Implantable electric pulse stimulator and voltage control method for electric pulse stimulation

Abstract

The present application provides an implantable electric pulse stimulator and a voltage control method for electric pulse stimulation. According to an example of the present application, the implantable electric pulse stimulator may include: a power supply battery, a main control unit, a voltage converter and a stimulation circuit; wherein the power supply battery is connected to the main control unit and the voltage converter, respectively, for supplying power to the main control unit and the voltage converter; the stimulation circuit is connected to the main control unit and the voltage converter, respectively, for providing the measured human body impedance to the main control unit; the main control unit is connected to the voltage converter, for: calculating the voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation based on the stimulation current and the human body impedance, and determining the stimulation cycle of the electric pulse stimulation according to the pulse width and frequency of the electric pulse stimulation; turning on the voltage converter during the stimulation period in the stimulation cycle; the voltage converter is used to: output the power supply voltage to the stimulation circuit according to the voltage value calculated by the main control unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular to an implantable electrical pulse stimulator and a voltage control method for electrical pulse stimulation. Background Art

[0002] An implantable electrical pulse stimulator generates electronic pulses and conducts them to the target point in the human body through electrodes to stimulate the muscles or nerves in the target area to treat the corresponding disease.

[0003] At present, the electric pulse stimulation scheme powered by the internal battery is divided into constant current and constant voltage stimulation schemes. The basic principle of both schemes is that the voltage converter in the implantable electric pulse stimulator converts the battery voltage VBAT into the required power supply voltage VOUT to continuously power the stimulation circuit, so that the stimulation circuit outputs the corresponding stimulation intensity.

[0004] The supply voltage of the voltage converter remains constant during all stages of the electrical pulse stimulation. However, during the electrical pulse stimulation process, continuously outputting a constant supply voltage will cause a waste of power consumption of the implantable electrical pulse stimulator. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to overcome the problems existing in the related art, the present application provides an implantable electrical pulse stimulator and a voltage control method for electrical pulse stimulation.

[0006] According to a first aspect of any embodiment of the present application, there is provided an implantable electrical pulse stimulator, comprising: a power supply battery, a main control unit, a voltage converter and a stimulation circuit; wherein:

[0007] The power supply battery is connected to the main control unit and the voltage converter respectively, and is used to supply power to the main control unit and the voltage converter;

[0008] The stimulation circuit is connected to the main control unit and the voltage converter, respectively, and is used to provide the measured human body impedance to the main control unit;

[0009] The main control unit is connected to the voltage converter and is used to: calculate the voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation based on the stimulation current and the human body impedance, and determine the stimulation cycle of the electric pulse stimulation according to the pulse width and frequency of the electric pulse stimulation; and turn on the voltage converter during the stimulation period in the stimulation cycle;

[0010] The voltage converter is used to output a power supply voltage to the stimulation circuit according to the voltage value calculated by the main control unit.

[0011] According to a second aspect of any embodiment of the present application, there is provided a voltage control method for electric pulse stimulation, which is applied to an implantable electric pulse stimulator, wherein the implantable electric pulse stimulator comprises: a power supply battery, a main control unit, a voltage converter and a stimulation circuit; the power supply battery is used to supply power to the main control unit and the voltage converter, and the stimulation circuit is used to provide the main control unit with measured human body impedance;

[0012] The method comprises:

[0013] The main control unit calculates the voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation based on the stimulation current and the human body impedance;

[0014] The main control unit determines the stimulation cycle of the electric pulse stimulation according to the pulse width and frequency of the electric pulse stimulation;

[0015] The main control unit turns on the voltage converter during a stimulation period in the stimulation cycle;

[0016] The voltage converter outputs a supply voltage to the stimulation circuit according to the voltage value.

[0017] The technical solution provided by this application may have the following beneficial effects:

[0018] According to the above embodiments, the main control unit calculates the voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation based on the stimulation current and the human body impedance measured by the stimulation circuit, and determines the stimulation cycle of the electric pulse stimulation according to the pulse width and frequency of the electric pulse stimulation. During the stimulation period of the stimulation cycle, the voltage converter outputs the power supply voltage to the stimulation circuit based on the calculated voltage value, so that the voltage converter can output the power supply voltage on demand, reduce the ineffective power consumption during the idle period of the stimulation cycle, and reduce the standby power consumption generated by the stimulation circuit, thereby increasing the standby time of the power supply battery, greatly extending the service life of the power supply battery, and also reducing the user's charging frequency, bringing a better user experience.

[0019] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in the specification and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments consistent with the application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the application.

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a stimulation waveform of an electric pulse signal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of an implantable electrical pulse stimulator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a voltage control method for electric pulse stimulation according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a power supply voltage and a stimulation waveform according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 5 It is a flow chart of another voltage control method for electric pulse stimulation according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present application. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0027] The terms used in this application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this application. The singular forms of "a", "said" and "the" used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates other meanings. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0028] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used in the present application to describe various information, these information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the same type of information from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of the present application, the first information may also be referred to as the second information, and similarly, the second information may also be referred to as the first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "at the time of" or "when" or "in response to determining".

[0029] At present, the frequency of the electric pulse signal of electric pulse stimulation is generally hundreds of hertz, and the power supply voltage of the implantable electric pulse stimulator remains unchanged in all stages of electric pulse stimulation.

[0030] See also Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a stimulation waveform of an electric pulse signal. Figure 1 The waveform shown is a stimulation waveform of an electric pulse signal output by electric pulse stimulation, and the stimulation cycle of the stimulation waveform includes: a P+ period, a P- period and an Idle period.

[0031] Among them, the P+ period is the positive pulse width period, the P- period is the negative pulse width period, and the Idle period is the idle period. During the Idle period, since there is no need to output the stimulation waveform, the unchanged power supply voltage is an invalid output, which will not only cause power consumption waste, but also the continuous power supply stimulation circuit will inevitably consume standby power.

[0032] In order to solve the above problems, the present application proposes an implantable electrical pulse stimulator. To further illustrate the present application, the following embodiments are provided:

[0033] See also Figure 2 , Figure 2 The present application shows a schematic diagram of an implantable electrical pulse stimulator according to an exemplary embodiment. The implantable electrical pulse stimulator can be an implantable medical device such as a spinal cord nerve stimulator, a spinal cord nerve stimulator, and a digestive system nerve stimulator, which is used to output electrical pulse signals for electrical pulse stimulation to target tissues such as nerves and muscles.

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, the implantable electrical pulse stimulator may include: a power supply battery 20, a main control unit 21, a voltage converter 22 and a stimulation circuit 23.

[0035] The implantable electrical pulse stimulator is an internally powered electrical pulse stimulator. The power supply battery 20 in the implantable electrical pulse stimulator is connected to the main control unit 21 and the voltage converter 22 respectively, and is used to supply power to the main control unit 21 and the voltage converter 22.

[0036] The stimulation circuit 23 is connected to the main control unit 21 and the voltage converter 22, respectively, and is used to measure the human body impedance formed after the electrode contacts contact the human body tissue, and provide the measured human body impedance to the main control unit 21. The stimulation circuit 23 is also used to output electrical pulse stimulation energy that meets specific stimulation current, frequency, pulse width and other parameters to the treatment site.

[0037] The main control unit 21 is connected to the voltage converter 22, and is used to calculate the voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation based on the stimulation current and the human body impedance measured by the stimulation circuit 23, and determine the stimulation cycle of the electric pulse stimulation according to the pulse width and frequency of the electric pulse stimulation. It is also used to start the voltage converter 22 during the stimulation period in the stimulation cycle.

[0038] The main control unit 21 generally has radio frequency communication (such as Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC, etc.) and can exchange data with external program-controlled devices. The main control unit 21 can also be connected to each module in the implantable electrical pulse stimulator to coordinate the work of each module.

[0039] The voltage converter 22 is used to output a power supply voltage to the stimulation circuit 23 according to the voltage value calculated by the main control unit 21, so that the stimulation circuit 23 outputs electrical pulse stimulation energy.

[0040] The voltage converter 22 may be a voltage conversion circuit such as a direct current-to-direct current converter (DCDC), a charge pump, or a low dropout regulator (LDO).

[0041] The stimulation current refers to the current transmitted to the target tissue through the electrode, which can be set and adjusted according to the actual application scenario of the electric pulse stimulation. The voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation is the voltage value transmitted to the target tissue through the electrode, which is used to specify the power supply voltage that the main control unit 21 requires the voltage converter 22 to output.

[0042] Pulse width refers to the duration of a pulse current or voltage after it reaches its maximum value, and frequency refers to the number of repetitions of a pulse current or voltage per unit time. Pulse width and frequency can also be set and adjusted according to the actual application scenario of electrical pulse stimulation.

[0043] The stimulation cycle of electrical pulse stimulation refers to the time interval from the start of one electrical pulse stimulation to the start of the next same electrical pulse stimulation.

[0044] The stimulation cycle may include a stimulation period and an idle period. The stimulation period refers to the time period during which the pulse current or voltage actually acts on the target tissue. The idle period refers to the time period from the end of the pulse stimulation to the beginning of the next pulse stimulation, that is, the part of the stimulation cycle excluding the stimulation period.

[0045] by Figure 1 Taking the stimulation waveform shown as an example, the P+ period, the P- period and the Idle period can constitute a stimulation cycle, the P+ period and the P- period constitute the stimulation period in the stimulation cycle, and the Idle period is the idle period in the stimulation cycle.

[0046] Understandably, Figure 2 The connection relationship between the various units in the implantable electrical pulse stimulator shown is only an example, and there may be options different from the examples in this application. As long as the implantable electrical pulse stimulator can implement the voltage control method described in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application do not impose any restrictions on this.

[0047] See also Figure 3 , Figure 3This is a flow chart of a voltage control method for electric pulse stimulation according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. The voltage control method for electric pulse stimulation can be applied to an implantable electric pulse stimulator, which includes: a power supply battery, a main control unit, a voltage converter and a stimulation circuit.

[0048] Implantable electrical pulse stimulator Figure 2 Taking the implantable electrical pulse stimulator shown in the figure as an example, the voltage control method may include the following steps:

[0049] Step 302: The main control unit calculates the voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation based on the stimulation current and the human body impedance.

[0050] In this step, the stimulation circuit 23 measures the human body impedance formed after the electrode contacts contact the human body tissue, and provides the measured human body impedance to the main control unit 21. The main control unit 21 calculates the voltage value of the electrical pulse stimulation based on the stimulation current and the human body impedance.

[0051] Exemplarily, the main control unit 21 can calculate the voltage value of the electrical pulse stimulation according to the following formula 1:

[0052] (1)

[0053] in, Indicates the voltage value of the electrical pulse stimulation, represents the stimulation current, Represents the impedance of the human body.

[0054] Step 304: The main control unit determines the stimulation cycle of the electric pulse stimulation according to the pulse width and frequency of the electric pulse stimulation.

[0055] In this step, the main control unit 21 determines the stimulation cycle of the electric pulse stimulation according to the pulse width and frequency of the electric pulse stimulation. Based on the frequency of the electric pulse stimulation, each stimulation cycle of the electric pulse stimulation is determined, and based on the pulse width of the electric pulse stimulation, the stimulation period and the idle period in each stimulation cycle are determined. The stimulation period is the time period represented by the pulse width, and the idle period is the stimulation period minus the pulse width.

[0056] Step 306: The main control unit turns on the voltage converter during the stimulation period of the stimulation cycle.

[0057] In this step, the main control unit 21 turns on the voltage converter 22 during the stimulation period in each stimulation cycle.

[0058] Step 308: The voltage converter outputs a supply voltage to the stimulation circuit according to the voltage value.

[0059] In this step, during the stimulation period in each stimulation cycle, the voltage converter 22 outputs a supply voltage corresponding to the voltage value to the stimulation circuit 23 based on the voltage value calculated by the main control unit 21, and the stimulation circuit 23 outputs electrical pulse stimulation energy that meets the stimulation current, frequency, and pulse width to the treatment site.

[0060] The voltage control method of electric pulse stimulation in the present embodiment calculates the voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation based on the stimulation current and the human body impedance measured by the stimulation circuit by the main control unit, and determines the stimulation cycle of the electric pulse stimulation according to the pulse width and frequency of the electric pulse stimulation. During the stimulation period of the stimulation cycle, the voltage converter outputs the power supply voltage to the stimulation circuit according to the calculated voltage value, so that the voltage converter can output the power supply voltage on demand, reduce the ineffective power consumption during the idle period of the stimulation cycle, reduce the standby power consumption generated by the stimulation circuit, thereby increasing the standby time of the power supply battery, greatly extending the service life of the power supply battery, and can also reduce the user's charging frequency, bringing a better user experience.

[0061] In the above-mentioned embodiment, it is introduced that the voltage converter is periodically turned on during the stimulation period, and the voltage converter outputs the power supply voltage to the stimulation circuit, thereby reducing the ineffective power consumption waste during the idle period in the stimulation cycle. In the following embodiment, the structure of the implantable electrical pulse stimulator will be introduced in more detail, and can be applied to any of the above embodiments.

[0062] In one embodiment, the stimulation period may include: a positive pulse width period and a negative pulse width period. The positive pulse width period, which may be referred to as the positive pulse width, refers to the time interval between a certain point on the rising edge of the electrical pulse signal and the same specific point on the adjacent falling edge. The negative pulse width period, which may be referred to as the negative pulse width, refers to the time interval between a certain point on the falling edge of the electrical pulse signal and the same specific point on the adjacent rising edge.

[0063] The main control unit can turn on the voltage converter before the positive pulse width cycle starts to output, and the voltage converter outputs the power supply voltage to the stimulation circuit. The voltage converter provides a stable power supply voltage during the positive pulse width cycle and the negative pulse width cycle of the stimulation output. When the negative pulse width cycle ends, the main control unit turns off the voltage converter, and the voltage converter stops outputting the power supply voltage to the stimulation circuit.

[0064] As described above, before outputting the positive pulse width cycle, the voltage converter in the implantable electrical pulse stimulator is enabled to start outputting the power supply voltage, and when the negative pulse width cycle ends, the voltage converter is turned off to stop outputting the power supply voltage. While ensuring that the positive pulse width cycle and the negative pulse width cycle output the stimulation waveform normally, the power supply voltage during the idle period is invalid, thereby reducing the power consumption of the voltage converter.

[0065] In one embodiment, the voltage converter may include: a capacitor. When the main control unit controls the opening and closing of the voltage converter, it may also consider the charging time required for charging the capacitor.

[0066] The main control unit calculates the charging time required for charging the capacitor, turns on the voltage converter during the charging time and the stimulation period, and turns on the voltage converter in advance during the charging time before the output of the electrical pulse signal during the stimulation period, ensuring that the capacitor is fully charged when the stimulation period begins.

[0067] Among them, the capacitor can be located in the output part of the voltage converter for charging and storing energy, which can maintain the stability of the output power supply voltage, help reduce the drop of the power supply voltage, and improve the stability of the implantable electrical pulse stimulator.

[0068] The capacitor can also have a filtering function, which is used to remove the AC component in the output power supply voltage to make the power supply voltage more stable.

[0069] The charging time is the time period that the supply voltage charges the capacitor before the stimulation period. The supply voltage VOUT output by the voltage converter = capacitor charging quantity Q / capacitor capacitance C, and the capacitor charging quantity Q = output current I of the voltage converter * capacitor charging time T.

[0070] The main control unit can calculate the charging time of the capacitor according to the following formula 2:

[0071] (2)

[0072] in, Indicates the charging time of the capacitor. Indicates the supply voltage output by the voltage converter, Indicates the capacitance value, Represents the output current of the voltage converter.

[0073] See also Figure 4 , Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a power supply voltage and a stimulation waveform is shown, wherein VOUT represents the power supply voltage output by the voltage converter, EN represents the enable signal (Enable Signal) of the voltage converter, and CLK represents the clock signal (Clock Signal) of the voltage converter.

[0074] Exemplarily, the T period (green box) is the charging time required for charging the capacitor. The main control unit turns on the voltage converter in the T period, and the voltage converter outputs a supply voltage to charge the capacitor.

[0075] After the T period ends, the voltage converter is still in the on state, outputting the supply voltage to the stimulation circuit, and the stimulation circuit outputs the electric pulse signal during the stimulation period of the P+ period and the P- period. After the stimulation period ends, the main control unit turns off the voltage converter.

[0076] Understandably, Figure 4 The stimulation waveform of the electric pulse signal shown is only an example and may also be applicable to other stimulation waveforms, as long as the voltage converter is periodically turned on during the charging period and the stimulation period. The embodiment of the present application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0077] As described above, by calculating the charging time required for charging the capacitor in the voltage converter, the voltage converter is turned on during the charging time before the stimulation period and during the stimulation period, ensuring that the capacitor is fully charged when the stimulation period of each stimulation cycle begins to output, and the voltage converter outputs the supply voltage for the electrical pulse signal of the stimulation period, thereby avoiding distortion of the output stimulation waveform due to the capacitor using the supply voltage to charge during the stimulation period, and avoiding power consumption waste caused by premature output of the supply voltage.

[0078] In one embodiment, during the idle period of the stimulation cycle, the charge of the capacitor in the voltage converter will be slowly discharged, and eventually approach the battery voltage of the power supply battery. The power supply battery can also be used to output the current battery voltage of the power supply battery to the main control unit.

[0079] The main control unit uses the difference between the power supply voltage and the battery voltage of the power supply battery as the voltage difference for charging the capacitor, and calculates the charging time of the capacitor based on the voltage difference for charging the capacitor.

[0080] The main control unit can calculate the charging time of the capacitor according to the following formula 3:

[0081] (3)

[0082] in, Indicates the charging time of the capacitor. Indicates the supply voltage output by the voltage converter, Indicates the battery voltage of the power supply battery, Indicates the capacitance value, Represents the output current of the voltage converter.

[0083] As described above, by taking the difference between the power supply voltage and the battery voltage of the power supply battery as the voltage difference for charging the capacitor, the charging time of the capacitor is calculated based on the voltage difference for charging the capacitor. Since the slow leakage of the charge of the capacitor will cause the voltage during the idle period to be close to the battery voltage, using the voltage difference between the power supply voltage and the battery voltage to calculate the charging time can make the charging time more accurate.

[0084] In one embodiment, the main control unit may also consider the static power consumption current of the stimulation circuit when calculating the charging time of the capacitor. The main control unit obtains the static power consumption current of the stimulation circuit.

[0085] When calculating the charging current of the capacitor, the static power consumption current is deducted, and the current difference between the output current of the voltage converter and the static power consumption current is used as the charging current of the capacitor. Based on the voltage difference and the charging current, the charging time of the capacitor is calculated.

[0086] The main control unit can calculate the charging time of the capacitor according to the following formula 4:

[0087] (4)

[0088] in, Indicates the charging time of the capacitor. Indicates the supply voltage output by the voltage converter, Indicates the battery voltage of the power supply battery, Indicates the capacitance value, represents the output current of the voltage converter, Represents the quiescent power consumption current of the stimulus circuit.

[0089] As described above, by obtaining the quiescent power consumption current of the stimulation circuit, the current difference between the output current of the voltage converter and the quiescent power consumption current is used as the charging current for charging the capacitor, and the charging time is calculated based on the voltage difference and the charging current. Since the charging current deducts the influence of the quiescent power consumption current, the calculated charging time can be more accurate.

[0090] In one embodiment, the main control unit may obtain the voltage switching power consumption of the voltage converter and the voltage power consumption during the idle period in the stimulation cycle.

[0091] When the voltage switching power consumption is lower than the voltage power consumption during the idle period, the voltage converter is turned on during the stimulation period to achieve an on-demand output mode of the supply voltage.

[0092] When the voltage switching power consumption is higher than or equal to the voltage power consumption during the idle period, for example, when the charging time of the capacitor is close to or greater than the idle period in the stimulation cycle, or the idle period is much shorter than the stimulation period, the voltage converter is switched to the continuous output mode of the power supply voltage, and the voltage converter is continuously turned on during the stimulation cycle.

[0093] The voltage switching power consumption is the power consumption generated when the supply voltage switches between starting output and stopping output.

[0094] As described above, by obtaining the voltage switching power consumption of the voltage converter and the voltage power consumption during the idle period in the stimulation cycle, the voltage converter is turned on during the stimulation period when the voltage switching power consumption is lower than the voltage power consumption during the idle period, so as to avoid switching the output state of the power supply voltage when the voltage switching power consumption is higher than the voltage power consumption during the idle period, thereby further ensuring that power consumption waste is reduced by outputting the power supply voltage during the stimulation period.

[0095] In one embodiment, since the constant current control circuit in the stimulation circuit will consume a portion of the power supply voltage, the main control unit can add a compensation value to the voltage value when calculating the voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation to obtain a compensated voltage value. The voltage converter can output the compensated power supply voltage to the stimulation circuit based on the compensated voltage value of the main control unit.

[0096] The compensation value is used to compensate for the loss voltage in the stimulation circuit, and can be set and adjusted according to the actual situation of the stimulation circuit. The loss voltage is the voltage generated by the constant current control circuit in the stimulation circuit to ensure the stability of the current.

[0097] For example, the voltage value calculated by the main control unit according to the stimulation current and the human body impedance is 3V, and a compensation value of 2V can be added to the voltage value to obtain a compensated voltage value of 5V. The voltage converter can output a 5V supply voltage to the stimulation circuit according to the compensated voltage value of the main control unit.

[0098] As described above, the main control unit adds a compensation value to the voltage value to obtain a compensated voltage value. The voltage converter outputs a compensated supply voltage to the stimulation circuit based on the compensated voltage value, which can compensate for the loss voltage of the constant current control circuit in the stimulation circuit, making the output electrical pulse signal more accurate.

[0099] For further information on voltage control methods for electrical pulse stimulation, see Figure 5 , Figure 5 A flow chart of another method for controlling the voltage of electric pulse stimulation is shown. The method for controlling the voltage of electric pulse stimulation can be applied to an implantable electric pulse stimulator. The method for controlling the voltage of electric pulse stimulation can include the following steps:

[0100] Step 502: The stimulation circuit provides the measured human body impedance to the main control unit.

[0101] In this step, the stimulation circuit measures the human body impedance formed after the electrode contacts come into contact with human tissue, and provides the measured human body impedance to the main control unit.

[0102] Step 504: The main control unit calculates the voltage value of the electrical pulse stimulation based on the stimulation current and the human body impedance.

[0103] In this step, the main control unit calculates the voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation based on the set stimulation current and the human body impedance measured by the stimulation circuit.

[0104] Step 506: The main control unit adds a compensation value to the voltage value, and provides the compensated voltage value to the voltage converter.

[0105] In this step, the main control unit adds a compensation value to the voltage value and provides the compensated voltage value to the voltage converter, so that the voltage converter outputs a compensated supply voltage according to the compensated voltage value after being turned on.

[0106] Step 508: The main control unit determines whether the voltage switching power consumption is lower than the voltage power consumption during the idle period.

[0107] In this step, the main control unit obtains the voltage switching power consumption of the voltage converter and the voltage power consumption during the idle period in the stimulation cycle, and determines whether the voltage switching power consumption is lower than the voltage power consumption during the idle period.

[0108] If the voltage switching power consumption is lower than the voltage power consumption during the idle period, then continue to execute step 510;

[0109] If the voltage switching power consumption is greater than or equal to the voltage power consumption during the idle period, step 520 is executed.

[0110] Step 510: The main control unit uses the difference between the power supply voltage and the battery voltage as the voltage difference for charging the capacitor.

[0111] In this step, when the voltage switching power consumption is lower than the voltage power consumption during the idle period, the main control unit uses the difference between the compensated power supply voltage and the battery voltage as the voltage difference for charging the capacitor.

[0112] Step 512: The main control unit uses the current difference between the output current of the voltage converter and the static power consumption current as the charging current of the capacitor.

[0113] In this step, the main control unit obtains the static power consumption current of the stimulation circuit, and uses the current difference between the output current of the voltage converter and the static power consumption current as the charging current of the capacitor.

[0114] Step 514: The main control unit calculates the charging time of the capacitor based on the voltage difference and the charging current.

[0115] Step 516: The main control unit turns on the voltage converter during the charging time and the stimulation period.

[0116] In this step, the main control unit turns on the voltage converter during the charging time and stimulation period. The main control unit turns on the voltage converter in advance during the charging time before the output of the electrical pulse signal in each stimulation period, and the voltage converter outputs the supply voltage, and the capacitor starts to charge.

[0117] At the end of the charging time, the capacitor is fully charged, the voltage converter outputs a supply voltage to the stimulation circuit, and the stimulation circuit outputs an electrical pulse signal during the stimulation period. At the end of the stimulation period, the main control unit turns off the voltage converter, and the voltage converter stops outputting the supply voltage.

[0118] The main control unit waits for the stimulation period in the next stimulation cycle, and turns on the voltage converter again in advance during the charging time before the output of the electric pulse signal of the next stimulation period, so that the voltage converter starts to output the supply voltage, the capacitor can be charged again, and the stimulation circuit outputs the electric pulse signal of the next stimulation period until the output of the electric pulse signal of all stimulation cycles is completed.

[0119] Step 518: The voltage converter outputs a supply voltage to the stimulation circuit according to the voltage value compensated by the main control unit.

[0120] In this step, during the start-up period, the voltage converter outputs a compensated supply voltage to the stimulation circuit according to the voltage value compensated by the main control unit, and the stimulation circuit outputs an accurate electrical pulse signal.

[0121] Step 520: The main control unit continuously turns on the voltage converter during the stimulation cycle.

[0122] In this step, when the voltage switching power consumption is higher than or equal to the voltage power consumption during the idle period, the main control unit continuously turns on the voltage converter during the stimulation period without switching on and off the voltage converter according to the stimulation period.

[0123] The above describes specific embodiments of the present application. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recorded in the claims can be performed in an order different from that in the embodiments and still achieve the desired results. In addition, the processes depicted in the accompanying drawings do not necessarily require the specific order or continuous order shown to achieve the desired results. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0124] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present application after considering the specification and practicing the inventions claimed herein. The present application is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present application is limited only by the appended claims.

[0125] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. An implantable electrical pulse stimulator, characterized in that: include: Power supply battery, main control unit, voltage converter and stimulation circuit; wherein, The power supply battery is connected to the main control unit and the voltage converter respectively, and is used to supply power to the main control unit and the voltage converter; The stimulation circuit is connected to the main control unit and the voltage converter, respectively, and is used to provide the measured human body impedance to the main control unit; The main control unit is connected to the voltage converter and is used to: calculate the voltage value of the electric pulse stimulation based on the stimulation current and the human body impedance, and determine the stimulation cycle of the electric pulse stimulation according to the pulse width and frequency of the electric pulse stimulation; turn on the voltage converter during the stimulation period in the stimulation cycle, and turn off the voltage converter at the end of the stimulation period; the stimulation cycle is the time interval from the start of one electric pulse stimulation to the start of the next same electric pulse stimulation, and the stimulation cycle includes: the stimulation period and the idle period; The voltage converter is used to: output a power supply voltage to the stimulation circuit during the stimulation period according to the voltage value calculated by the main control unit; The main control unit is also used for: Acquire the voltage switching power consumption of the voltage converter and the voltage power consumption during the idle period in the stimulation cycle; and when the voltage switching power consumption is lower than the voltage power consumption during the idle period, turn on the voltage converter during the stimulation period; The voltage switching power consumption is the power consumption generated when the power supply voltage switches between starting output and stopping output.

2. The implantable electrical pulse stimulator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The voltage converter includes: a capacitor, which is used for charging and storing energy; The main control unit is further used to: calculate the charging time required for charging the capacitor, and start the voltage converter within the charging time and the stimulation period; wherein the charging time is the time period during which the power supply voltage charges the capacitor before the stimulation period.

3. The implantable electrical pulse stimulator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stimulation period includes: a positive pulse width period and a negative pulse width period; The main control unit is further used to: turn on the voltage converter before the positive pulse width cycle starts to output, and turn off the voltage converter when the negative pulse width cycle ends to output.

4. The implantable electrical pulse stimulator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The power supply battery is also used for: outputting the battery voltage of the power supply battery to the main control unit; The main control unit is further used to: use the difference between the power supply voltage and the battery voltage as the voltage difference for charging the capacitor, and calculate the charging time based on the voltage difference for charging the capacitor.

5. The implantable electrical pulse stimulator according to claim 4, characterized in that: The main control unit is also used for: Obtain the static power consumption current of the stimulation circuit; use the current difference between the output current of the voltage converter and the static power consumption current as the charging current of the capacitor; and calculate the charging time based on the voltage difference and the charging current.

6. The implantable electrical pulse stimulator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main control unit is also used for: Adding a compensation value to the voltage value to obtain a compensated voltage value; wherein the compensation value is used to compensate for the loss voltage in the stimulation circuit; The voltage converter is further used to output a compensated supply voltage to the stimulation circuit according to the compensated voltage value.

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