# US 11,110,267 B2 · Electrical treatment apparatus, system, and computer-readable medium storing program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,110,267 B2 - Document ID: US11110267B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/458,348 - Filed: 2019-07-01 - Published: 2019-10-24 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-04 - Assignees: Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Mitsuru Samejima; Yui Watanabe; Makoto Tabata; Shozo Takamatsu; Tetsuya Sato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11110267B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/025: {Digital circuitry features of electrotherapy devices, e.g. memory, clocks, processors} - A61N 1/0492: {Patch electrodes (A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence)} - A61N 1/3603: {Control systems} - A61N 1/0408: {Use-related aspects} - A61N 1/0452: {Specially adapted for transcutaneous muscle stimulation [TMS]} - A61N 1/326: {for promoting growth of cells, e.g. bone cells} - A61N 1/36003: {of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance} - A61N 1/37247: {User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means} - 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 An electrical treatment apparatus includes an electrode contactable with a body part, a voltage regulator to regulate a voltage applied to the electrode to provide electrical stimulation to the body part, and a control circuit to control the electrical treatment apparatus. While the control circuit is performing the treatment mode in which the voltage regulator is controlled to apply a voltage at a first voltage value corresponding to the treatment mode to the electrode, the control circuit controls the voltage regulator to switch a value of the voltage applied to the electrode from the first voltage value to a second voltage value and to thereafter switch the voltage value from the second voltage value to the first voltage value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical treatment apparatus comprising: an electrode to be brought in contact with a surface of skin of a body part; a voltage regulator to regulate a voltage applied to the electrode to provide electrical stimulation to the body part; and a control circuit to control, while the control circuit is performing a treatment mode in which the voltage regulator is controlled to apply a voltage at a first voltage value corresponding to the treatment mode to the electrode, the voltage regulator to switch a value of the voltage applied to the electrode from the first voltage value to a larger second voltage value at which high intensity of electrical stimulation not used in the treatment mode is discernible and to thereafter switch the value of the voltage from the second voltage value to the first voltage value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication circuit to communicate with a terminal, wherein the terminal includes an output circuit to output information received from the electrical treatment apparatus, and the control circuit controls the communication circuit to transmit to the terminal, a notification that the treatment mode is being performed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electrical treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit: determines whether a predetermined condition based on a signal received from the terminal is satisfied; and controls the voltage regulator to switch the value of the voltage applied to the electrode from the first voltage value to the second voltage value and to thereafter switch the value of the voltage from the second voltage value to the first voltage value when the predetermined condition is not satisfied. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electrical treatment apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control circuit controls the communication circuit to transmit the notification to the terminal when the predetermined condition is satisfied. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electrical treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined condition includes a condition that intensity of the received signal is equal to or greater than a threshold value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The electrical treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the signal received from the terminal includes a status signal indicating whether the output circuit is in an information output allowable state; and the predetermined condition includes a condition that the status signal included in the received signal indicates the information output allowable state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrical treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a length of time from switching of the value of the voltage applied to the electrode from the first voltage value to the second voltage value until subsequent switching of the value of the voltage from the second voltage value to the first voltage value is variable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrical treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein intensity of electrical stimulation provided to the body part by applying the voltage at the second voltage value is higher than intensity of electrical stimulation provided to the body part by applying the voltage at the first voltage value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrical treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical treatment apparatus is a low-frequency treatment apparatus. ### Claim 10 A system comprising: an electrical treatment apparatus; and a terminal to output information received from the electrical treatment apparatus; the electrical treatment apparatus including: an electrode to be brought in contact with a surface of skin of a body part; a voltage regulator to regulate a voltage applied to the electrode to provide electrical stimulation to the body part; and a control circuit to control, while the control circuit is performing a treatment mode in which the voltage regulator is controlled to apply a voltage at a first voltage value corresponding to the treatment mode to the electrode, the voltage regulator to switch a value of the voltage applied to the electrode from the first voltage value to a larger second voltage value at which high intensity of electrical stimulation not used in the treatment mode is discernible and to thereafter switch the value of the voltage from the second voltage value to the first voltage value. ### Claim 11 A method for controlling an electrical treatment apparatus including an electrode to be brought in contact with a surface of skin of a body part and a voltage regulator to regulate a voltage applied to the electrode to provide electrical stimulation to the body part, the method comprising: performing a treatment mode to control the voltage regulator to apply a voltage at a first voltage value corresponding to the treatment mode to the electrode; and providing a notification that a treatment mode is being performed; the providing a notification including controlling the voltage regulator to switch a value of the voltage applied to the electrode from the first voltage value to a larger second voltage value at which high intensity of electrical stimulation not used in the treatment mode is discernible and to thereafter switch the value of the voltage from the second voltage value to the first voltage value while the electrical treatment apparatus is performing the treatment mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the electrical treatment apparatus further includes a communication circuit to communicate with a terminal, and the terminal includes an output circuit to output information received from the electrical treatment apparatus, wherein the method further comprises controlling the communication circuit to transmit to the terminal, a notification that the treatment mode is being performed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising: determining whether a predetermined condition based on a signal received from the terminal is satisfied; and controlling the voltage regulator to switch the value of the voltage applied to the electrode from the first voltage value to the second voltage value and to thereafter switch the value of the voltage from the second voltage value to the first voltage value when the predetermined condition is not satisfied. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising controlling the communication circuit to transmit the notification to the terminal when the predetermined condition is satisfied. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined condition includes a condition that intensity of the received signal is equal to or greater than a threshold value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the signal received from the terminal includes a status signal indicating whether the output circuit is in an information output allowable state; and the predetermined condition includes a condition that the status signal included in the received signal indicates the information output allowable state. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein a length of time from switching of the value of the voltage applied to the electrode from the first voltage value to the second voltage value until subsequent switching of the value of the voltage from the second voltage value to the first voltage value is variable. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein intensity of electrical stimulation provided to the body part by applying the voltage at the second voltage value is higher than intensity of electrical stimulation provided to the body part by applying the voltage at the first voltage value. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executable by one or more processors to perform a method of controlling an electrical treatment apparatus including an electrode to be brought in contact with a surface of skin of a body part and a voltage regulator to regulate a voltage applied to the electrode to provide electrical stimulation to the body part, the method comprising: performing a treatment mode to control the voltage regulator to apply a voltage at a first voltage value corresponding to the treatment mode to the electrode; and providing a notification that a treatment mode is being performed; the providing a notification including controlling the voltage regulator to switch a value of the voltage applied to the electrode from the first voltage value to a larger second voltage value at which high intensity of electrical stimulation not used in the treatment mode is discernible and to thereafter switch the value of the voltage from the second voltage value to the first voltage value while the electrical treatment apparatus is performing the treatment mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the electrical treatment apparatus further includes a communication circuit to communicate with a terminal, and the terminal includes an output circuit to output information received from the electrical treatment apparatus, wherein the method further comprises: controlling the communication circuit to transmit to the terminal, a notification that the treatment mode is being performed; determining whether a predetermined condition based on a signal received from the terminal is satisfied; and controlling the voltage regulator to switch the value of the voltage applied to the electrode from the first voltage value to the second voltage value and to thereafter switch the value of the voltage from the second voltage value to the first voltage value when the predetermined condition is not satisfied.