Apparatus for providing nerve stimulation and related methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus comprising:
- a visual display;
at least one electrode; and
an electrically insulating layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of said apparatus proximal to said at least one electrode;
wherein the apparatus is a hand-held device, and the hand-held device is configured to house the visual display, the at least one electrode and the electrically insulating layer;
wherein in combination the at least one electrode and the electrically insulating layer are configured to provide stimulation to a user by utilizing capacitive coupling, via the electrically insulating layer, between the electrode and a user contacting the portion of the exterior surface of said apparatus; and
wherein the electrode comprises a first planar electrode element lying substantially in a first plane and extending across the first plane and a second planar electrode element lying substantially in a second plane and extending across the second plane, and wherein the first planar electrode element and the second planar electrode element are electrically insulated from one another.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes an optically transparent electrode configured to provide transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to a user contacting a portion of an exterior surface of the apparatus proximal to the optically transparent electrode.
67 Citations
56 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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a visual display; at least one electrode; and an electrically insulating layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of said apparatus proximal to said at least one electrode; wherein the apparatus is a hand-held device, and the hand-held device is configured to house the visual display, the at least one electrode and the electrically insulating layer; wherein in combination the at least one electrode and the electrically insulating layer are configured to provide stimulation to a user by utilizing capacitive coupling, via the electrically insulating layer, between the electrode and a user contacting the portion of the exterior surface of said apparatus; and wherein the electrode comprises a first planar electrode element lying substantially in a first plane and extending across the first plane and a second planar electrode element lying substantially in a second plane and extending across the second plane, and wherein the first planar electrode element and the second planar electrode element are electrically insulated from one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 56)
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13. A method comprising:
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providing a visual display; controlling activation of at least one electrode to provide tactile stimulation to a user by utilizing capacitive coupling between the electrode and a user contacting a portion of an exterior insulating layer of an apparatus proximal to said at least one electrode, wherein the apparatus is a hand-held device, and the hand-held device is configured to house the visual display, the at least one electrode and the exterior insulating layer; and wherein the electrode comprises a first planar electrode element lying substantially in a first plane and extending across the first plane and a second planar electrode element lying substantially in a second plane and extending across the second plane and wherein the first planar electrode element and the second planar electrode element are electrically insulated from one another. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. Apparatus comprising:
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at least one electrode; and an electrically insulating layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of said apparatus proximal to said at least one electrode; wherein in combination the at least one electrode and the electrically insulating layer are configured to provide stimulation to a user by utilizing capacitive coupling, via the electrically insulating layer, between the electrode and a user contacting the portion of the exterior surface of said apparatus; and wherein the apparatus is a hand held device, and the hand-held device is configured to house the at least one electrode, the electrically insulating layer and a visual display underlying the at least one electrode and the electrically insulating layer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method comprising:
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controlling activation of at least one electrode to provide tactile stimulation to a user by utilizing capacitive coupling between the electrode and a user contacting a portion of an exterior insulating layer of an apparatus proximal to said at least one electrode, wherein the apparatus is a hand held device, and the hand-held device is configured to house the at least one electrode, the electrically insulating layer and a visual display underlying the at least one electrode and the exterior insulating layer. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. Apparatus comprising:
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a visual display; at least one electrode; an electrically insulating layer covering the at least one electrode and forming a portion of an exterior surface of said apparatus proximal to said at least one electrode; and a stimulation circuit configured to control a time varying nerve stimulation potential difference at the electrode; wherein the apparatus is a hand-held device, and the hand-held device is configured to house the visual display, the at least one electrode, the electrically insulating layer and the stimulation circuit; and wherein in combination the at least one electrode and the electrically insulating layer are configured to provide stimulation to a finger of a user by utilizing capacitive coupling, via the electrically insulating layer, between the electrode and a user contacting the portion of the exterior surface of said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method comprising:
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providing display; controlling activation of at least one electrode to provide tactile stimulation to a finger of a user by utilizing capacitive coupling between the electrode and a user contacting a portion of an exterior insulating layer, covering the at least one electrode, of an apparatus proximal to said at least one electrode by controlling a time varying nerve stimulation potential difference at the electrode, wherein the apparatus is a hand-held device, and the hand-held device is configured to house the visual display, the at least one electrode and the exterior insulating layer. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. Apparatus comprising:
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a visual display; at least one optically transparent electrode; and an electrically insulating layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of said apparatus proximal to said at least one electrode; wherein the apparatus is a hand-held device, and the hand-held device is configured to house the visual display, the at least one electrode and the electrically insulating layer; wherein in combination the at least one electrode and the electrically insulating layer are configured to provide tactile feedback stimulation to a finger of a user by utilizing capacitive coupling, via the electrically insulating layer, between the electrode and the user, in response to the user contacting the portion of the exterior surface of said apparatus, by applying a potential difference to the electrode, and wherein the potential difference is in the range 1 to 10 volts. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method comprising;
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providing a visual display; controlling activation of at least one optically transparent electrode to provide tactile feedback stimulation to a finger of a user by utilizing capacitive coupling, via an exterior insulating layer, between the electrode and the user, in response to the user contacting a portion of the exterior insulating layer proximal to said at least one electrode, wherein the visual display, the at least one electrode and the exterior insulating layer are housed in a hand-held device; wherein the electrode is activated by applying a potential difference in the range 1 to 10 volts. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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Specification