Systems and methods for providing neural stimulation transitions
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- generating a neural stimulation signal only during a duty cycle of a stimulation period to provide intermittent neural stimulation for a neural stimulation therapy, including;
generating the neural stimulation signal during the duty cycle of the stimulation period to provide the neural stimulation therapy with an intensity at a therapy level for a portion of the duty cycle, the neural stimulation signal including a stimulation pulse train; and
implementing a ramp up protocol to begin the duty cycle, a ramp down protocol to end the duty cycle, or both the ramp up protocol to begin the duty cycle and the ramp down protocol to end the duty cycle;
wherein the ramp up protocol includes a programmed value for at least one programmable ramp up parameter, and wherein implementing the ramp up protocol includes stepping up the intensity from a zero value before the duty cycle when the neural stimulation signal is not generated to a non-zero first subthreshold level for the neural stimulation therapy at the beginning of the duty cycle, and implementing a programmed ramp up algorithm to ramp up the intensity from the non-zero first subthreshold level at the beginning of the duty cycle to the therapy level; and
wherein the ramp down protocol includes a programmed value for at least one programmable ramp down parameter, and wherein implementing the ramp down protocol includes implementing a programmed ramp down algorithm to ramp down the intensity from the therapy level to a non-zero second subthreshold level for the neural stimulation therapy at the end of the duty cycle, and stepping down the neural stimulation intensity from the non-zero second subthreshold level at the end of the duty cycle to the zero value after the duty cycle.
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Abstract
A method embodiment comprises generating a neural stimulation signal for a neural stimulation therapy. The signal is generated during a duty cycle of a stimulation period to provide the neural stimulation therapy with an intensity at a therapy level for a portion of the duty cycle. In various embodiments, a ramp up protocol is implemented to begin the duty cycle, a ramp down protocol is implemented to end the duty cycle, or both the ramp up protocol and the ramp down protocol are implemented. The ramp up protocol includes ramping up the intensity from a non-zero first subthreshold level for the neural stimulation therapy at the beginning of the duty cycle to the therapy level. The ramp down protocol includes ramping down the intensity from the therapy intensity level to a non-zero second subthreshold level for the neural stimulation therapy at the end of the duty cycle.
20 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
generating a neural stimulation signal only during a duty cycle of a stimulation period to provide intermittent neural stimulation for a neural stimulation therapy, including; generating the neural stimulation signal during the duty cycle of the stimulation period to provide the neural stimulation therapy with an intensity at a therapy level for a portion of the duty cycle, the neural stimulation signal including a stimulation pulse train; and implementing a ramp up protocol to begin the duty cycle, a ramp down protocol to end the duty cycle, or both the ramp up protocol to begin the duty cycle and the ramp down protocol to end the duty cycle; wherein the ramp up protocol includes a programmed value for at least one programmable ramp up parameter, and wherein implementing the ramp up protocol includes stepping up the intensity from a zero value before the duty cycle when the neural stimulation signal is not generated to a non-zero first subthreshold level for the neural stimulation therapy at the beginning of the duty cycle, and implementing a programmed ramp up algorithm to ramp up the intensity from the non-zero first subthreshold level at the beginning of the duty cycle to the therapy level; and wherein the ramp down protocol includes a programmed value for at least one programmable ramp down parameter, and wherein implementing the ramp down protocol includes implementing a programmed ramp down algorithm to ramp down the intensity from the therapy level to a non-zero second subthreshold level for the neural stimulation therapy at the end of the duty cycle, and stepping down the neural stimulation intensity from the non-zero second subthreshold level at the end of the duty cycle to the zero value after the duty cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A neural stimulator, comprising:
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a neural stimulation delivery system configured to generate a neural stimulation signal only during a duty cycle of a stimulation period to provide intermittent neural stimulation for a neural stimulation therapy; and a controller configured to control the neural stimulation delivery system using at least one programmable parameter to; generate the neural stimulation signal during the duty cycle of the stimulation period to provide the neural stimulation therapy with an intensity at a therapy level for a portion of the duty cycle, the neural stimulation signal including a stimulation pulse train; and implement a protocol selected from the group of protocols consisting of; a ramp up protocol to begin the duty cycle by stepping up the intensity from a zero value before the duty cycle when the neural stimulation signal is not generated to a non-zero first subthreshold level for the neural stimulation therapy at the beginning of the duty cycle, and the ramp up protocol further including a programmed ramp up algorithm to ramp up the intensity from the non-zero first subthreshold level at the beginning of the duty cycle to the therapy level; a ramp down protocol, including a programmed ramp down algorithm to ramp down the intensity from the therapy level and ending with a non-zero second subthreshold level for the neural stimulation therapy at the end of the duty cycle, and the ramp down protocol further including stepping down the neural stimulation intensity from the non-zero second subthreshold level at the end of the duty cycle to the zero value after the duty cycle; and a protocol that includes both the ramp up protocol to begin the duty cycle and the ramp down protocol to end the duty cycle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification