable stimulation device that includes output current sources and/or sinks configured to provide an output current for a load (i.e., tissue). The output path of the output current source or sink comprises a transistor which operates in a linear mode instead of a saturation mode. Because operation in a linear mode results in smaller drain-to-source voltage drops, power consumption in the output current source or sink (and hence in the implantable stimulator) is reduced, reducing battery or other power source requirements. Operation in the linear mode is facilitated by a load in an input path and a load in the output path (which bears the output current). The loads can be active transistors or passive resistors. A feedback circuit (e.g., an operational amplifier) receives voltages that build up across these loads, and sends a control signal to the gate of the transistor to ensure its linear operation.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An implantable stimulator device, comprising:
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a first electrode implantable adjacent to tissue to be stimulated; a first transistor configured to source a stimulation current along a first output path to the first electrode; a second electrode implantable adjacent to tissue to be stimulated; and a second transistor configured to sink the stimulation current along a second output path from the second electrode, wherein the first and second transistors are controlled to operate in a linear mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An implantable stimulator device, comprising:
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a first electrode implantable adjacent to tissue to be stimulated; a first load configured to source a current along a first output path to the first electrode; a first feedback circuit configured to receive a first voltage on the first output path, and to control the first load to source the current along the first output path; a second electrode implantable adjacent to tissue to be stimulated; a second load configured to sink the current along a second output path from the second electrode; and a second feedback circuit configured to receive a second voltage on the second output path, and to control the second load to sink the current along the second output path. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification