Apparatus and method for the stimulation of a human muscle
First Claim
1. Apparatus for stimulating a muscle, comprising:
- (a) first means for stimulating said muscle, said first means being adapted to receive muscle stimulation signals from third means and to stimulate one region of said muscle accordingly;
(b) second means for receiving muscle stimulation signals directly from another region of said muscle and transmitting said muscle stimulation signals to said third means; and
(c) third means adapted to receive said muscle stimulation signals and to re-transmit said muscle stimulation signals to said means for stimulating said muscle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and process for stimulating muscle such as where a portion of a muscle and its nerve structure are damaged. Muscle stimulators are embedded within the muscle at the general location where the muscle is to be activated. Muscle stimulation signals are transmitted to the muscle stimulators by a transmitter-receiver which receives muscle potential signals from muscle potential sensors embedded within the muscle, and converts these signals into muscle stimulation signals. The transmitter-receiver may be mounted on a cuff which can be externally secured. The cuff, the stimulators, and sensors are provided with antennas such that the transmitter-receiver transmits and receives signals without being wired to the sensors and stimulators. The sensors and stimulators have power supplies which may be energized from external high frequency sources which may themselves be mounted on the cuff. Power transmission occurs through antennas such that the sources need not be wired to the various components.
138 Citations
28 Claims
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1. Apparatus for stimulating a muscle, comprising:
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(a) first means for stimulating said muscle, said first means being adapted to receive muscle stimulation signals from third means and to stimulate one region of said muscle accordingly; (b) second means for receiving muscle stimulation signals directly from another region of said muscle and transmitting said muscle stimulation signals to said third means; and (c) third means adapted to receive said muscle stimulation signals and to re-transmit said muscle stimulation signals to said means for stimulating said muscle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for stimulating a muscle, comprising:
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(a) first means implantable within a first region of said muscle for stimulating said muscle, said first means being adapted to receive a muscle stimulation signal from an external third means and to stimulate one region of said muscle accordingly; (b) second means implantable within a second region of said muscle to sense muscle stimulation signals directly from said second region of said muscle and transmit said muscle stimulation signals to an external third means; and (c) third means positioned externally and being adapted to receive said muscle stimulation signals and to retransmit said muscle stimulation signals to said first means for stimulating said muscle.
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19. A cuff for use with an apparatus for stimulating a muscle, comprising:
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(a) a receiver tuned to receive, demodulate and decode a signal transmitted by an implantable muscle potential sensor, and an antenna for receiving the transmitted signal from the implantable sensor; (b) data processing means for amplifying and addressing the signals received by said receiver from said implantable muscle sensors; (c) a transmitter for transmitting the signals of (b) to a muscle stimulator implantable in a muscle to stimulate said muscle; and (d) means for securing said cuff to a body. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A process for stimulating a muscle region comprising the steps of:
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(a) measuring directly muscle potential at a first muscle region by means of a plurality of muscle potential sensors implanted in a first region of muscle; (b) transmitting said measured muscle potential to a transmitter-receiver which receives said muscle potential signals and re-transmits these signals as muscle stimulation signals; and (c) receiving said transmitted measured muscle stimulation signals of step (b) and transmitting the muscle stimulation signals to a plurality of implanted stimulus producers implanted at a second region in the muscle to stimulate the second region of said muscle. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A process of stimulating damaged muscle tissue where a portion of the muscle nerve structure has been inactivated comprising the steps of:
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(a) measuring directly muscle potential at an undamaged muscle region by means of a plurality of potential sensors implanted in a muscle; (b) transmitting said measured muscle potential to an external transmitter-receiver, receiving said measured muscle potential in said transmitter-receiver and re-transmitting said muscle potential signals as muscle stimulation signals; and (c) receiving said transmitted muscle stimulation signals of step (b) and transmitting the muscle stimulation signals to a plurality of implanted stimulus producers embedded at an effected region in the muscle suffering from said nerve damage to stimulate the effected region of said muscle.
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28. Apparatus for stimulating a muscle, comprising:
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(a) first means for stimulating said muscle, said first means being adapted to receive muscle stimulation signals from third means and to stimulate one region of said muscle accordingly; (b) second means for receiving muscle stimulation signals directly from a region of said muscle and transmitting said muscle stimulation signals to said third means; and (c) third means adapted to receive said muscle stimulation signals and to re-transmit said muscle stimulation signals to said means for stimulating said muscle.
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Specification