Biological tissue stimulator with adjustable high voltage power supply dependent upon load impedance

A biological tissue stimulator adapted to supply an electrical stimulation signal to a biological load, comprising:

• a battery;
• a high voltage power supply operatively coupled to said battery and producing a high voltage signal whose amplitude is responsive to switching signals;
• output means receiving said high voltage signal for supplying said electrical stimulation signal of a predetermined current amplitude;
• electrode means receiving said electrical stimulation signal and adapted to be coupled to biological tissue for delivering said electrical stimulation signal so that said electrical stimulation signal may be applied to said biological tissue;
• and
• adjustment means responsive to said output means and to said high voltage power supply for comparing the amplitude of said high voltage signal to the amplitude of the voltage drop across said electrical means and adjusting the amplitude of said high voltage signal dependent upon the result of said comparing to minimize the difference in amplitude between said high voltage signal and said voltage drop across said electrode means;
• wherein said adjustment means comprises:
• voltage gating means coupled to said output means for gating a slack voltage representing the voltage from said high voltage signal not dissipated across said electrode means;
• a predetermined reference voltage;
• comparison means responsive to said slack voltage and said predetermined reference voltage for comparing said slack voltage to said predetermined reference voltage for producing a comparison output indicative of the result of said comparing of said comparison means relative to a predetermined threshold;
• and
• switching means responsive to said comparison output for supplying said switching signals so that said amplitude of said high voltage signal is properly adjusted relative to said predetermined threshold;
• whereby the efficiency of said biological stimulator is maximized.

A biological tissue stimulator adapted to supply an electrical stimulation signal to a biological load, comprising:

• a battery;
• a high voltage power supply operatively coupled to said battery and producing a high voltage signal whose amplitude is responsive to control signals;
• output means receiving said high voltage signal for supplying said electrical stimulation signal of a predetermined current amplitude;
• electrode means receiving said electrical stimulation signal and adapted to be coupled to biological tissue for delivering said electrical stimulation signal so that said electrical stimulation signal may be applied to said biological tissue;
• and
• adjustment means responsive to said output means and to said high voltage power supply for comparing the amplitude of said high voltage signal to the amplitude of the voltage drop across said electrode means and adjusting the amplitude of said high voltage signal dependent upon the result of said comparing to minimize the difference in amplitude between said high voltage signal and said voltage drop across said electrode means;
• wherein said adjustment means comprises:
• voltage gating means coupled to said output means for gating a slack voltage representing the voltage from said high voltage signal not dissipated across said biological load;
• a first predetermined reference voltage;
• a second predetermined reference voltage;
• the value of said second predetermined reference voltage being greater than the value of said first predetermined reference voltage;
• comparison means responsive to said slack voltage, to said first predetermined reference voltage and to said second predetermined reference voltage for comparing said slack voltage to said first predetermined reference voltage and producing a first comparison output indicative of such comparison, and for comparing said slack voltage to said second predetermined reference voltage and producing a second comparison output indicative of such comparison;
• and
• switching means coupled to said high voltage power supply and receiving said first comparison output and said first comparison output from said comparison means for supplying said control signals lowering said high voltage signal when said second comparison signal indicates said slack voltage exceeds said second predetermined reference voltage, raising said high voltage signal when said first comparison signal indicates that said slack voltage does not exceed said first predetermined reference voltage;
• whereby the efficiency of said biological stimulator is maximized.

A biological tissue stimulator adapted to supply an electrical stimulation signal to a biological load, comprising:

• a battery;
• a high voltage power supply operatively coupled to said battery and producing a high voltage signal;
• output means responsive to said high voltage signal for supplying said electrical stimulation signal of a predetermined current amplitude;
• electrode means receiving said electrical stimulation pulse and adapted to be coupled to biological tissue for delivering said electrical stimulation signal so that said electrical stimulation signal may be applied to said biological tissue;
• and
• adjustment means coupled to said output means and to said high voltage power supply for determining the impedance across said electrode means during the application of said electrical stimulation signal to said biological tissue and adjusting the amplitude of said high voltage and still have sufficient voltage amplitude to allow said output means to produce said electrical stimulation signal of said predetermined current amplitude;
• whereby the efficiency of said biological tissue stimulator is maximized.

A biological tissue stimulator adapted to supply an electrical stimulation signal to a biological load, comprising:

• a battery;
• a high voltage power supply operatively coupled to said battery and producing a high voltage signal;
• output means receiving said high voltage signal for supplying said electrical stimulation signal of a predetermined current amplitude;
• electrode means receiving said electrical stimulation signal and adapted to be coupled to biological tissue for delivering said electrical stimulation signal so that said electrical stimulation signal may be applied to said biological tissue;
• and
• adjustment means responsive to said output means and to said high voltage power supply for comparing the amplitude of said high voltage signal to the amplitude of the voltage drop across said electrode means and adjusting the amplitude of said high voltage signal dependent upon the result of said comparing;
• wherein said adjustment means adjusts the amplitude of said high voltage signal to minimize the difference in amplitude between said high voltage signal and said voltage drop across said electrode means;
• whereby the efficiency of said biological stimulator is maximized.

A biological tissue stimulator adapted to supply an electrical stimulation signal to a biological load, comprising:

• a battery;
• a high voltage power supply operatively coupled to said battery and producing a high voltage signal;
• output means receiving said high voltage signal for supplying said electrical stimulation signal of a predetermined current amplitude;
• electrode means receiving said electrical stimulation signal and adapted to be coupled to biological tissue for delivering said electrical stimulation signal so that said electrical stimulation signal may be applied to said biological tissue;
• and
• adjustment means responsive to said output means and to said high voltage power supply for comparing the amplitude of said high voltage signal to the amplitude of the voltage drop across said electrical means and adjusting the amplitude of said high voltage signal dependent upon the result of said comparing;
• wherein said high voltage power supply is a switching-type power supply and with the amplitude of said high voltage signal being dependent upon control signals and wherein said adjustment means generates said control signals for said high voltage power supply.