# US 10,946,193 B2 · Pulse generator with independent panel triggering > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,946,193 B2 - Document ID: US10946193B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/444,738 - Filed: 2017-02-28 - Published: 2018-08-30 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-28 - Assignees: Pulse Biosciences, Inc. - Applicants: Pulse Biosciences, Inc. - Inventors: Brian G. Athos; Shu Xiao; David J. Danitz; Mark P. Kreis; Darrin R. Uecker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10946193B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/36: for stimulation - A61B 18/1206: {Generators therefor} - A61N 1/04: Electrodes {(electrosurgical electrodes A61B18/14)} - A61N 1/32: alternating or intermittent currents {(applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02)} - A61N 1/36125: {Details of circuitry or electric components} - A61N 1/36142: {for improving safety} - A61N 1/3912: {Output circuitry therefor, e.g. switches} - H03K 3/53: by the use of an energy-accumulating element discharged through the load by a switching device controlled by an external signal and not incorporating positive feedback (H03K3/335 takes precedence) - H03K 3/57: the switching device being a semiconductor device - H03K 3/64: Generators producing trains of pulses, i.e. finite sequences of pulses - A61B 2018/1273: {including multiple generators in one device} - 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) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A pulse generation system is disclosed. The pulse generation system includes a controller, an output terminal, and a plurality of pulse generator circuits. The controller is configured to cause a driving signal pulse to be transmitted to any selected one or more of the pulse generator circuits, and to cause the driving signal pulse to not be transmitted to any selected one or more other pulse generator circuits. Each of the pulse generator circuits is configured to generate an output voltage pulse at the output terminal in response to the driving signal pulse being transmitted thereto. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pulse generation system, comprising: a controller; an output terminal; a driver circuit; and a plurality of pulse generator circuits, the plurality of pulse generator circuits electrically coupled in parallel, wherein the controller is configured to cause an input signal pulse to be transmitted to the driver circuit, and the driver circuit, upon receiving the input signal pulse, transmits a driving signal pulse to any selected one or more pulse generator circuits of the plurality of pulse generator circuits and not transmit the driving signal pulse to any other selected one or more pulse generator circuits of the plurality of pulse generator circuits, each of the plurality of pulse generator circuits is configured to generate at least a portion of an output voltage pulse at the output terminal in response to the driving signal pulse being transmitted thereto, and wherein the other selected one or more pulse generator circuits that do not receive the driving signal pulse do not generate any portion of the output voltage pulse. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pulse generation system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more switches connected between the driver circuit and at least one of the plurality of pulse generator circuits, wherein the controller is configured to selectively connect the plurality of pulse generator circuits to the driver circuit with the one or more switches. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pulse generation system of claim 2, wherein each pulse generator circuit of the plurality of pulse generator circuits comprises a plurality of pulse generator stages configured to cooperatively generate the output voltage pulse in response to the driving signal pulse being transmitted from the driver circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The pulse generation system of claim 3, wherein at least some of the plurality of pulse generator circuits comprise a pulse generator stage driver configured to receive the driving signal pulse from the driver circuit and to generate a signal pulse for the pulse generator stages, and wherein the pulse generator stages are configured to cooperatively generate the output voltage pulse in response to the signal pulse. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pulse generation system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of driver circuits each configured to generate a driving signal pulse for one of the pulse generator circuits in response to a received input pulse, wherein the driver circuit is one of the plurality of driver circuits, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the input pulse to be transmitted to any selected one or more of the driver circuits and to cause no input pulse to be transmitted to any selected one or more other driver circuits. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The pulse generation system of claim 5, wherein at least some of the pulse generator circuits comprise a plurality of pulse generator stages configured to cooperatively generate the output voltage pulse in response to the driving signal pulse being transmitted from one of the driver circuits. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The pulse generation system of claim 6, wherein at least some of the pulse generator circuits comprise a pulse generator stage driver configured to receive the driving signal pulse from one of the driver circuits and to generate a signal pulse for the pulse generator stages, and wherein the pulse generator stages are configured to cooperatively generate the output voltage pulse in response to the signal pulse. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The pulse generation system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of pulse generator stage drivers, each connected to one of the pulse generator stages, wherein each pulse generator stage driver is configured to generate a signal pulse for the pulse generator stage connected thereto, and wherein the pulse generator stages are configured to cooperatively generate the output voltage pulse in response to the signal pulses. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The pulse generation system of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of switch drivers, wherein each pulse generator stage comprises a plurality of serially connected switches, wherein each of the switch drivers is connected to one of the plurality of serially connected switches, and wherein each switch driver is configured to generate a pulse for the switch connected thereto, and wherein the plurality of serially connected switches are configured to cooperatively generate the output voltage pulse in response to the pulses generated by the switch drivers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The pulse generation system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause a driver circuit, upon receiving an input signal pulse, to transmit the driving signal pulse to any selected two or more of the plurality of pulse generator circuits. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The pulse generation system of claim 1, further comprising: a converter configured to generate a digital output representing a temperature at an electrode receiving the output voltage pulse. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The pulse generation system of claim 1, wherein the selected one or more pulse generator circuits are selected based on an impedance value at the output terminal. ### Claim 13 A pulse generation system, comprising: a controller; an output terminal; a driver circuit; and a plurality of pulse generator circuits, the plurality of pulse generator circuits electrically coupled in parallel, wherein the controller is configured to cause an input signal pulse to be transmitted to the driver circuit, and the driver circuit, upon receiving the input signal pulse, transmits a driving signal pulse to any selected one or more pulse generator circuits of the plurality of pulse generator circuits and not transmit the driving signal pulse to any other selected one or more pulse generator circuits of the plurality of pulse generator circuits, each of the plurality of pulse generator circuits is configured to generate at least a portion of an output voltage pulse at the output terminal in response to the driving signal pulse being transmitted thereto, and wherein the driving signal pulse is transmitted to a first pulse generator circuit, in response to receiving the driving signal pulse, the first pulse generator circuit generates a first output pulse, and the controller is further configured to: receive a first indication of a current or a voltage of the first output pulse; and determine whether the first pulse generator circuit is operational based on the first indication. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pulse generation system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to: record whether the first pulse generator circuit is operational in a memory; transmit a second input signal to the driver circuit, wherein the driver circuit, in response to receiving the second input signal, transmits a second driving signal to a second pulse generator circuit, wherein the second pulse generator circuit, in response to receiving the second driving signal, generates a second output pulse; receive a second indication of a current or a voltage of the second output pulse; determine whether the second pulse generator circuit is operational based on the second indication; record whether the second pulse generator circuit is operational in the memory; and transmit input signals for driving one or more pulse generator circuits that are determined to be operational. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The pulse generation system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to: transmit a second input signal to the driver circuit, wherein the driver circuit, in response to receiving the second input signal, transmits a second driving signal to a second pulse generator circuit, wherein the second pulse generator circuit, in response to receiving the second driving signal, generates a second output pulse; receive a second indication of a current or a voltage of the second output pulse; determine whether the second pulse generator circuit is operational based on the second indication; and transmit input signals for driving one or more of the first and/or second pulse generator circuits determined to be operational. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The pulse generation system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to: transmit a second input signal to the driver circuit, wherein the driver circuit, in response to receiving the second input signal, transmits a second driving signal to a second pulse generator circuit, wherein the second pulse generator circuit, in response to receiving the second driving signal, generates a second output pulse; and wherein the first output pulse generated with the first pulse generator circuit and the second output pulse generated with the second pulse generator circuit have different voltages. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The pulse generation system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to: repeat the transmitting, the receiving, and the determining for each pulse generator circuit of the plurality of the pulse generator circuits; and transmit input signals for driving one or more pulse generator circuits determined to be operational. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The pulse generation system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to record in memory whether each pulse generator circuit is operational. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The pulse generation system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to select the first pulse generator circuit to receive the driving signal pulse, and wherein the first pulse generator circuit is selected based on a value of a load to which the first output pulse is delivered. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The pulse generation system of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the value of the load. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The pulse generation system of claim 20, wherein determining the value of the load comprises delivering a pulse to the load and dividing a voltage of the delivered pulse by a current of the delivered pulse. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The pulse generation system of claim 19, wherein the other selected one or more pulse generator circuits of the plurality of pulse generator circuits that do not receive the driving signal pulse do not generate any portion of the first output pulse. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The pulse generation system of claim 13, wherein the first indication is a voltage and the controller determines whether the first pulse generator circuit is operational based on comparing the first indication with a threshold voltage. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The pulse generation system of claim 13, wherein the first indication is a current and the controller determines whether the first pulse generator circuit is operational based on comparing the first indication with a threshold current. ### Claim 25 A pulse generation system, comprising: a controller; an output terminal; a driver circuit; and a plurality of pulse generator circuits, the plurality of pulse generator circuits electrically coupled in parallel, wherein: the controller is configured to (1) receive an impedance value at the output terminal, (2) cause an input signal pulse to be transmitted to the driver circuit, and (3) select a first subset of one or more pulse generator circuits of the plurality of pulse generator circuits based on the impedance value, the driver circuit is configured to, upon receiving the input signal pulse, transmit a driving signal pulse to the first subset of pulse generator circuits and not transmit the driving signal pulse to any other selected one or more pulse generator circuits of the plurality of pulse generator circuits, and each of the plurality of pulse generator circuits is configured to generate at least a portion of an output voltage pulse at the output terminal in response to the driving signal pulse being transmitted thereto. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The pulse generation system of claim 25, wherein the controller is further configured to select the first subset of one or more pulse generator circuits based on current drive capability of the first subset of one or more pulse generator circuits being sufficient for the impedance value. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The pulse generation system of claim 25, wherein the controller is further configured to: cause a second input signal pulse to be transmitted to the driver circuit, wherein the driver circuit, in response to receiving the second input signal pulse, transmits a second driving signal pulse to a second subset of one or more pulse generator circuits of the plurality of pulse generator circuits, wherein each of the second subset of pulse generator circuits, in response to receiving the second driving signal pulse, generates at least a portion of a second output voltage pulse at the output terminal; and wherein the output voltage pulse generated with the first subset of one or more pulse generator circuits and the second output voltage pulse generated with the second subset of one or more pulse generator circuits have different voltages. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The pulse generation system of claim 27, wherein the controller is configured to cause delivery of pulses by alternating or varying an order of activation of the first subset and the second subset of one or more pulse generator circuits. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The pulse generation system of claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to determine the impedance value. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The pulse generation system of claim 25, further comprising at least one electrode configured to deliver the output voltage to a load, wherein the controller is configured to measure at least one of a current or a voltage.