Method and apparatus to limit control of parameters of electrical tissue stimulators

An electrical tissue stimulator comprising:

• a plurality of electrodes to be implanted in a patient;
• a first memory for holding a stimulation pulse parameter limit value of a stimulation pulse;
• a second memory for holding a programmed parameter value of said stimulation pulse;
• a pulse generator for applying electrical stimulation pulses to said electrodes in accordance with said programmed parameter value;
• programming means for receiving remotely generated programming signals and altering the contents of at least one of said first and second memories in accordance with said signals to permit said stimulation pulse parameter limit value and said programmed parameter value to be remotely programmed;
• and
• means for comparing said stimulation pulse parameter limit value and said programmed parameter value and for preventing said programming means from decreasing said programmed parameter value unless said programmed parameter value is greater than said stimulation pulse parameter limit value.

An electrical tissue stimulator comprising:

• a plurality of electrodes to be implanted in a patient;
• a first memory for holding a first stimulation pulse parameter limit value of a stimulation pulse and a first programmed parameter value of said stimulation pulse;
• a pulse generator for applying electrical stimulation pulses to said electrodes in accordance with said first programmed parameter value;
• programming means for receiving remotely generated programming signals and altering the contents of said first memory in accordance with said signals to permit said first parameter limit value and said first programmed parameter value to be remotely programmed;
• and
• means for comparing said first parameter limit value and said first programmed parameter value and for preventing said programming means from increasing said first programmed parameter value unless said first programmed parameter value is less than said first parameter limit value.

An electrical tissue stimulator comprising:

• a plurality of electrodes to be implanted in a patient;
• a pulse rate memory for holding upper and lower stimulation pulse rate limit values of a stimulation pulse and a first programmed pulse rate value of said stimulation pulse;
• a pulse width memory for holding upper and lower stimulation pulse width limit values of a stimulation pulse and a first programmed pulse width value of said stimulation pulse;
• a pulse amplitude memory for holding upper and lower stimulation pulse amplitude limit values of a stimulation pulse and a first programmed pulse amplitude value of said stimulation pulse;
• a pulse generator for applying electrical stimulation pulses to said electrodes in accordance with said first programmed pulse rate, pulse width and pulse amplitude values;
• programming means for receiving remotely generated programming signals and altering the contents of at least one of said pulse rate, pulse width and pulse amplitude memories in accordance with said signals to permit said pulse rate, pulse width and pulse amplitude upper and lower limit values and said first programmed pulse rate, pulse width and pulse amplitude values to be remotely programmed;
• and
• means for comparing said pulse rate, pulse width and pulse amplitude upper and lower limit values with said first programmed pulse rate, pulse width and pulse amplitude values and for preventing said programming means from increasing said first programmed pulse rate value unless said programmed pulse rate value is less than said upper stimulation pulse rate limit value and from decreasing said first programmed pulse rate value unless said programmed pulse rate value is greater than said lower stimulation pulse rate limit value, for preventing said programming means from increasing said first programmed pulse width value unless said first programmed pulse width value is less than said upper stimulation pulse width limit value and from decreasing said first programmed pulse width value unless said first programmed pulse width value is greater than said lower stimulation pulse width limit value, and for preventing said programming means from increasing said first programmed pulse amplitude value unless said first programmed pulse amplitude value is less than said upper stimulation pulse amplitude limit value and from decreasing said first programmed pulse amplitude value unless said first programmed pulse amplitude value is greater than said lower stimulation pulse amplitude limit value.

A method of limiting the programmability of a stimulation pulse parameter of an implantable tissue stimulator comprising:

• programming a first memory with a stimulation pulse parameter limit value;
• programming a second memory with a stimulation pulse parameter value;
• receiving remotely generated programming signals;
• altering the contents of at least one of said first and second memories in accordance with said programming signals;
• comparing said stimulation pulse parameter limit value and said stimulation pulse parameter value;
• and
• limiting the alteration of the contents of said second memory by preventing the increase of said stimulation pulse parameter value unless said stimulation pulse parameter value is less than said stimulation pulse parameter limit value.

A method of limiting the programmability of a stimulation pulse parameter of an implantable tissue stimulator comprising:

• programming a first memory with a stimulation pulse parameter limit value;
• programming a second memory with a stimulation pulse parameter value;
• receiving remotely generated programming signals;
• altering the contents of at least one of said first and second memories in accordance with said programming signals;
• comparing said stimulation pulse parameter limit value and said stimulation pulse parameter value;
• and
• limiting the alteration of the contents of said second memory by preventing the decrease of said stimulation pulse parameter value unless said stimulation pulse parameter value is greater than said stimulation pulse parameter limit value.

A method of limiting the programmability of a stimulation pulse parameter of an implantable tissue stimulator comprising:

• programming a first memory with a first stimulation pulse parameter limit value and a first stimulation pulse parameter value;
• receiving remotely generated programming signals;
• altering the contents of said first memory in accordance with said programming signals;
• comparing said first stimulation pulse parameter limit value and said first stimulation pulse parameter value;
• and
• limiting the alteration of the contents of said first memory by preventing the increase of said stimulation pulse parameter value unless said first stimulation pulse parameter value is less than said first stimulation pulse parameter limit value.

A method of controlling the programmability of stimulation pulse parameters of an implantable electrical tissue stimulator comprising:

• programming a pulse rate memory with upper and lower stimulation pulse rate limit values of a stimulation pulse and a first programmed pulse rate value of said stimulation pulse;
• programming a pulse width memory with upper and lower stimulation pulse width limit values of a stimulation pulse and a first programmed pulse width value of said stimulation pulse;
• programming a pulse amplitude memory with upper and lower stimulation pulse amplitude limit values of a stimulation pulse and a first programmed pulse amplitude value of said stimulation pulse;
• receiving remotely generated programming signals;
• altering the contents of at least one of said pulse rate, pulse width and pulse amplitude memories in accordance with said remotely generated signals;
• and
• comparing said pulse rate, pulse width and pulse amplitude limit values with said first programmed pulse rate, pulse width and pulse amplitude values, respectively;
• and
• preventing the increase of said first programmed pulse rate value unless the first programmed pulse rate value is less than said upper stimulation pulse rate limit value and preventing the decrease of said first programmed pulse rate value unless said first programmed pulse rate value is greater than said lower stimulation pulse rate limit value, further preventing the increase of said first programmed pulse width value unless said first programmed pulse width value is less than said upper stimulation pulse width limit value and preventing the decrease of said first programmed pulse width value unless said first programmed pulse width value is greater than said lower stimulation pulse width limit value, further preventing the increase of said first programmed pulse amplitude value unless said first programmed pulse amplitude value is less than said upper stimulation pulse amplitude limit value and preventing the decrease of said first programmed pulse amplitude value unless said first programmed pulse amplitude value is greater than said lower stimulation pulse amplitude limit value.