# US 9,750,939 B2 · Methods and systems for programming neuromodulation devices

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- Number: US 9,750,939 B2
- Document ID: US9750939B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/134,212
- Filed: 2016-04-20
- Published: 2016-10-27
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-22
- Assignees: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
- Applicants: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
- Inventors: Stephen Carcieri; Michael A. Moffitt; Peter J. Yoo; Dennis Allen Vansickle; Sridhar Kothandaraman; Michael Andrew Caruso; Dean Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9750939B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/36171: {Frequency}
- A61N 1/36128: {Control systems}
- A61N 1/37247: {User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means}
- G16H 20/30: relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
- G16H 20/40: relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- A61N 1/0534: {Electrodes for deep brain stimulation}
- A61N 1/0551: {Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes}
- A61N 1/36146: {specified by the stimulation parameters}
- 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)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

An example of a system for delivering neurostimulation may include a programming control circuit and a user interface. The programming control circuit may be configured to generate stimulation parameters controlling delivery of neurostimulation pulses according to one or more stimulation waveforms associated with areas of stimulation each defined by a set of electrodes. The neurostimulation pulses are each delivered to an area of stimulation. The user interface may include a display screen and an interface control circuit. The interface control circuit may be configured to define the one or more stimulation waveforms and the areas of stimulation, and may include a stimulation frequency module configured to display a stimulation rate table on the display screen. The stimulation rate table may present stimulation frequencies associated with each of the areas of stimulation for selection by a user.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for delivering neurostimulation to a patient using a plurality of electrodes and controlling the delivery of the neurostimulation by a user, the system comprising:
a programming control circuit configured to generate a plurality of stimulation parameters controlling delivery of neurostimulation pulses according to one or more stimulation waveforms associated with a plurality of areas of stimulation each defined by a set of electrodes selected from the plurality of electrodes, the neurostimulation pulses each to be delivered to an area of stimulation of the plurality of areas of stimulation; and
a user interface including:
a display screen; and
an interface control circuit configured to define the one or more stimulation waveforms and the plurality of areas of stimulation, the interface control circuit including a stimulation frequency module configured to display a stimulation rate table on the display screen, the stimulation rate table presenting a plurality of stimulation frequencies associated with each area of the plurality of areas of stimulation, configured to receive a selection of a stimulation frequency from the presented plurality of stimulation frequencies for that area of the plurality of areas of stimulation, and configured to allow the user to select between a single frequency mode and a multiple frequency mode, the single frequency mode allowing for adjustment of the stimulation frequency for an area of the plurality of areas of stimulation with adjustment of the stimulation frequency for another area of the plurality of areas of stimulation, the multiple frequency mode allowing for adjustment of the stimulation frequency for an area of the plurality of areas of stimulation without adjustment of the stimulation frequency for another area of the plurality of areas of stimulation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the stimulation frequency module is configured to compute compatible frequencies for each area of the plurality of areas of stimulation to avoid simultaneous delivery of pulses of the neurostimulation pulses in response to a selection of the multiple frequency mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the stimulation frequency module is configured to identify one or more compatible frequencies for each area of the plurality of areas of stimulation from a plurality of predetermined stimulation frequencies to avoid simultaneous delivery of pulses of the neurostimulation pulses, and to indicate the identified one or more compatible frequencies in the stimulation rate table.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the stimulation frequency module is configured to present the plurality of stimulation frequencies with visual indications for the identified one or more compatible frequencies in the stimulation rate table.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the stimulation frequency module is configured to allow a selection of a stimulation frequency only from the identified one or more compatible frequencies.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the stimulation frequency module is configured to perform an arbitration for each stimulation frequency of the plurality of stimulation frequencies that is not identified as one of the one or more compatible frequencies, the arbitration modifying a time of delivery of each neurostimulation pulse associated with that stimulation frequency to avoid the simultaneous delivery of pulses of the neurostimulation pulses.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the stimulation frequency module is configured to present the plurality of stimulation frequencies with visual indications for one or more of stimulation frequencies of the plurality of stimulation frequencies to which the arbitration is performed or a degree to which the arbitration is performed for these stimulation frequencies.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising:
an implantable stimulator including:
a stimulation output circuit configured to deliver the neurostimulation pulses; and
a stimulation control circuit configured to control the delivery of the neurostimulation pulses using the plurality of stimulation parameters; and
an external programming device configured to be communicatively coupled to the implantable stimulator via a wireless communication link, the external programming device including the programming control circuit and the user interface.

### Claim 10

A method for delivering neurostimulation to a patient using a plurality of electrodes, the method comprising:
displaying a stimulation rate table on a display screen of a user interface, the stimulation rate table presenting a plurality of stimulation frequencies associated with each area of a plurality of areas of stimulation each defined by a set of electrodes selected from the plurality of electrodes;
receiving a selection of a stimulation frequency from the presented plurality of stimulation frequencies for each area of the plurality of areas of stimulation;
generating a plurality of stimulation parameters controlling delivery of neurostimulation pulses using the stimulation frequencies selected for the plurality of areas of stimulation; and
allowing the user to select between a single frequency mode and a multiple frequency mode using the user interface, the single frequency mode allowing for adjustment of the stimulation frequency for an area of the plurality of areas of stimulation with adjustment of the stimulation frequency for another area of the plurality of areas of stimulation, the multiple frequency mode allowing for adjustment of the stimulation frequency for an area of the plurality of areas of stimulation without adjustment of the stimulation frequency for another area of the plurality of areas of stimulation.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising computing compatible frequencies for each area of the plurality of areas of stimulation to avoid simultaneous delivery of pulses of the neurostimulation pulses in response to a selection of the multiple frequency mode.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, comprising:
identifying one or more compatible frequencies for each area of the plurality of areas of stimulation from a plurality of predetermined stimulation frequencies to avoid simultaneous delivery of pulses of the neurostimulation pulses; and
indicating the identified one or more compatible frequencies in the stimulation rate table.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein displaying the stimulation rate table comprises presenting the plurality of stimulation frequencies with visual indications for the identified one or more compatible frequencies.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising allowing a selection of a stimulation frequency only from the identified one or more compatible frequencies.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising performing an arbitration for each stimulation frequency of the plurality of stimulation frequencies that is not identified as one of the one or more compatible frequencies, the arbitration modifying a time of delivery of each neurostimulation pulse associated with that stimulation frequency to avoid the simultaneous delivery of pulses of the neurostimulation pulses.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein displaying the stimulation rate table comprises presenting the plurality of stimulation frequencies with visual indications for each stimulation frequency to which the arbitration is performed.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein generating the plurality of stimulation parameters comprises:
defining the plurality of areas of stimulation using the user interface;
composing one or more stimulation waveforms associated with the plurality of areas of stimulation using the user interface; and
generating the plurality of stimulation parameters based on the one or more stimulation waveforms.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting the plurality of stimulation parameters to an implantable stimulator via a wireless communication link, the implantable stimulator coupled to one or more implantable lead including lead electrodes of the plurality of electrodes.

### Claim 19

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions, which when executed by a system, cause the system to:
display a stimulation rate table on a display screen of a user interface, the stimulation rate table presenting a plurality of stimulation frequencies associated with each area of a plurality of areas of stimulation each defined by a set of electrodes selected from the plurality of electrodes;
receive a selection of a stimulation frequency from the presented plurality of stimulation frequencies for each area of the plurality of areas of stimulation;
generate a plurality of stimulation parameters controlling delivery of neurostimulation pulses using the stimulation frequencies selected for the plurality of areas of stimulation; and
allow the user to select between a single frequency mode and a multiple frequency mode using the user interface, the single frequency mode allowing for adjustment of the stimulation frequency for an area of the plurality of areas of stimulation with adjustment of the stimulation frequency for another area of the plurality of areas of stimulation, the multiple frequency mode allowing for adjustment of the stimulation frequency for an area of the plurality of areas of stimulation without adjustment of the stimulation frequency for another area of the plurality of areas of stimulation.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed by the system, cause the system to compute compatible frequencies for each area of the plurality of areas of stimulation to avoid simultaneous delivery of pulses of the neurostimulation pulses in response to a selection of the multiple frequency mode.