Steering stimulation current by employing steering current
First Claim
1. A method of steering current to stimulate tissue by an implantable medical device, comprising:
- generating at the implantable medical device a first current through tissue and between a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and second electrode being referenced to a first voltage source; and
while generating the first current, generating at the implantable medical device a second current through tissue and between a third electrode and a fourth electrode, the third electrode and the fourth electrode being referenced to a second voltage source that is not referenced to the first voltage source, the first and second electrodes being positioned between the third and fourth electrodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Stimulation current is steered further outward and/or inward from a plane of the stimulating electrodes by using one or more steering currents. The steering current may be used to occupy space in the tissue where stimulation is not desired and to force the stimulation current to pass through target tissue. The steering current may be present in various locations such as in tissue that is immediately adjacent the plane of the electrodes to force the stimulation current away from the immediately adjacent area and deeper into surrounding target tissue. The steering current may be present in tissue that is beyond the target tissue to confine the outward reach of the stimulation current to that target tissue. The stimulation current may be produced by one power source while the steering current may be produced by one or more other power sources, each of the power sources being unreferenced to each other.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of steering current to stimulate tissue by an implantable medical device, comprising:
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generating at the implantable medical device a first current through tissue and between a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and second electrode being referenced to a first voltage source; and while generating the first current, generating at the implantable medical device a second current through tissue and between a third electrode and a fourth electrode, the third electrode and the fourth electrode being referenced to a second voltage source that is not referenced to the first voltage source, the first and second electrodes being positioned between the third and fourth electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a first voltage source; a second voltage source not referenced to the first voltage source; a first and a second electrical connector referenced to the first voltage source such that a first current from the first voltage source flows between the first and second electrical connectors; a third and a fourth electrical connector referenced to the second voltage source such that a second current from the second voltage source flows between the third and fourth electrical connectors; wherein the first current is a stimulation current and the second current is a steering current that limits an outward reach of the stimulation current, and wherein the steering current has a frequency that is greater than a frequency of the stimulation current such that the steering current does not depolarize the tissue.
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19. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a first voltage source; a second voltage source not referenced to the first voltage source; a first and a second electrical connector referenced to the first voltage source such that a first current from the first voltage source flows between the first and second electrical connectors; and a third and a fourth electrical connector referenced to the second voltage source such that a second current from the second voltage source flows between the third and fourth electrical connectors; a first electrode electrically coupled to the first electrical connector; a second electrode electrically coupled to the second electrical connector; a third electrode electrically coupled to the third electrical connector; and a fourth electrode electrically coupled to the fourth electrical connector, wherein the first and second electrodes are located between the third and fourth electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification