Activation techniques for implantable medical device

A medical device for treating a disorder of a patient, comprising:

• implantable electronic means operative when activated for developing a predetermined therapy to treat the disorder,
• implantable delivery means connectable to the electronic means for delivering said therapy to a selected region of the patient's body, and
• activation means responsive to a signal initiated by the patient for activating the electronic means to cause the delivery of the therapy by the delivery means, when connected to the electronic means, to the selected body region and thereby to treat the disorder, the activation means including
• detection means responsive to tapping by the patient in at least one coded sequence of taps on the skin adjacent the implanted electronic means for manual activation thereof, and
• deactivating means responsive to another coded sequence of taps while the electronic means is activated for deactivating the electronic means.

A neurostimulator for treating a disorder of a patient manifested by seizures characterized by violent disorganized movements of the patient, comprising:

• implantable electronic means operative when activated for developing a predetermined therapy to treat the disorder, including signal generator means for generating a programmed electrical stimulus comprising the therapy,
• implantable delivery means connectable to the generator means adapted to deliver said stimulus to a preselected nerve of the patient, and
• activation means including
• motion sensor means responsive to said movements by the patient for automatically activating the electronic means to cause delivery of said stimulus by the delivery means to said preselected nerve when the delivery means is connected to the generator means, whereby to treat the disorder, and
• selection means for precluding activation of the electronic means in response to detection of movements by the patient which are characteristic of normal physical activity by the patient and not of the violent disorganized type associated with a seizure.

Neurostimulator apparatus for treating and controlling a disorder of a patient susceptible to relief in response to predetermined modulation of the electrical activity of a selected nerve or group of nerves of the patient, including

• a stimulus generator adapted for implantation and responsive, when activated, to generate a programmable electrical waveform,
• an electrode array adapted for implantation and electrical connection to the stimulus generator for delivering the waveform to a selected nerve of the patient,
• said stimulus generator being programmable to provide the waveform with parameter values selected to stimulate the selected nerve to modulate the electrical activity thereof according to said predetermined modulation, and
• activation means responsive to a patient initiated signal which may be derived both manually and automatically for selectively activating the stimulus generator, the activation means including
• means responsive to a manually derived signal for producing a signal to trigger activation of the stimulus generator, and
• means responsive to an automatically derived signal for verifying that the automatically derived signal is indicative of a manifestation of the disorder being treated before activating the stimulus generator.