Multiprogrammable tissue stimulator and method

An improved electric tissue stimulator system having a transmitting means to transmit stimulation data to a receiving means, surgically implanted within a patient, which receives the stimulation data and emanates electrical pulses to be delivered via at least one electrically coupled multi-electrode means implanted at a selected tissue site(s), the system comprising:

• a) a control means;
• b) means for storing at least three stimulation settings, connected to and programmable by control means, to store at least three electrode stimulation settings'
• c) means for selecting each of the at least three stimulation settings, connected to and programmable by control means to select at least one stimulation setting from the means for storing at least three stimulation settings, receiving means emanating a stimulation pulse in accordance with that selected stimulation setting,
• wherein control means selects more than one stimulation setting, the receiving means generates a series of substantially sequential stimulation pulses, each stimulation pulse corresponding to that selected stimulation setting, such that the patient perceives cumulative stimulation to all bodily regions addressed by the selected stimulation settings.

An improved electric tissue stimulator system having a transmitting means to transmit stimulation data to a receiving means, surgically implanted within a patient, which receives the stimulation data and generates stimulation pulses to be delivered via at least one coupled, multi-electrode means, the system comprising:

• a) at least three setting data registers to store at least three stimulation settings;
• b) at least three variable parameter registers to store at least three variable parameters, each variable parameter register corresponding to a stored stimulation setting;
• c) a controller, coupled to the setting data registers and the variable parameter registers, to select a stimulation setting and a corresponding variable parameter to generate a stimulation pulse;
• and
• d) pulse generation circuitry, connected to the at least three setting data registers, the at least three variable parameter registers and the controller, to generate a stimulation pulse which is characteristic of the selected stimulation setting and corresponding variable parameter, each stimulation pulse being delivered via the at least one multi-electrode means.

A method of electrically stimulating tissue through at least a partially implanted system which includes a programming means, a receiving means, and at least one multi-electrode means, comprising the steps of:

• a) surgically implanting the receiving means and the at least one multi-electrode means within a patient, the multi-electrode means being placed at or about tissue intended to be stimulated;
• b) electing one or more programmed stimulation settings, each stimulation setting corresponding to a differing region of pain and being stored within the programming means and;
• c) transmitting at least three differing stimulation settings between the programming means and the receiving means;
• d) emanating a stimulation pulse, of a defined duration, for each elected stimulation setting through and by at least one multi-electrode means.