Electromyographic treatment device
First Claim
1. An electromyographic treatment system having a treatment device and including and operated by a computer having an interactive graphic display, the treatment device comprising:
- a reference electrode and a pair of active electrodes for sensing electromyographic signals from a patient and for delivering an electrical stimulation signal to the patient;
an electromyographic sensing circuit connected to the electrodes, having input signal conditioning means for converting the sensed signals to digital electromyographic words representative of the sensed signals and having an automatic nulling means for establishing a null signal level representative of a background electromyographic signal generated by the patient at rest;
an electrical stimulation circuit connected to the active electrodes, having output signal conditioning means for converting a series of digital stimulation words into a plurality of complex, bipolar voltage pulses forming a series of preselected therapeutic pulse trains defining a stimulation signal;
electronic interconnecting means for interconnecting the sensing and stimulation circuits and for interconnecting the sensing and stimulation circuits with the computer; and
software means for use in conjunction with the personal computer for accepting the electromyographic words and generating a normalized image of the sensed signals for display on the interactive graphical display, enabling a therapist to view the sensed signals, enter a plurality of therapeutic parameters into the display, view a graphic representation of a resulting therapeutic pulse train, and for sending digital stimulation words representative of the therapeutic parameters to the stimulation circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical muscle stimulator converts electromyographic (EMG) signals to digital words for analysis and display by a computer program. The therapist selects a variety of different parameters appropriate for the individual patient, and instructs the device to initiate stimulating signals on command, or upon detection of a suitable EMG signal from the patient. The device that converts digital words representing the selected parameters into complex, bipolar therapeutic pulses. The device can digitally model a wide variety of wave forms and graphically assist the therapist in developing and shaping various wave pulse trains.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An electromyographic treatment system having a treatment device and including and operated by a computer having an interactive graphic display, the treatment device comprising:
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a reference electrode and a pair of active electrodes for sensing electromyographic signals from a patient and for delivering an electrical stimulation signal to the patient; an electromyographic sensing circuit connected to the electrodes, having input signal conditioning means for converting the sensed signals to digital electromyographic words representative of the sensed signals and having an automatic nulling means for establishing a null signal level representative of a background electromyographic signal generated by the patient at rest; an electrical stimulation circuit connected to the active electrodes, having output signal conditioning means for converting a series of digital stimulation words into a plurality of complex, bipolar voltage pulses forming a series of preselected therapeutic pulse trains defining a stimulation signal; electronic interconnecting means for interconnecting the sensing and stimulation circuits and for interconnecting the sensing and stimulation circuits with the computer; and software means for use in conjunction with the personal computer for accepting the electromyographic words and generating a normalized image of the sensed signals for display on the interactive graphical display, enabling a therapist to view the sensed signals, enter a plurality of therapeutic parameters into the display, view a graphic representation of a resulting therapeutic pulse train, and for sending digital stimulation words representative of the therapeutic parameters to the stimulation circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electromyographic treatment system having a treatment device and including and operated by a computer having an interactive graphic display, the treatment device comprising:
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a reference electrode and a pair of active electrodes for sensing electromyographic signals from a patient and for delivering an electrical stimulation signal to the patient; an electromyographic sensing circuit connected to the electrodes, having input signal conditioning means for converting the sensed signals to digital electromyographic words representative of the sensed signals; an electrical stimulation circuit connected to the active electrodes, having output signal means for converting a series of digital stimulation words into a plurality of complex, bipolar pulses forming a series of preselected therapeutic pulse trains defining a stimulation signal; electronic interconnecting means for interconnecting the sensing and stimulation circuits and for interconnecting the sensing and stimulation circuits with the computer; and software means for use in conjunction with the personal computer for accepting the electromyographic words and generating a normalized image of the sensed signals for display on the interactive graphical display, enabling a therapist to view the sensed signals, enter a plurality of therapeutic parameters into the display, view a graphic representation of a resulting therapeutic pulse train, and for sending digital stimulation words representative of the therapeutic parameters to the stimulation circuit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for generating complex bipolar pulses forming a series of preselected therapeutic pulse trains defining a stimulation signal, comprising the steps of:
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viewing an electromyographic background signal from a patient at rest on a screen in a time domain; enabling a digital counter which drives a digital to analog converter until the background signal is nulled out; asking the patient to initiate a contraction of a muscle of interest so as to generate an electromyographic signal; viewing a representation of the electromyographic signal and entering a threshold electromyographic level into a graphic interface in response thereto; entering a plurality of therapeutic parameters into the graphic interface, the parameters being represented as digital words in a computer program; and converting the digital words into stimulation signals and applying the stimulation signals to a patient. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification