# US 11,305,116 B2 · Current monitoring apparatus and electrical stimulation apparatus comprising same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,116 B2 - Document ID: US11305116B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/399,003 - Filed: 2019-04-30 - Published: 2019-08-22 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-31 - Assignees: Y-Brain Inc. - Applicants: Y-Brain Inc. - Inventors: Ki Won Lee; Jong Min Jang; Byung Gik Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305116B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/36021: {for treatment of pain} - A61B 5/00: Measuring for diagnostic purposes (radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00); Identification of persons - A61N 1/04: Electrodes {(electrosurgical electrodes A61B18/14)} - A61N 1/0484: {Garment electrodes worn by the patient} - A61N 1/0492: {Patch electrodes (A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence)} - A61N 1/08: Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating {(for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925)} - A61N 1/36: for stimulation - A61N 1/36025: {for treating a mental or cerebral condition} - A61N 1/36142: {for improving safety} - A61B 5/6803: {Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles} - A61N 1/0456: {Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]} - A61N 1/0476: {Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)} - A61N 1/3603: {Control systems} - 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) ## Abstract An electrical stimulation apparatus is provided. The electrical stimulation apparatus includes an electrode module receiving current for applying electrical stimulation to a skin of a user from a current providing part, a plurality of monitoring electrodes positioned spaced apart from each other on the electrode module, the current flows from the electrode module to the plurality of monitoring electrodes, and a current monitoring part monitoring the current flowing to each of the plurality of monitoring electrodes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical stimulation apparatus comprising: an anode electrode module having a T-shape, and configured to receive current for applying electrical stimulation to a skin of a user from a current providing part; a cathode electrode module having a T-shape, and spaced apart from the anode electrode; a plurality of monitoring electrodes, positioned only on the anode electrode module and positioned spaced apart from each other, wherein the current flows from the anode electrode module to the plurality of monitoring electrodes, and wherein the cathode electrode module does not have any monitoring electrode; a current monitoring part configured to monitor the current flowing to each of the plurality of monitoring electrodes; a processor configured to receive monitoring results from the current monitoring part; and an interface part configured to receive information from the user and the processor, and output information via at least one of a display module, a speaker module, an optical module, a vibration module and a haptic module, wherein the processor is further configured to generate, in response to a detection that the monitoring results received by the processor indicate that an amount of current flowing to at least one monitoring electrode of the plurality of monitoring electrodes is less or greater than a predetermined current amount, an alarm signal indicating an operational error of the electrical stimulation apparatus, and transmits the generated alarm signal to the interface part, and wherein the plurality of monitoring electrodes are nonuniformly distributed on the anode electrode module such that a first density of first monitoring electrodes, which are positioned at a center portion of the anode electrode module, is smaller than a second density of second monitoring electrodes, which are positioned at a periphery portion of the anode electrode module. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of monitoring electrodes are positioned spaced apart from each other on an electrode surface of the anode electrode module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a patch, one surface of which contacts the user and the other surface of which covers the plurality of monitoring electrodes, wherein the current is transmitted from the plurality of monitoring electrodes to the user through the patch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 3, wherein the patch includes a sponge or hydrogel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the monitoring result of the current monitoring part indicates that an amount of current flowing to at least one monitoring electrode is less or greater than the predetermined current amount, provision of the current from the current providing part is interrupted. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the monitoring result of the current monitoring part indicates that an amount of current flowing to at least one monitoring electrode is less or greater than the predetermined current amount, an amount of current flowing the at least one monitoring electrode is adjusted. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of monitoring electrodes includes a variable resistor, and wherein the adjusting of the amount of current flowing the at least one monitoring electrode includes adjusting a size of the variable resistor included in the at least one monitoring electrode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the monitoring result of the current monitoring part indicates that a result of comparing an amount of current flowing to one monitoring electrode with an amount of current flowing to another monitoring electrode is less or greater than a specific ratio, provision of the current from the current providing part is interrupted. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the monitoring result of the current monitoring part indicates that a result of comparing an amount of current flowing to one monitoring electrode with an amount of current flowing to another monitoring electrode is less or greater than a specific ratio, the alarm signal is generated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the monitoring result of the current monitoring part indicates that a result of comparing an amount of current flowing to one monitoring electrode with an amount of current flowing to another monitoring electrode is less or greater than a specific ratio, an amount of current flowing the one monitoring electrode is adjusted. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of monitoring electrodes includes a variable resistor, and wherein the adjusting of the amount of current flowing the at least one monitoring electrode includes adjusting a size of the variable resistor included in the at least one monitoring electrode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a voltage monitoring part configured to monitor voltage applied to the plurality of monitoring electrodes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electrical stimulation apparatus of claim 12, wherein, when the monitoring result of the voltage monitoring part indicates that the voltage applied to the plurality of monitoring electrodes is less or greater than a predetermined reference voltage, provision of current from the current providing part is interrupted.