# US 2025/0367451 A1 · Systems and methods for detecting faults and/or adjusting electrical therapy based on impedance changes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0367451 A1 - Document ID: US20250367451A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/302,897 - Filed: 2025-08-18 - Published: 2025-12-04 - Earliest claimed: 2011-11-04 - Assignees: Nevro Corporation - Applicants: Nevro Corp. - Inventors: Jon Parker; Andre B. Walker; Udai Singh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250367451A1 ## CPC - A61N 1/36142: {for improving safety} - A61N 1/3603: {Control systems} - A61N 1/36071: {Pain} - A61N 1/36185: {Selection of the electrode configuration} - 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) ## Abstract System and methods for detecting impedance changes and for adjusting electrical therapy based on impedance changes are disclosed herein. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment includes applying a therapeutic, paresthesia-less electrical signal to a patient via a patient modulation system that includes a signal delivery device in electrical communication with a target neural population of the patient. The method can include monitoring on a periodic basis an impedance of an electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery device. The method can further include detecting a change in the impedance that indicates a fault and providing an indication that the fault exists. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling a patient therapy device, comprising: applying a therapeutic, paresthesia-less electrical signal to a patient via a patient\modulation system that includes a signal delivery device in electrical communication with a target neural population of the patient; and detecting and automatically monitoring, on a pre-set periodic basis, the impedance of an electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery device; and detecting a change in impedance in the electrical circuit that indicates a fault. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the detecting change in impedance includes detecting the change in impedance before the patient senses a change in therapy resulting from the fault. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the fault includes an open circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a notification of the fault. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 providing the notification of the fault includes providing the notification of the fault before the patient senses a change in therapy resulting from the fault. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the notification includes a vibratory signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising directing the notification to a location external to the patient. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising checking to determine if the fault has been corrected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically correcting or compensating for the fault. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein automatically correcting or compensating includes changing active contacts. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein automatically correcting or compensating includes changing a number of active contacts. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein automatically correcting or compensating includes automatically correcting or compensating before the patient senses a change in therapy resulting from the fault. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising gradually increasing a strength of the signal in response to the fault being corrected. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a compliance voltage in response to detecting the fault. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein applying the therapeutic, paresthesia-less electrical signal includes applying the signal at a frequency in a range of from about 1.5 kHz to about 100 kHz. ### Claim 16 A method for controlling a patient therapy device, comprising: applying a therapeutic, paresthesia-less electrical signal to a patient via a patient modulation system that includes a signal delivery device in electrical communication with a target neural population of the patient, wherein the therapeutic electrical signal has a frequency in the range of from about 1.5 kHz to about 100 kHz; automatically monitoring, on a pre-set periodic basis, the impedance of an electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery device; detecting a change in impedance in the electrical circuit that indicates a fault; automatically correcting the fault before the patient senses a change in therapy resulting from the fault; and automatically providing a notification of the fault. ### Claim 17 A patient therapy system, comprising: a patient-implantable portion that includes a signal generator and a signal delivery device having an electrical contact positioned to be in electrical communication with a target neural population of a patient when implanted; an impedance detector carried by the implantable portion, the impedance detector being operatively coupled to an electrical circuit that includes the electrode to detect an impedance of the electrical circuit; and a processor carried by the patient-implantable portion, the processor having a computer-readable medium programmed with instructions that, when executed: automatically monitor, on a pre-set periodic basis, the impedance of the electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery device; and receives an indication from the impedance detector corresponding to a fault. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to automatically correct or compensate for the fault without human intervention, in response to receiving the indication from the impedance detector corresponding to the fault. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18 wherein automatically correcting or compensating includes changing a number of active contacts. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein automatically correcting or compensating includes adjusting compliance voltage in response to detecting the fault.