# US 10,870,000 B2 · Multi-electrode stimulation therapy with reduced energy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,000 B2 - Document ID: US10870000B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/916,548 - Filed: 2018-03-09 - Published: 2018-09-27 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-27 - Assignees: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG - Applicants: Biotronik SE & Co. KG - Inventors: Andrew B. Kibler; Marcelo Baru; Dirk Muessig - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870000B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/0529: {Electrodes for brain stimulation} - A61N 1/025: {Digital circuitry features of electrotherapy devices, e.g. memory, clocks, processors} - A61N 1/3605: {Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system} - A61N 1/36062: {Spinal stimulation} - A61N 1/0551: {Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes} - A61N 1/36142: {for improving safety} - A61N 1/36164: {Sub-threshold or non-excitatory signals (non-excitatory signals to the heart A61N1/3628)} - A61N 1/36171: {Frequency} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract A device for neurostimulation has a number N of electrodes. N is equal to or larger than 3. The device is configured to deliver via each electrode therapeutic electric phases of amplitudes I1, I2, . . . IN, with a frequency f and after each therapeutic electric phase a number of N−1 charge balancing electric phases. The charge balancing electric phases of the respective electrode each have a polarity that is opposite the polarity of the preceding therapeutic electric phase of the respective electrode. The device is configured to return for each electrode the current of each therapeutic electric phase in the other N−1 electrodes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for delivering neurostimulation, comprising: a pulse generator; and a number of M electrodes including a number N of said M electrodes, wherein N is 3≤N≤M, wherein said pulse generator is configured to deliver via each of said N electrodes a set of pulses including a therapeutic electric pulse and a number of N−1 charge balancing electric pulses, wherein the charge balancing electric pulses each have a polarity being opposite a polarity of the therapeutic electric pulse, and wherein a current of the therapeutic electric pulse is equal to a sum of currents of the charge balancing electric pulses. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to deliver few the therapeutic electric pulse to a first of the N electrodes and to deliver a charge balancing electric pulse in all the other N−1 electrodes at a time of delivery of the therapeutic electric pulse to the first of the N electrodes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to deliver the therapeutic electric pulse with a current amplitude I, and wherein the charge balancing electric pulses are delivered with a current amplitude of I/(N−1). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein said pulse generator is configured to deliver the charge balancing electric pulses with varied current amplitudes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to deliver the therapeutic electric pulse and the charge balancing electric pulses such that an integrated average charge delivered by the therapeutic electric pulse and the charge balancing electric pulses is zero over time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to deliver the therapeutic electric pulse such that a time interval between any two successive therapeutic electric pulses from different ones of said N electrodes is 1/(N*f), where N is the number of said electrodes, and where f is a frequency at which at least two successive the therapeutic electric pulses are delivered by one of said N electrodes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to deliver the therapeutic electric pulse and the charge balancing electric pulses such that the therapeutic electric pulse and the charge balancing electric pulses are separated by inter-pulse intervals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device according to claim 7, wherein said pulse generator is configured to deliver a passive-balance charge via the N electrodes during at least one of the inter-pulse intervals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to deliver the neurostimulation in a form of spinal cord stimulation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is an implantable device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to deliver via each of said N electrodes at least two successive therapeutic electric pulses with a frequency f, and to deliver at least one therapeutic electric pulse with a current amplitude I, wherein the frequency f is lower than 1,500 Hz and/or wherein the current amplitude I of the therapeutic electric pulse lies within a range from 0.1 mA to 20.0 mA. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device provides at least one parameter configuration for the neurostimulation, wherein the parameter configuration is stored in the device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device provides at least one parameter configuration for spinal cord stimulation, wherein the parameter configuration is stored in the device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to deliver via one of said N electrodes at least two successive therapeutic electric pulses with a variable frequency f. ### Claim 15 A method for delivering neurostimulation using a number N of electrodes, wherein N is equal to or larger than 3, which comprises the step of: delivering via each of the N electrodes a set of pulses including a therapeutic electric pulse and a number of N−1 charge balancing electric pulses, the charge balancing electric pulses of the N electrodes each having a polarity that is opposite a polarity of a preceding therapeutic electric pulse of the N electrodes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein for of the therapeutic electric pulse of each of the N electrodes a charge balancing electric pulse in all the other N−1 electrodes is delivered at a time of delivery of the therapeutic electric pulse. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the therapeutic electric pulse has a current amplitude of I, and wherein the charge balancing electric pulses have a current amplitude of I/(N−1). ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the charge balancing electric pulses have variable current amplitudes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, delivering an additional passive balance pulse in at least one inter-pulse interval. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, which further comprises delivering the therapeutic electric pulse and the charge balancing electric pulses such that an integrated average charge delivered by the therapeutic electric pulse and the charge balancing electric pulses is zero over time.