Fractional voltage converter

• US 7,751,879 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tranchina, Benjamin A., Varrichio, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manuel; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wieland; Robert N
• Application Number:
  US11/620,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20070156203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 327/536, 363/59, 363/60, 326/68, 607/118, 607/45, 607/2, 607/5
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36153 Voltage A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3782 producing a voltage above the power source level
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/072 adapted to generate an output voltage whose value is lower than the input voltage

Abstract

In one embodiment, an implantable pulse generator comprises: pulse generating circuitry for generating pulses and delivering the pulses to outputs of the implantable pulse generator; a controller; wherein the pulse generating circuitry comprises a voltage multiplier for multiplying a battery voltage, the voltage multiplier including multiple outputs, wherein a first output of the multiple outputs provides a voltage that is programmably selectable from a plurality of voltages including non-integer multiples of the battery voltage, wherein a second output of the multiple outputs provides a voltage that is a fixed multiple of the battery voltage; wherein the controller controls the pulse generator circuitry to generate a first pulse for stimulation of the patient using a first output of the multiple outputs and controls the pulse generator circuitry to generate a second pulse to discharge output capacitors of residual charge from the first pulse using a second output of the multiple outputs.

Claims

1. An implantable pulse generator for generating electrical pulses for stimulating tissue of a patient, comprising:

pulse generating circuitry for generating pulses and delivering the pulses to outputs of the implantable pulse generator;

a controller for controlling the pulse generating circuitry;

wherein the pulse generating circuitry comprises a voltage multiplier for multiplying a battery voltage, the voltage multiplier including multiple outputs, wherein a first output of the multiple outputs provides a voltage that is programmably selectable from a plurality of voltages including non-integer multiples of the battery voltage, wherein a second output of the multiple outputs provides a voltage that is a fixed multiple of the battery voltage;

wherein the controller controls the pulse generator circuitry to generate a first pulse for stimulation of the patient using a first output of the multiple outputs and controls the pulse generator circuitry to generate a second pulse to discharge output capacitors of residual charge from the first pulse using a second output of the multiple outputs;

wherein the voltage multiplier comprises;

a plurality of capacitors; and

switching circuitry for selectively connecting to the plurality of capacitors, wherein said switching circuitry comprises a plurality of controllable switches, wherein the plurality of controllable switches includes at least a first switch having a higher relative voltage characteristic and a second switch having a lower relative voltage characteristic;

clock conversion circuitry for converting a received clock into respective level-shifted clocks for application to the plurality of controllable switches, wherein the clock conversion circuitry up-shifts the received clock to a maximum level for generation of a level-shifted clock for application to the first switch and, then, down-shifts from the maximum level for generation of a level-shifted clock for application to the second switch.

2. The implantable pulse generator of claim 1 further comprising:

a variable resistance circuit for controlling the amplitude of an output pulse.

3. The implantable pulse generator of claim 2 wherein the controller modifies a resistance of the variable resistance circuit between the first and second pulses.

4. The implantable pulse generator of claim 1 wherein first pulse and the second pulse are separated by a blanking period.

5. The implantable pulse generator of claim 1 wherein the controller causes the second pulse to discharge the output capacitors to a non-zero level that is sufficiently low to permit passive discharge to substantially remove remaining charge before another stimulation pulse is generated.

6. The implantable pulse generator of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor.

7. The implantable pulse generator of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises an output driver integrated circuit.

8. The implantable pulse generator of claim 1 wherein the controller controls the pulse generating circuitry to generate and deliver pulses at a frequency of 250 Hz or greater.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the pulse generating circuitry generates and delivers pulses at a frequency of 250 Hz or greater.

9. A method of operating an implantable pulse generator that is adapted to stimulate tissue of a patient, the implantable pulse generator comprising pulse generating circuitry for generating and delivering electrical pulses, the method comprising:

operating a voltage multiplier for multiplying a battery voltage to provide multiple outputs, wherein a first output of the multiple outputs provides a voltage that is programmably selectable from a plurality of voltages including non-integer multiples of the battery voltage, wherein a second output of the multiple outputs provides a voltage that is a fixed multiple of the battery voltage;

controlling the pulse generating circuitry to generate a first pulse for stimulation of the patient using a first output of the multiple outputs; and

controlling the pulse generator circuitry to generate a second pulse to discharge output capacitors of residual charge from the first pulse using a second output of the multiple outputs;

wherein the voltage multiplier comprises switching circuitry for selectively connecting to capacitors of the voltage multiplier, wherein said switching circuitry comprises a plurality of controllable switches, wherein the plurality of controllable switches includes at least a first switch having a higher relative voltage characteristic and a second switch having a lower relative voltage characteristic, the method further comprising;

converting a received clock into respective level-shifted clocks for application to the plurality of controllable switches, wherein converting up-shifts the received clock to a maximum level for generation of a level-shifted clock for application to the first switch and, then, down-shifts from the maximum level for generation of a level-shifted clock for application to the second switch.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the implantable pulse generator further comprises a variable resistance circuit for controlling the amplitude of an output pulse.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

modifying a resistance of the variable resistance circuit between the first and second pulses.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein first pulse and the second pulse are separated by a blanking period.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the second pulse discharges the output capacitors to a non-zero level that is sufficiently low to permit passive discharge to substantially remove remaining charge before another stimulation pulse is generated.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the pulse generator is controlled by a controller comprising a microprocessor.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the pulse generator is controlled by a controller comprising an output driver integrated circuit.