Method and apparatus for controlling electrical stimulation
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling electrical stimulation used for stimulating nerve fibers, comprising:
- an electrode array including an electrode set having a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode and a fourth electrode, each of which is separately powered and controlled by an independent power source; and
an electrode controller for receiving input control signals and driving an electrode set in the electrode array so as to generate a composite stimulation signal in the electrode set;
wherein the second and third electrodes are adjacent and are of a first power polarity for controlling a location of the composite stimulation signal, and the first and fourth electrodes are of a second power polarity which is inverse with respect to the first power polarity, so as to balance a total power polarity of the electrode set and focus on a stimulation region of the composite stimulation signal which is generated between the second and the third electrodes, andwherein the second and third electrodes of the first power polarity have a power setting designated as (−
(1−
A))P and (−
A)P, respectively, while the first and fourth electrodes of the second power polarity have a power setting designated as (B)P and (1−
B)P, respectively, where A and B are parameters ranging from 0 to 1, the location of the composite stimulation signal can be controlled by adjusting the parameters A and B, and P is a total power setting.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for controlling an electrical stimulation system to increase the resolution of the stimulation region with multiple independent power source electrodes is proposed. In the apparatus, the electrode set contains at least three electrodes of which two adjacent electrodes are of the same power polarity to control the location of the composite stimulation signal and the others are of an inverse power polarity to balance the total power polarity and narrow the stimulation region. The method for the apparatus comprises steps of: receiving a target stimulation location and level, generating at least one parameter to adjust power settings of the electrodes, thereby obtaining a composite stimulation signal corresponding to a virtual channel of which a location and level match the target stimulation location and level.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling electrical stimulation used for stimulating nerve fibers, comprising:
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an electrode array including an electrode set having a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode and a fourth electrode, each of which is separately powered and controlled by an independent power source; and an electrode controller for receiving input control signals and driving an electrode set in the electrode array so as to generate a composite stimulation signal in the electrode set; wherein the second and third electrodes are adjacent and are of a first power polarity for controlling a location of the composite stimulation signal, and the first and fourth electrodes are of a second power polarity which is inverse with respect to the first power polarity, so as to balance a total power polarity of the electrode set and focus on a stimulation region of the composite stimulation signal which is generated between the second and the third electrodes, and wherein the second and third electrodes of the first power polarity have a power setting designated as (−
(1−
A))P and (−
A)P, respectively, while the first and fourth electrodes of the second power polarity have a power setting designated as (B)P and (1−
B)P, respectively, where A and B are parameters ranging from 0 to 1, the location of the composite stimulation signal can be controlled by adjusting the parameters A and B, and P is a total power setting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for controlling electrical stimulation with a plurality of electrodes for stimulating nerve fibers, the method comprising:
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receiving a target stimulation location and level; and generating at least one parameter for adjusting power settings of an electrode set to be driven in an electrode array, so as to obtain a composite stimulation signal corresponding to a virtual channel of which a location and level match the target stimulation location and level; wherein the electrode set includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode and a fourth electrode, in which the second and third electrodes are adjacent and are of a first power polarity for controlling the location of the composite stimulation signal, while the first and fourth electrodes are of a second power polarity which is inverse with respect to the first power polarity, so as to balance the total power polarity of the electrode set and focus on a stimulation region of the composite stimulation signal, and wherein the second and third electrodes of the first power polarity have a power setting designated as (−
(1−
A))P and (−
A)P, respectively, while the first and fourth electrodes of the second power polarity have a power setting designated as (B)P and (1−
B)P, respectively, where A and B are parameters ranging from 0 to 1, the location of the composite stimulation signal can be controlled by adjusting the parameters A and B, and P is a total power setting. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for controlling electrical stimulation used for stimulating nerve fibers, comprising:
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an electrode array including an electrode set; and an electrode controller for receiving input control signals and driving the electrode set in the electrode array so as to generate an composite stimulation signal in the electrode set; wherein the electrode set comprises four electrodes each of which is separately powered and controlled by an independent power source, of which at least one electrode is of a first power polarity and other electrodes are of a second power polarity which is inverse with respect to the first power polarity, so as to balance a total power polarity of the electrode set and focus on a stimulation region of the composite stimulation signal, and wherein power settings of the four electrodes are (1−
α
)AP, (2α
−
1−
α
B)P, (1−
2α
+α
A−
A)P and (α
B)P, respectively, where P is a total power setting, and α
, A and B are parameters ranging from 0 to 1. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for controlling electrical stimulation with a plurality of electrodes for stimulating nerve fibers, the method comprising:
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receiving a target stimulation location and level; and generating at least one parameter for adjusting power setting of an electrode set to be driven in an electrode array, so as to obtain a composite stimulation signal corresponding to a virtual channel of which a location and level match the target stimulation location and level; wherein the electrode set includes four electrodes each of which is separately powered and controlled by an independent power source, in which at least one electrode is of a first power polarity and other electrodes are of a second power polarity which is inverse with respect to the first power polarity, so as to balance a total power polarity of the electrode set and concentrate on a stimulation region of the composite stimulation signal, and wherein power settings of four electrodes are (1−
α
)AP, (2α
−
1−
α
B)P, (1−
2α
+α
A−
A)P and (α
B)P, respectively, where P is a total power setting, and α
, A and B are parameters ranging from 0 to 1. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification