Nerve stimulation systems and methods using an external wireless power source

A method for stimulating a nerve bundle with an implantable device, the implantable device comprising an antenna circuit including one or more input terminals, a control circuit coupled to the antenna circuit, a chargeable storage element coupled to the control circuit, an electrode array coupled to the control circuit and capacitive storage, and a plurality of sensors coupled to the control circuit, the method comprising:

• after implantation of the implantable device, rectifying a voltage induced in the antenna circuit from an external electromagnetic field with a rectifying diode in the control circuit;
• detecting a modulated data signal received by the antenna circuit;
• demodulating the modulated data signal to process a plurality of pulse parameters interpreted from the modulated data signal;
• storing the rectified voltage as energy in the chargeable storage element;
• applying a control signal from the control circuit to an electrode terminal of the electrode array in accordance with the plurality of pulse parameters;
• emitting an electrical pulse from the electrode array using the stored energy to stimulate the nerve bundle, the electrical pulse based on the control signal and the plurality of pulse parameters;
• measuring, with the plurality of sensors, an electrical potential associated with the nerve bundle after stimulation;
• and
• applying a modulated excitation signal from the control circuit to an input terminal of the antenna circuit, the excitation signal modulated based on the measured electrical potential.

A method for stimulating a nerve bundle with an implantable device, the implantable device comprising an antenna circuit including one or more input terminals, a control circuit coupled to the antenna circuit, a chargeable storage element coupled to the control circuit, an electrode array coupled to the control circuit and the chargeable storage element, and a plurality of sensors coupled to the control circuit, the method comprising:

• measuring, with the plurality of sensors, an electrical potential associated with the nerve bundle after implantation of the implantable device;
• applying a modulated excitation signal from the control circuit to an input terminal of the antenna circuit, the excitation signal modulated based on the measured electrical potential;
• demodulating a data signal formed in the antenna array from a first external electromagnetic field emitted from a wireless transmitter, the data signal including a plurality of pulse parameters indicative of characteristics of an electrical pulse;
• applying a control signal to an electrode terminal of the electrode array, the control signal based on the plurality of pulse parameters;
• and
• emitting an electrical pulse from the electrode array in accordance with the plurality of pulse parameters to stimulate the nerve bundle, the electrical pulse generated from energy stored in the chargeable storage element, wherein the plurality of pulse parameters is based on the measured electrical potential.