Operation and estimation of output voltage of wireless stimulators
First Claim
1. An acoustic controller-transmitter device for transmitting acoustic energy into a body, comprising:
- an output transducer assembly configured to transmit acoustic energy into the body, wherein the acoustic energy is received by an implantable acoustic receiver-stimulator configured to convert the acoustic energy into electrical energy and deliver the electrical energy to tissue;
a control circuitry configured to estimate an output voltage delivered to the tissue by the receiver-stimulator; and
a sensing electrode assembly, wherein the sensing electrode assembly is in contact with the body and is configured to detect and measure a query spike voltage as a result of the electrical energy delivered to the tissue by the receiver-stimulator.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A controller-transmitter transmits acoustic energy through the body to an implanted acoustic receiver-stimulator. The receiver-stimulator converts the acoustic energy into electrical energy and delivers the electrical energy to tissue using an electrode assembly. The receiver-stimulator limits the output voltage delivered to the tissue to a predetermined maximum output voltage. In the presence of interfering acoustic energy sources output voltages are thereby limited prior to being delivered to the tissue. Furthermore, the controller-transmitter estimates the output voltage that is delivered to the tissue by the implanted receiver-stimulator. The controller-transmitter measures a query spike voltage resulting from the electrical energy delivered to the tissue by the receiver-stimulator, and computes a ratio of the predetermined maximum output voltage and a maximum query spike voltage. The maximum query spike voltage is computed by detecting a query spike voltage plateau. Based on this ratio, the controller-transmitter uses a measured query spike voltage to estimate the output voltage delivered by the receiver-stimulator to tissue.
50 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An acoustic controller-transmitter device for transmitting acoustic energy into a body, comprising:
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an output transducer assembly configured to transmit acoustic energy into the body, wherein the acoustic energy is received by an implantable acoustic receiver-stimulator configured to convert the acoustic energy into electrical energy and deliver the electrical energy to tissue; a control circuitry configured to estimate an output voltage delivered to the tissue by the receiver-stimulator; and a sensing electrode assembly, wherein the sensing electrode assembly is in contact with the body and is configured to detect and measure a query spike voltage as a result of the electrical energy delivered to the tissue by the receiver-stimulator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An implantable receiver-stimulator device for stimulating tissue in a body, comprising:
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a transducer assembly configured to receive acoustic energy and convert the acoustic energy into electrical energy; an electrode assembly configured to deliver the electrical energy to the tissue; and a voltage limiter configured to limit the electrical voltage delivered to the tissue to a maximum electrical voltage limit; wherein the voltage limiter is configured to limit the electrical voltage delivered to the tissue due to an interfering acoustic energy source to a level that does not stimulate tissue. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for stimulating tissue in a body, comprising:
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an acoustic controller-transmitter configured to transmit acoustic energy into the body; and an implantable acoustic receiver-stimulator configured to receive the acoustic energy and convert the acoustic energy into electrical energy, wherein the receiver-stimulator comprises an electrode assembly coupled to the tissue and configured to deliver the electrical energy to the tissue, and wherein the receiver-stimulator further comprises a voltage limiter configured to limit the electrical voltage delivered to the tissue; wherein the controller-transmitter comprises a control circuitry configured to estimate an output voltage delivered to the tissue by the receiver-stimulator. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method for stimulating tissue in a body, comprising:
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transmitting acoustic energy from an acoustic energy source through the body to an acoustic receiver-stimulator; converting the acoustic energy into electrical energy using the acoustic receiver stimulator; delivering the electrical energy to the tissue using an electrode assembly; and limiting the output voltage delivered to the tissue using a voltage limiter; limiting the output voltage delivered to the tissue due to an interfering acoustic energy source to a level that does not stimulate tissue. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification