# US 8,788,055 B2 · Multi-location posture sensing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,055 B2 - Document ID: US8788055B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/800,653 - Filed: 2007-05-07 - Published: 2008-11-13 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2007-05-07 - Assignees: Medtronic, Inc. - Applicants: Martin T. Gerber; John C. Rondoni - Inventors: Martin T. Gerber; John C. Rondoni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788055B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/36135: {using physiological parameters} - A61N 1/0551: {Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes} - A61N 1/36514: {controlled by a physiological quantity other than heart potential, e.g. blood pressure (controlled by two or more physical parameters A61N1/36585)} - A61N 1/36542: {controlled by body motion, e.g. acceleration} - A61N 1/36535: {controlled by body position or posture} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract Techniques for controlling therapy delivery based on the relative orientation and/or motion of a device accelerometer and a lead accelerometer are described. In one embodiment, a therapy system includes an electrical stimulator and a lead. The electrical stimulator comprises a processor that controls delivery of a therapy to a target stimulation site in a patient and a device accelerometer coupled to the electrical stimulator. The lead is coupled to the electrical stimulator to deliver the therapy from the electrical stimulator to the target stimulation site in the patient, and includes a lead accelerometer. The processor compares signals from the accelerometers, and controls delivery of the therapy to the patient based on the comparison. In this manner, the processor may adjust stimulation to, for example, address movement of electrodes relative to target tissue when a patient changes postures. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: an electrical stimulator comprising a device accelerometer; a lead coupled to the electrical stimulator configured to deliver stimulation from the electrical stimulator to a target stimulation site in a patient, the lead comprising a lead accelerometer; a processor configured to receive a first signal from the device accelerometer and a second signal from the lead accelerometer, compare the first signal to at least the second signal to detect at least one of a posture or posture transition of the patient, and control delivery of the stimulation to the patient based on the detection, wherein the processor is configured to detect the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient based on a relative orientation of the device accelerometer and the lead accelerometer based on the comparison of the first and second signals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to detect the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient based on a relative motion of the device accelerometer and the lead accelerometer based on the comparison of the first and second signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lead accelerometer is proximate to a distal end of the lead body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulator comprises a housing, and the device accelerometer is located within the housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lead accelerometer is located within the lead. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lead comprises a plurality of electrodes, and the processor is configured to control which of the plurality of electrodes are selected to deliver the therapy based on the detection of the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the lead accelerometer is located proximate to the electrodes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of the device accelerometer and the lead accelerometer comprises a multi-axis accelerometer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to calculate a difference between the first signal from the device accelerometer and the second signal from the lead accelerometer for each of a plurality of axes to detect the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the stimulation comprises spinal cord stimulation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulator is implantable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a processor of the electrical stimulator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to calculate a difference between the first signal from the device accelerometer and the second signal from the lead accelerometer to detect the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient. ### Claim 14 A method comprising: receiving a first signal from a device accelerometer and a second signal from a lead accelerometer, wherein the device accelerometer is located on or within an electrical stimulator that delivers stimulation to a patient, and wherein the lead accelerometer is coupled to a lead that delivers the stimulation from the electrical stimulator to the target stimulation site of the patient; comparing the first signal to at least the second signal to detect at least one of a posture or posture transition of the patient; detecting the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient based on a relative orientation of the device accelerometer and the lead accelerometer based on the comparison of the first and second signals; and controlling delivery of the stimulation by the electrical stimulator based on the detection. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient comprises detecting the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient based on a relative motion of the device accelerometer and the lead accelerometer based on the comparison of the first and second signals. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the lead comprises a plurality of electrodes, and wherein controlling delivery of the stimulation to the patient based on the detection comprises controlling which of the plurality of electrodes are selected to deliver the therapy based on the detection. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the lead accelerometer is located proximate to the electrodes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein each of the device accelerometer and the lead accelerometer comprises a multi-axis accelerometer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein comparing the first signal to at least the second signal comprises calculating a difference between the first signal from the device accelerometer and the second signal from the lead accelerometer for each of a plurality of axes to detect the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the stimulation comprises spinal cord stimulation. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein controlling delivery of the stimulation comprises controlling delivery of the stimulation substantially in real-time based on the signals received from the device accelerometer and the lead accelerometer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a value based on the comparison of the first signal to at least the second signal to detect the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient, wherein controlling delivery of the therapy by the electrical stimulator comprises controlling delivery of the therapy according to a stimulation program previously associated with the value in a data structure. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the stimulation program is associated with the value during a programming session. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the stimulation program is associated with the value using a learning mode. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the stimulation program is associated with the value using an algorithmic model of a human body. ### Claim 26 A medical device comprising: a therapy module configured to deliver stimulation to a patient via a lead; a device accelerometer; and a processor configured to receive a first signal from the device accelerometer and a second signal from a lead accelerometer on the lead, compare the first signal to at least the second signal to detect at least one of a posture or posture transition of the patient, and control delivery of the stimulation by the therapy module based on the detection, wherein the processor is configured to detect the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient based on a relative orientation of the device accelerometer and the lead accelerometer based on the comparison of the first and second signals. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The medical device of claim 26, wherein the processor is configured to calculate a difference between the first signal from the device accelerometer and the second signal from the lead accelerometer to detect the at least one of the posture or posture transition of the patient.