Non-invasive multiprogrammable tissue stimulator and method

An electronic tissue stimulator system, comprising:

• at least three electrodes to be implanted adjacent tissues to be stimulated in a patient;
• means connected to sand electrode for programmably determining a positive, negative and high impedance state for each electrode;
• transmitting means for transmitting programming data defining which of said electrodes are to be stimulated, the electrical polarity of said electrodes relative to one another and a dose period;
• and
• receiving means to be surgically implanted within said patient for receiving said programming data, for generating a series of pulses during a dose period defined by said programming data, and for delivering the energy of said stimulation pulses to said electrodes in said electrical polarity as defined by said programming data.

An electronic tissue stimulator system, comprising:

• at least three electrodes to be implanted adjacent tissue to be stimulated in a patient;
• means connected to said electrode for programmably determining a positive, negative and high impedance state for each electrode;
• transmitting means for transmitting stimulation pulses and programming data to define for each of said electrodes said positive, negative or high impedance state;
• and
• receiving means to be surgically implanted within said patient for receiving said stimulation pulses and said programming data, and for delivering said stimulation pulses to said electrodes having positive and negative states as defined by said programming data;
• said receiving means including an internal energy source and means for powering said receiver means with said internal energy source in absence of stimulation pulses transmitted by said transmitting means.

A method of providing tissue stimulation, comprising:

• implanting a receiving means having an electrode state selecting means in a patient;
• implanting at least three electrodes connected to said receiving means adjacent tissue to be stimulated in said patient;
• selecting programming data defining for each electrode a positive, negative and high impedance state;
• and
• transmitting said selected programming data to said receiving means to select which of said electrodes will be stimulated and the electrical polarity of said electrodes.