Charge balancing for arbitrary waveform generator & neural stimulation application

A method for balancing charges provided by a medical device for providing a therapy to a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first portion of a stimulation waveform for stimulating a stimulation region of a patient, said first portion of the stimulation waveform inducing a first electrical charge at the stimulation region of the patient;
• providing a second portion of the stimulation waveform determined based on the first portion of the stimulation waveform for stimulating the stimulation region of the patient after providing the first portion of the stimulation waveform, said second portion of the stimulation waveform having a shape other than a square wave or a decaying exponential and substantially canceling said first electrical charge at the stimulation region of the patient;
• and
• providing a passive recovery phase after providing the second portion of the stimulation waveform for removing any residual charge at the stimulation region of the patient.

A method for balancing charges provided by an implantable medical device for providing a therapy to a patient at a stimulation region near the spine of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an electrode near the stimulation region;
• providing an implanted waveform generating device connected to the electrode;
• the waveform generating device generating a first portion of a stimulation waveform for stimulating the stimulation region using the electrode, said first portion of the stimulation waveform inducing a first electrical charge at the stimulation region;
• and
• the waveform generating device generating a second portion of the stimulation waveform based on the first portion of the stimulation waveform for stimulating the stimulation region using the electrode after providing the first portion of the stimulation waveform, with said second portion of the stimulation waveform substantially canceling said first charge at the stimulation region of the patient, wherein
• said second portion of the stimulation waveform includes a substantial portion having a shape other than a square wave and other than a decaying exponential.

A method for balancing charges provided by an implantable medical device for providing stimulation to a patient at a stimulation region of the patient, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an electrode near the stimulation region;
• providing a waveform generating circuit connected to the electrode;
• the waveform generating circuit generating a first portion of a stimulation waveform by converting digital data into an analog signal for stimulating the stimulation region using the electrode, said first portion of the stimulation waveform inducing a first electrical charge at the stimulation region;
• the waveform generating circuit generating a second portion of the stimulation waveform by converting digital data based on said first portion of the stimulation waveform into an analog signal for stimulating the stimulation region using the electrode after providing the first portion of the stimulation waveform, said second portion of the stimulation waveform including a substantial portion having a shape other than a square wave and other than a decaying exponential with said second portion of the stimulation waveform substantially canceling said first electrical charge at the stimulation region of the patient, wherein
• no substantial residual induced electrical charge remains in the stimulation region subsequent to said second portion of the stimulation waveform.

A device for stimulating a stimulation region of a patient comprising:

• a waveform generation circuit for providing a stimulation waveform by converting digital data into an analog signal for providing to the stimulation region of the patient;
• and
• a control device for controlling said waveform generation circuit, wherein
• said control device is adapted for directing said waveform generation circuit for generating a charge canceling waveform for providing to the stimulation region of the patient subsequent to providing a stimulation waveform to the stimulation region, such that said charge canceling waveform is derived based on the shape of the stimulation waveform.

A device for stimulating a stimulation region within a patient comprising:

• an electrode adapted to be provided near the stimulation region;
• a waveform generation device adapted to be implanted in the patient, said waveform generation device including:
• a waveform generation circuit connected to said electrode for providing a stimulation waveform to the electrode by converting digital data into an analog signal, and
• a control device for controlling said waveform generation circuit;
• wherein said control device is adapted for directing said waveform generation circuit for generating a charge canceling waveform by converting digital data into an analog signal for providing to the stimulation region within the patient subsequent to providing the stimulation waveform, such that said charge canceling waveform substantially cancels an electrical charge induced to the stimulation region by the stimulation waveform, and
• wherein said control device is adapted for accepting control inputs for providing a second stimulation waveform having a different shape than said first stimulation waveform, and wherein
• said control device is further adapted for providing a second charge canceling waveform specifically based upon the second stimulation waveform for canceling the charge provided to the stimulation region by the second stimulation waveform.

A system for stimulating a stimulation region within a patient comprising:

• an electrode adapted to be provided near the stimulation region;
• a waveform generation device adapted to be implanted in the patient, said waveform generation device including:
• a waveform generation circuit connected to said electrode for providing a stimulation waveform to the electrode by converting digital data into an analog signal,
• a control device for controlling said waveform generation circuit, and
• an energy storage device for powering said waveform generation circuit and said control device;
• and an external device for wirelessly connecting to said control device for controlling an operation of said waveform generation device;
• wherein said control device is adapted for directing said waveform generation circuit for generating a charge canceling waveform for providing to the stimulation region within the patient subsequent to providing the stimulation waveform to the stimulation region, such that said charge canceling waveform substantially cancels an electrical charge induced in the stimulation region by the stimulation waveform, wherein
• said control device is adapted for accepting control inputs for providing a second stimulation waveform having a different shape than said first stimulation waveform, and wherein
• said control device is further adapted for providing a second charge canceling waveform specifically based upon the second stimulation waveform for canceling the charge induced in the stimulation region by the second stimulation waveform.

A system for stimulating a stimulation region of the spine within a patient comprising:

• an electrode adapted to be provided near the stimulation region;
• a waveform generation device adapted to be implanted in the patient, said waveform generation device including:
• a waveform generation circuit connected to said electrode for providing a stimulation waveform to the electrode,
• a control device for controlling said waveform generation circuit, and
• an energy storage device for powering said waveform generation circuit and said control device;
• an external device for wirelessly connecting to said control device for controlling an operation of said waveform generation device;
• and
• an external power source for connecting inductively to said energy storage device for recharging said energy storage device when said energy storage device is in a vicinity of said external power source;
• wherein said control device is adapted for directing said waveform generation circuit for generating a charge canceling waveform to the stimulation region subsequent to providing a stimulation waveform to the stimulation region, such that said charge canceling waveform substantially cancels an electrical charge induced in the stimulation region by the stimulation waveform, wherein
• said charge canceling waveform includes a portion having a shape other than a square wave and other than a decaying exponential, and wherein
• no substantial residual induced electrical charge remains in the stimulation region subsequent to said charge canceling waveform.

A system for stimulating a stimulation region within a patient comprising:

• an electrode adapted to be provided near the stimulation region;
• a waveform generation circuit connected to said electrode for providing a stimulation waveform to the electrode;
• a control device for controlling said waveform generation circuit;
• and
• a device for connecting to said control device for controlling an operation of said waveform generation circuit;
• wherein said control device is adapted for directing said waveform generation circuit for generating a charge canceling waveform to the stimulation region within the patient subsequent to providing a stimulation waveform to the stimulation region, such that said charge canceling waveform substantially cancels an electrical charge induced to the stimulation region by the stimulation waveform, wherein
• said charge canceling waveform includes a portion having a shape other than a square wave and other than a decaying exponential, and wherein
• no substantial residual induced electrical charge remains in the stimulation region subsequent to said charge canceling waveform.