Automatic waveform output adjustment for an implantable medical device

• US 7,024,246 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Perz, Leroy L., Bright, Kevin L., Hester, Richard E., Juran, Carleen J., Acosta, Carlos C.
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US10/133,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20030204226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 607/7, 607/8, 607/9, 607/11, 607/46, 607 62- 64, 607/48, 607/52
• US Class Current: 607/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components

Abstract

Apparatus and method assure the electrical characteristics of a stimulation waveform to an electrode of an Implantable Neuro Stimulator. The embodiment comprises a regulator, a measurement module, a generator, and a processor. The generator provides an input signal to the regulator. The regulator consequently regulates the input signal in order to form a pulse that is applied to the electrode. The processor instructs the measurement module to perform an electrical measurement that is indicative of an amplitude of the pulse. If the electrical measurement is sufficiently different from a desired value, the processor instructs the generator to be reconfigured in order that the amplitude of the pulse is within an acceptable value. A redundant capacitor pair may be inserted in a capacitor arrangement in order to compensate for a reduced battery voltage, or a detected faulty component such as a capacitor or a regulator may be replaced with a redundant component.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatic waveform output adjustment with an implantable medical device, comprising in combination:

a first regulator module operatively connected to an electrode, the first regulator configured to direct a first pulse with a first amplitude to the electrode, the regulator further configured to adjust the amplitude of the first pulse;

a measurement module that performs an electrical measurement that is associated with the first regulator module;

a generator connected to the first regulator module in order to provide an input signal to the first regulator module; and

a processor connected to the measurement module the generator, the processor configured to perform;

(a) receiving the electrical measurement, the electrical measurement indicative of the amplitude of the pulse;

(b) determining a differential value between the electrical measurement and a desired value adapted to be stored in memory;

(c) ascertaining whether the generator shall be reconfigured in order for the generator to deliver the input signal that corresponds to approximately the desired value; and

(d) instructing the generator in response to (c).

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical measurement corresponds to a voltage drop across the first regulator module.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, including a programmed input voltage, wherein the electrical measurement corresponds to a voltage potential between an output of the first regulator module and the programmed input voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical measurement corresponds to a difference between a measured output and an expected output value of the first regulator module.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical measurement corresponds to a voltage of the input signal that is provided to the first regulator module by the generator, and wherein the processor is configured to further perform:

(e) comparing the voltage of the input signal to a programed input voltage.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical measurement corresponds to an output of the first regulator module, and wherein the processor is configured to further perform:

(e) determining the desired value from a configuration of the generator, the generator comprising a capacitor arrangement.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein (d) comprises:

(i) reconfiguring the generator in order that the generator delivers the input signal corresponding to approximately the desired value.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the amplitude corresponds to a value of voltage.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the amplitude corresponds to a value of current.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generator comprises capacitor arrangement, the capacitor arrangement comprising a plurality of capacitor pairs.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

(i) determining if there is a faulty capacitor pair; and

(ii) determining if there is a spare capacitor pair.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein (d) comprises:

(i) instructing the generator to activate the spare capacitor pair if the faulty capacitor pair is detected.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein (d) comprises:

(i) instructing the generator to deactivate the faulty capacitor pair if the faulty capacitor pair is detected.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein (i) comprises:

(1) charging a capacitor of the capacitor arrangement to a known voltage;

(2) measuring a measured voltage across the capacitor; and

(3) comparing the measured voltage with the known voltage.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein (i) further comprises:

(4) repeating (1)–

(3) for each capacitor of the capacitor arrangement.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a second regulator module, the second regulator connected to the electrode and configured to direct a second pulse having a second amplitude to the electrode wherein the electrical measurement provided by the measurement module is a first electrical measurement and the measurement module performs a second electrical measurement that is associated with the second regulator module, and wherein the processor is configured to perform the further steps of:

(e) comparing corresponding measurements of the first regulator nodule and the second regulator module; and

(f) replacing the first regulator module with the second regulator module in response to (e).

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

(e) notifying a programming unit in response to (c).

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the implantable medical device includes a telemetry module and (e) utilizes the telemetry module.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regulator module comprises a voltage regulator.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regulator module comprises a current regulator.

21. A method for automatic waveform output adjustment with an implantable medical device, the method comprising :

(a) receiving an electrical measurement, the electrical measurement indicative of an amplitude of a pulse;

(b) determining a differential value between the electrical measurement and a desired value;

(c) ascertaining whether a generator shall be reconfigured in order for the generator to deliver an input signal that corresponds to approximately the desired value, the ascertaining including;

(i) determining if there is a faulty capacitor pair; and

(ii) determining if there is a spare capacitor pair; and

(d) instructing the generator in response to step (c).

22. The method of claim 21, wherein (d) comprises:

(i) instructing the generator to activate the spare capacitor pair if the faulty capacitor pair is detected.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein (d) comprises:

(i) instructing the generator to deactivate the faulty capacitor pair if the faulty capacitor pair is detected.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein (i) comprises:

(1) charging a capacitor of a capacitor arrangement to a known voltage;

(2) measuring a measured voltage across the capacitor; and

(3) comparing the measured voltage with the known voltage.

25. The method of claim 24, (i) further comprising:

(4) repeating (1)–

(3) for each capacitor of the capacitor arrangement.