Voltage/current regulator improvements for an implantable medical device

A method for delivering a dynamically variable therapy among a plurality of discrete output voltages using an implantable medical device comprising a therapy module and a controller operatively coupled to the therapy module, the therapy module comprising a dynamically configurable capacitor arrangement and a plurality of lines, the capacitor arrangement comprising a plurality of capacitors configured with a first one of the plurality of capacitors providing, at least in part, a first one of the plurality of discrete output voltages on a first one of the plurality of lines and a combination of the first one of the plurality of capacitors and a second one of the plurality of capacitors providing, at least in part, a second one of the plurality of discrete output voltages on a second one of the plurality of lines, comprising the steps of:

• selecting an individual one of the plurality of discrete voltages with the controller;
• dynamically configuring the capacitor arrangement to provide the individual one of the plurality of discrete output voltages over one of the plurality of lines;
• and
• delivering the therapy across a first electrode and a second electrode based on the individual one of the plurality of discrete voltages.

An implantable medical device delivering a therapy, the therapy being dynamically variable among a plurality of discrete voltages, comprising:

• a power source having an output;
• a telemetry module;
• a processor, operatively coupled to the telemetry module, that communicates with a programmer through the telemetry module in order to configure the implantable medical device;
• a plurality of electrodes;
• a therapy module operatively coupled to the plurality of electrodes providing a neurological stimulation waveform to a patient and operatively coupled to the processor receiving at least one of configuration information and commands about therapeutic treatment, the therapy module comprising:
• a dynamically configurable capacitor arrangement operatively coupled to the regulator and comprising a plurality of capacitors charged by the output of the power source and configured with:
• a first one of the plurality of capacitors providing, at least in part, a first one of the plurality of discrete output voltages;
• and
• a combination of the first one of the plurality of capacitors and a second one of the plurality of capacitors providing, at least in part, a second one of the plurality of discrete output voltages on a second one of the plurality of lines;
• a regulator converting the output of the capacitor arrangement to the therapy based on the individual one of the plurality of discrete output voltages;
• a controller selectively coupling the plurality of capacitors to the regulator to dynamically provide one of the plurality of discrete output voltages across the plurality of electrodes;
• a switching array operatively coupled to the capacitor arrangement and to the controller, wherein the switching array dynamically configures the capacitor arrangement based on the selection the individual one of the plurality of discrete output voltages by the controller, the capacitor arrangement providing a capacitor arrangement output based on the a configuration of the capacitor arrangement.