Implantable Transponder Pulse Stimulation Systems and Methods

• US 20090157151A1
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MicroTransponder Inc.
• Original Assignee: MicroTransponder Inc.
• Inventors: Weiner, Richard, Cauller, Lawrence
• Application Number:
  US12/324,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157151A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/028 Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6849 in combination with a needle set
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators

Abstract

A stimulation system and method includes a stimulation driver which drives bio-interface electrodes with a pulse shape which transmits more than ⅔ of the pulse'"'"'s total energy before ⅓ of the pulse'"'"'s total duration has elapsed.

Claims

1. A stimulation system comprising:

a stimulation driver which drives bio-interface electrodes with a pulse shape which transmits more than ⅔

of the pulse'"'"'s total energy before ⅓

of the pulse'"'"'s total duration has elapsed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said more than 90% of the pulse'"'"'s total energy is transferred before 10% of the pulse'"'"'s total duration has elapsed.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said stimulation system is implantable.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said stimulation system is a neurostimulation system.

5. The system of claim 1

wherein said stimulation driver has a source impedance which has less than half the magnitude of impedance seen at said electrodes when said pulse has risen halfway to its peak voltage.

6. The system of claim 1

wherein said pulse, after the peak thereof, declines approximately according to a time constant;

and

wherein said stimulation driver drives said pulse to have a rise time which is less than half of said time constant.

7. The system of claim 1

wherein said pulse has a shape which is optimized for transfer of energy through a series capacitor.

11. A stimulation method comprising:

intermittently driving bio-interface electrodes, which are in contact with tissue, with a pulse by a stimulation driver;

wherein said stimulation driver has a source impedance which has less than half the magnitude of impedance seen at said electrodes when said pulse has risen halfway to its peak voltage.

8. The method of claim 11 further comprising

driving bio-interface electrodes with a pulse shape which transmits more than ⅔

of the pulse'"'"'s total energy before ⅓

of the pulse'"'"'s total duration has elapsed.

9. The method of claim 11, wherein said more than 90% of the pulse'"'"'s total energy is transferred before 10% of the pulse'"'"'s total duration has elapsed.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising implanting said bio-interface electrodes.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising implanting said bio-interface electrodes.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said tissue is neural tissue.

14. The method of claim 11

wherein said pulse, after the peak thereof, declines approximately according to a time constant;

wherein said pulse has a rise time which is less than half of said time constant.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said pulses are periodically driven.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving pulse energy from an inductively coupled coil.

17. A stimulation method comprising:

intermittently driving bio-interface electrodes, which are in contact with tissue, with a pulse;

wherein said pulse has a shape which is optimized for transfer of energy through a series capacitor.

18. The stimulation method of claim 17 further comprising implanting said bio-interface electrodes.

19. The stimulation method of claim 17 further comprising receiving energy from an inductively coupled tank circuit.

20. The stimulation method of claim 19 wherein said tissue is neural tissue.