Multi-electrode implantable stimulator device with a single current path decoupling capacitor
First Claim
1. A multi-electrode stimulator device, comprising:
- a body for the device;
a first electrode coupled to the body of the device, wherein the first electrode comprises either an anode or a cathode;
a plurality of second electrodes coupled to the body of the device, wherein one of the second electrodes is selectable via switching circuitry to comprise the other of the anode or cathode when compared to the first electrode; and
one and only one decoupling capacitor within the body and positioned in a current path between the first electrode and the selected second electrode,wherein the decoupling capacitor is directly connected to the first electrode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are circuits and methods for a multi-electrode implantable stimulator device incorporating one decoupling capacitor in the current path established via at least one cathode electrode and at least one anode electrode. In one embodiment, the decoupling capacitor may be hard-wired to a dedicated anode on the device. The cathodes are selectively activatable via stimulation switches. In another embodiment, any of the electrodes on the devices can be selectively activatable as an anode or cathode. In this embodiment, the decoupling capacitor is placed into the current path via selectable anode and cathode stimulation switches. Regardless of the implementation, the techniques allow for the benefits of capacitive decoupling without the need to associate decoupling capacitors with every electrode on the multi-electrode device, which saves space in the body of the device. Although of particular benefit when applied to microstimulators, the disclosed technique can be used with space-saving benefits in any stimulator device.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A multi-electrode stimulator device, comprising:
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a body for the device; a first electrode coupled to the body of the device, wherein the first electrode comprises either an anode or a cathode; a plurality of second electrodes coupled to the body of the device, wherein one of the second electrodes is selectable via switching circuitry to comprise the other of the anode or cathode when compared to the first electrode; and one and only one decoupling capacitor within the body and positioned in a current path between the first electrode and the selected second electrode, wherein the decoupling capacitor is directly connected to the first electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An implantable stimulator device, comprising:
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a body for the device; a first electrode coupled to the body of the device, wherein the first electrode comprises either an anode or a cathode, and wherein the first electrode is selectable via switching circuitry to be either the anode or the cathode; a plurality of second electrodes coupled to the body of the device, wherein the second electrodes are selectable via switching circuitry to comprise the other of the anode or cathode when compared to the first electrode; and one and only one decoupling capacitor within the body and position in a current path between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the decoupling capacitor is directly connected to the first electrode the first electrode and the second electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A multi-electrode stimulator device, comprising:
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a body for the device; a first electrode coupled to the body of the device, wherein the first electrode comprises either an anode or a cathode; at least two second electrodes coupled to the body of the device, wherein the at least two second electrodes are the other of the anode or the cathode when compared to the first electrode; current generation circuitry with the body, wherein the current generation circuitry drives a current in a current path between the first electrode and the at least two second electrodes; one and only one decoupling capacitor within the body and positioned in the current path, wherein the decoupling capacitor is directly connected to the first electrode; and
a plurality of switchesfor allowing the selection of at least some or all of the electrodes as the first electrode or the at least two second electrodes from a plurality of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A multi-electrode stimulator device, comprising:
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a body for the device; a single first electrode coupled to the body of the device, wherein the first electrode comprises either an anode or a cathode; a plurality of second electrodes coupled to the body of the device, wherein the second electrodes comprise the other of the anode or cathode when compared to the first electrode; and one and only one decoupling capacitor within the body directly connected to the first electrode, wherein no decoupling capacitors are directly connected to the second electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification