System for stimulation therapy of the vagus nerve by implementation of a state transition model

A method of applying a pacing therapy to a nerve of an autonomic nervous system with a stimulation device, the method comprising:

• determining a state transition model comprising a plurality of states, wherein each state has a set of pacing parameter values and at least one of an expected physiological response or an expected physical response when applying stimulation with the set of stimulation parameters, wherein the state transition model is based on a dichotomy between a plurality of minimum level states and a plurality of maximum level states;
• determining a transition matrix of the state transition model defining conditions for transitioning from a first state to a second state, wherein the state transition model is deterministic so the transition matrix is populated at an initialization of the device;
• determining a connection matrix of the state transition model defining whether transitions between pairs of states are permitted;
• determining transitions from a current state to a new state based on the state transition model, causing a corresponding change in the set of parameter values used for stimulation, from a current set of parameters associated with the current state to a new set of parameters associated with the new state.

A pacing therapy device comprising:

• a stimulation device;
• and
• a control circuit that causes a stimulation device to provide stimulation according to a set of stimulation parameters, wherein the control circuit comprises:
• a memory having a state transition model comprising a transition matrix and a connection matrix stored thereon, the transition matrix defining conditions for transitioning between particular states of a plurality of states of the state transition model and the connection matrix defining whether transitions between particular pairs of states are permitted, wherein the plurality of states are defined by a set of pacing parameter values and at least one of an expected physiological response or an expected physical response when applying stimulation with the set of stimulation parameters, wherein the state transition model is deterministic so the transition matrix is populated at an initialization of the system, and wherein the state transition model is based on a dichotomy between a plurality of minimum level states and a plurality of maximum level states;
• and
• a state transition controller that determines transitions from a current state to a new state based on the state transition model, causing a corresponding change in the set of parameter values used for stimulation, from a current set of parameters associated with the current state to a new set of parameters associated with the new state.