Power efficient stimulators
AssigneeSaluda Medical Pty Ltd
InventorsPeter Scott Vallack Single, James Hamilton Wah
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure relates to a device for applying a neural stimulus. A battery supplies electrical energy at a battery voltage and an electrode applies the electrical energy to neural tissue. A circuit measures the nervous response of the tissue and a voltage converter receives the electrical energy from the battery and controls a voltage applied to the electrode based on the measured nervous response of the tissue. This direct voltage control is energy efficient because losses across a typical current mirror are avoided. Further, the control based on the measured nervous response leads to automatic compensation of impedance variation due to in-growth or change in posture. As a result, the stimulation results in a desired neural response.
Claims16
A device for applying a neural stimulus comprising:
- a battery to supply electrical energy at a battery voltage;
- an electrode to apply the electrical energy to neural tissue;
- a circuit to measure a nervous response of the neural tissue;
- a switched mode voltage to current converter to receive the electrical energy from the battery and to control a current applied to the electrode;
- and
- a controller configured to control switching of the switched mode voltage to current converter based on the measured nervous response of the neural tissue.
A device for applying a neural stimulus comprising:
- a battery to supply electrical energy at a battery voltage;
- an electrode to apply the electrical energy to neural tissue;
- a circuit to measure a nervous response of the neural tissue;
- and
- a pulse generator to generate stimulation current pulses at a pulse length and to adjust the pulse length based on the measured nervous response of the neural tissue;
- wherein the circuit to measure the nervous response of the neural tissue comprises a template and the circuit is configured to shift the template in time relative to the stimulation current pulses based on the pulse length so as to measure the nervous response of the neural tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.