Display graphics for use in stimulation therapies

• US 7,979,119 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: King, John D. H., Woods, Carla M., Kothandaraman, Sridhar
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US11/115,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20060241721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,268 Days
• Field of Search: 600/513, 600/523, 607/2, 607/31, 607/28, 714/46, 714/800
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Tissue stimulation systems, such as spinal cord stimulation systems, include a pulse generator to generate pulses at various amplitude, duration, and frequency through one or more electrodes. A visual depiction of both a pulse and an electrode configuration is thus provided herein. These depictions may be used in a stimulation display interface to readily convey stimulation parameter information to a user, wherein the interface is used in a stimulation session.

Claims

1. A system for programming a tissue stimulation apparatus having at least one electrode implantable in a patient, wherein the apparatus is configured for applying electrical stimulation energy having a pulse amplitude, a pulse width and a pulse rate to the patient'"'"'s tissue through the at least one electrode, the system comprising:

a user interface having a plurality of graphical displays configured for displaying a pulse waveform corresponding to the applied stimulation energy, wherein a height of the pulse waveform corresponds to the pulse amplitude and a width of the pulse waveform corresponds to the pulse width.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the graphical displays corresponds to an area to be programmed.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of graphical displays on the user interface is configured for indicating that a particular channel is being programmed by at least one of a color, a shape, a chart, a graph, a pattern, one or more words, and one or more symbols.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of graphical displays on the user interface is configured for indicating that a particular area is inactive by at least one of a color, a shape, a chart, a graph, a pattern, one or more words, and one or more symbols.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of graphical displays on the user interface is configured for indicating that a particular area is not being programmed by at least one of a color, a shape, a chart, a graph, a pattern, one or more words, and one or more symbols.

6. A system for programming a tissue stimulation apparatus having a plurality of electrodes implantable in a patient, wherein the apparatus is configured for applying electrical stimulation energy to the patient'"'"'s tissue through the electrodes, the system comprising:

a graphical display configured for displaying a plurality of icons respectively corresponding to the implantable electrodes, and wherein each icon comprises a polarity sign indicating a polarity of the respective implantable electrode, and a polarity percentage sign indicating a polarity percentage of the respective implantable electrode.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the polarity percentage sign comprises at least one of a numerical value, a chart, and a graph.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the numerical value ranges between 0 and 100 or between −

100 and 100.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the polarity sign comprises at least one of a plus sign, a minus sign, a null sign, a color, and a shape.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the null sign comprises at least one of a no sign, a zero sign, a color, a graph, a chart, a pattern, and a shape.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the graphical display is configured for indicating an electrode with a high impedance state by at least one of a color, a shape, a chart, a graph, a pattern, one or more words, and one or more symbols.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the tissue stimulation apparatus is a spinal cord stimulation system.