Current generation architecture for an implantable stimulator device having coarse and fine current control
First Claim
1. An implantable stimulator, comprising:
- a plurality of electrode nodes;
a processor; and
a stimulation generator coupled to the processor and to the electrode nodes, the stimulation generator comprising;
a plurality of negative electrical sources that are each directly connected to a different one of the plurality of electrode nodes;
a switching unit that is connected to each of the plurality of electrode nodes; and
at least one positive electrical source connected to the switching unit,wherein the switching unit is configured to connect the at least one positive electrical source to a selected one or more of the plurality of electrode nodes, andwherein the plurality of electrode nodes are not configured to be connected to the at least one positive electrical source or any other positive electrical source in the stimulation generator except through the switching unit.
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are current output architectures for implantable stimulator devices. Current source and sink circuitry is divided into a plurality of stages, each of which is capable via an associated switch bank of sourcing or sinking an amount of current to or from any one of the electrodes of the device. The current source circuitry is distinct from the current sink circuitry, and the two share no common circuit nodes prior to connection to the electrodes. In other words, the current source circuitry and the current sink circuitry do not share a common node other than the electrodes. Each stage is preferably formed of a current mirror for receiving a reference current and outputting a scaled version of current to that stage'"'"'s switch bank. The scalar at each stage can be set by wiring a desired number of output transistors in parallel.
30 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An implantable stimulator, comprising:
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a plurality of electrode nodes; a processor; and a stimulation generator coupled to the processor and to the electrode nodes, the stimulation generator comprising; a plurality of negative electrical sources that are each directly connected to a different one of the plurality of electrode nodes; a switching unit that is connected to each of the plurality of electrode nodes; and at least one positive electrical source connected to the switching unit, wherein the switching unit is configured to connect the at least one positive electrical source to a selected one or more of the plurality of electrode nodes, and wherein the plurality of electrode nodes are not configured to be connected to the at least one positive electrical source or any other positive electrical source in the stimulation generator except through the switching unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A stimulation generator, comprising:
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a plurality of negative electrical sources that are each directly connected to a different one of a plurality of electrode nodes that are coupled to the stimulation generator; a switching unit that is connected to each of the plurality of electrode nodes; and at least one positive electrical source connected to the switching unit, wherein the switching unit is configured to connect the at least one positive electrical source to a selected one or more of the plurality of electrode nodes, and wherein the plurality of electrode nodes are not configured to be connected to the at least one positive electrical source or any other positive electrical source in the stimulation generator except through the switching unit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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directly connecting each of a plurality of negative electrical sources in a stimulation generator to a different one of a plurality of electrode nodes; connecting a switching unit in the stimulation generator to each of the plurality of electrode nodes; and connecting at least one positive electrical source in the stimulation generator to the switching unit, wherein the switching unit is configured to connect the at least one positive electrical source to a selected one or more of the plurality of electrode nodes, and wherein the plurality of electrode nodes are not configured to be connected to the at least one positive electrical source or any other positive electrical source in the stimulation generator except through the switching unit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method comprising:
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using an electrode node combination for an implantable stimulator that includes a first set of one or more electrode nodes that are each connected to an anode, wherein the electrode node combination further includes a second set of one or more electrode nodes that are each connected to a cathode; configuring a switching unit in a stimulation generator to connect at least one positive electrical source in the stimulation generator to the first set of one or more electrode nodes, wherein the first set of one or more electrode nodes is not configured to be connected to the at least one positive electrical source or any other positive electrical source in the stimulation generator except through the switching unit; activating the at least one positive electrical source; and activating at least one negative electrical source in the stimulation generator, wherein the at least one negative electrical source is directly connected to the second set of one or more electrode nodes. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus comprising:
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means for using an electrode node combination for an implantable stimulator that includes a first set of one or more electrode nodes that are each connected to an anode, wherein the electrode node combination further includes a second set of one or more electrode nodes that are each connected to a cathode; means for configuring a switching unit in a stimulation generator to connect at least one positive electrical source in the stimulation generator to the first set of one or more electrode nodes, wherein the first set of one or more electrode nodes is not configured to be connected to the at least one positive electrical source or any other positive electrical source in the stimulation generator except through the switching unit; means for activating the at least one positive electrical source; and means for activating at least one negative electrical source in the stimulation generator, wherein the at least one negative electrical source is directly connected to the second set of one or more electrode nodes.
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Specification