Therapy control using relative motion between sensors

• US 8,812,117 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gerber, Martin T., Rondoni, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIMBALL, JEREMIAH T
• Application Number:
  US13/907,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20130261698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 607/45, 607/46, 607/48, 607/117
• US Class Current: 607/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36135 using physiological parameters

Abstract

The invention is directed to controlling therapy delivery based on a relative motion between a first and second activity sensor. The relative motion between the activity sensors is representative of the relative motion between the locations of the body of the patient at which the respective activity sensors are located. The use of relative motion, however, may substantially remove motion experienced by both the activity sensors, e.g., motion caused by the environment in which patient is located, thus providing a new reference frame from which to analyze the motion measurements. The relative motion may be used to detect a condition of a movement disorder and/or control delivery of the therapy delivered to patient to treat or reduce the condition.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a therapy delivery device configured to deliver a therapy to a patient;

a first activity sensor configured to generate a first signal as a function of motion at a torso of the patient;

a second activity sensor configured to generate a second signal as a function of motion at a location of a body of the patient, wherein the location is different from the torso of the patient; and

at least one processor configured to;

compare the first signal generated by the first activity sensor and the second signal generated by the second activity sensor to determine a relative motion of the location of the body of the patient relative to the torso; and

control, based on the relative motion, the therapy delivered to the patient.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first activity sensor is configured to be located on or within the torso of the patient, and wherein the second activity sensor is configured to be located on or within a head of the patient.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first activity sensor is configured to be located on or within the torso of the patient, and wherein the second activity sensor is configured to be located on or within a leg of the patient.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first activity sensor is configured to be located on or within the torso of the patient, and wherein the second activity sensor is configured to be located on or within an arm of the patient.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy delivery device comprises a housing, and wherein one of the first activity sensor or second activity sensor is located within the housing.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lead coupled to the therapy delivery device and configured to deliver the therapy from the therapy delivery device to a target therapy delivery site of the patient, wherein one of the first activity sensor or the second activity sensor is coupled to the lead.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first activity sensor and the second activity sensor comprises transmit circuitry to wirelessly transmit, via wireless telemetry, the respective signal to the therapy delivery device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy comprises spinal cord stimulation therapy.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to compare a difference in magnitude of the motions detected by the first activity sensor and the second activity sensor to determine a magnitude of the relative motion.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to compare a difference in directionality of the motions detected by the first activity sensor and the second activity sensor to determine a directionality of the relative motion.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

determine that the relative motion exceeds a threshold; and

control, based on the determination, the therapy delivered to the patient.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to adjust, based on the relative motion, at least one of an amplitude, a pulse width, a pulse rate, an electrode configuration, and a duration of the therapy delivered to the patient.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control, based on the relative motion, the therapy delivered to the patient by one of initiating or terminating delivery of the therapy to the patient.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy delivery device comprises the at least one processor.

15. A method comprising:

generating, by a first activity sensor, a first signal as a function of motion at a torso of a patient;

generating, by a second activity sensor, a second signal as a function of motion at a location of the body of the patient, wherein the location is different from the torso of the patient;

comparing, by one or more processors, the first signal generated by the first activity sensor and the second signal generated by the second activity sensor to determine a relative motion of the location of the body of the patient relative to the torso; and

controlling, by the one or more processors and based on the relative motion, delivery of a therapy to the patient.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first activity sensor is configured to be located on or within the torso of the patient, and wherein the second activity sensor is configured to be located on or within a head of the patient.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first activity sensor is configured to be located on or within the torso of the patient, and wherein the second activity sensor is configured to be located on or within a leg of the patient.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first activity sensor is configured to be located on or within the torso of the patient, and wherein the second activity sensor is configured to be located on or within an arm of the patient.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising wirelessly transmitting at least one of the first signal from the first activity sensor and the second signal from the second activity sensor to a therapy delivery device configured to deliver the therapy to the patient.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the therapy comprises spinal cord stimulation therapy.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising comparing a difference in magnitude of the motions detected by the first activity sensor and the second activity sensor to determine a magnitude of the relative motion.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising comparing a difference in directionality of the motions detected by the first activity sensor and the second activity sensor to determine a directionality of the relative motion.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining that the relative motion exceeds a threshold, wherein controlling delivery of the therapy comprises controlling, based on the determination, the therapy delivered to the patient.

24. A system comprising:

means for generating a first signal as a function of motion at a torso of a patient;

means for generating a second signal as a function of motion at a location of the body of the patient, wherein the location is different from the torso of the patient;

means for comparing the first signal and the second signal to determine a relative motion of the location of the body of the patient relative to the torso; and

means for controlling, based on the relative motion, delivery of a therapy to the patient.