# US 11,439,827 B2 · Sensor-based pain management systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,827 B2 - Document ID: US11439827B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/095,642 - Filed: 2020-11-11 - Published: 2021-03-04 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-18 - Assignees: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation - Applicants: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation - Inventors: Kyle Harish Srivastava; Pramodsingh Hirasingh Thakur; Dat Thanh Huynh; Bryan Allen Clark; Jianwen Gu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439827B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/36139: {with automatic adjustment} - A61B 5/1118: {Determining activity level} - A61B 5/318: Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG] - A61B 5/395: Details of stimulation, e.g. nerve stimulation to elicit EMG response - A61B 5/6801: {specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface} - A61N 1/36071: {Pain} - A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20) - A61B 5/02028: {Determining haemodynamic parameters not otherwise provided for, e.g. cardiac contractility or left ventricular ejection fraction} - A61B 5/021: Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels - A61B 5/024: Measuring pulse rate or heart rate - A61B 5/02416: {using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation (A61B5/14552 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/0533: Measuring galvanic skin response - A61B 5/0816: {Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency (measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00)} - A61B 5/1112: {Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS} - A61B 5/1116: {Determining posture transitions} - A61B 5/112: {Gait analysis} - A61B 5/1121: {Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement} - A61B 5/369: Electroencephalography [EEG] - A61B 5/389: Electromyography [EMG] - A61B 5/4806: {Sleep evaluation (A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02)} - A61B 5/4824: {Touch or pain perception evaluation (A61B5/4821 takes precedence)} - A61B 2562/0219: Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches - A61B 2562/0223: Magnetic field sensors - A61B 2562/0261: Strain gauges - A61N 1/0529: {Electrodes for brain stimulation} - A61N 1/0551: {Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes} - A61N 1/36053: {adapted for vagal stimulation (A61N1/36114 takes precedence)} - A61N 1/36057: {adapted for stimulating afferent nerves} - A61N 1/36062: {Spinal stimulation} - 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 This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods for managing pain of a subject. A system includes a first sensor circuit to sense a first signal indicative of a functional state of the subject, a second sensor circuit to sense a second signal different from the first signal, and a controller circuit. The controller circuit may determine an operating mode of the second sensor circuit according to the sensed first signal, trigger the second senor circuit to sense the second signal under the determined operating mode, and generate a pain score using at least the second signal sensed under the determined operating mode. The pain score may be output to a patient or used for closed-loop control of a pain therapy. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a sensor circuit configured to sense a physiological signal from a patient; and a controller circuit configured to: receive information about a functional state of the patient; determine an operating mode of the sensor circuit based on the received information about the functional state of the patient; activate the sensor circuit to sense the physiological signal under the determined operating mode in response to the received information about the functional state satisfying a condition; and generate a control signal to initiate or adjust an electrostimulation therapy to the patient based on the sensed physiological signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to determine the operating mode of the sensor circuit including adjusting a sampling rate for sensing the physiological signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to determine the operating mode of the sensor circuit including adjusting time or duration for sensing the physiological signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the received information about the functional state of the patient includes at least one of: a physical activity parameter; a posture; a range of motion; a gait; a balance; or a sleep state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the received information about the functional state includes a physical activity parameter, and wherein the controller circuit is configured to activate the sensor circuit to sense the physiological signal under the determined operating mode when the physical activity parameter falls below an activity level threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the physical activity parameter is measured during nighttime or when the patient is asleep. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to activate the sensor circuit to sense the physiological signal including at least one of: a cardiac electrical activity signal; an electromyography signal; a photoplethysmography signal; a galvanic skin response signal; an electroencephalogram signal; or a hemodynamic signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, comprising an implantable neuromodulator device configured to deliver the electrostimulation therapy to the patient based on the sensed physiological signal, wherein the implantable neuromodulator device includes the control controller circuit and is configured to be communicatively coupled to an external device configured to sense the information about the functional state of the patient. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the external device is a wearable mobile device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the implantable neuromodulator device is configured to deliver deep brain stimulation to the patient in response to the sensed physiological signal satisfying a condition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the sensor circuit is configured to sense the physiological signal in response to delivering electrostimulation to the patient; and the controller circuit is configured to determine an electrostimulation parameter based on the sensed physiological signal in response to the electrostimulation, and to generate the control signal to adjust the electrostimulation therapy in accordance with the determined electrostimulation parameter. ### Claim 12 A method of operating a neuromodulator device to provide neuromodulation therapy to a patient, the method comprising: receiving information about a functional state of the patient; determining an operating mode of a sensor circuit based on the received information about the functional state of the patient; activating the sensor circuit to sense a physiological signal under the determined operating mode in response to the received information about the functional state satisfying a condition; and delivering an electrostimulation therapy to the patient based on the sensed physiological signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein determining the operating mode of the sensor circuit includes determining at least one of a sampling rate, timing, or duration for sensing the physiological signal based on the received information about the functional state of the patient. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the delivering the electrostimulation therapy includes delivering deep brain stimulation to the patient in response to the sensed physiological signal satisfying a condition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein activating the sensor circuit to sense the physiological signal is in response to delivering electrostimulation to the patient, and the method further comprises adjusting an electrostimulation parameter based on the sensed physiological signal, wherein delivering the electrostimulation therapy is in accordance with the adjusted electrostimulation parameter. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium that includes instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising: receiving information about a functional state of a patient; determining an operating mode of a sensor circuit based on the received information about the functional state of the patient; activating the sensor circuit to sense a physiological signal under the determined operating mode in response to the received information about the functional state satisfying a condition; and delivering an electrostimulation therapy to the patient based on the sensed physiological signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operation of determining the operating mode of the sensor circuit includes determining at least one of a sampling rate, a timing, or a duration for sensing the physiological signal based on the received information about the functional state of the patient. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions cause the machine to perform operations further comprising communicating with an external device and receiving therefrom the information about the functional state of the patient. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operation of delivering the electrostimulation therapy includes delivering deep brain stimulation to the patient in response to the sensed physiological signal satisfying a condition. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operation of activating the sensor circuit to sense the physiological signal is in response to delivering electrostimulation to the patient, and wherein the instructions cause the machine to perform operations further comprising: adjusting an electrostimulation parameter based on the sensed physiological signal; and delivering the electrostimulation therapy in accordance with the adjusted electrostimulation parameter.