Control system and control method of transcranial photostimulation instrument and storage medium

Abstract

This application relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a control system, control method, and storage medium for a transcranial photostimulator. The control system of the transcranial photostimulator includes: a microcontroller module; and at least two stimulation modules uniformly controlled by the microcontroller module, each stimulation module comprising a first stimulation module and a second stimulation module, wherein the first stimulation module is a photostimulation module and the second stimulation module is an electrical stimulation module. The microcontroller module independently controls the output parameters of the at least two stimulation modules through different digital communication protocols. The control method of the transcranial photostimulator is applied in the control system. A computer program is stored on a readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, the computer program performs the steps according to the control method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a control system, control method and storage medium for a transcranial photostimulator. Background Technology

[0002] Transcranial electrical stimulation (TENS) and transcranial photostimulation (TPS) are two important non-invasive intervention techniques in the field of neuromodulation. TENS modulates the excitability of the cerebral cortex by applying a weak electrical current to the scalp, while TPS uses near-infrared light of specific wavelengths to irradiate the scalp, promoting energy metabolism and functional recovery of nerve cells. With ongoing research, increasing evidence suggests that combining these two stimulation methods based on different physical principles may produce synergistic therapeutic effects. Therefore, developing portable devices capable of simultaneously providing and precisely controlling both light and electrical stimulation modes has become an important direction for development in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the problems in the prior art, this application provides a control system, control method, and storage medium for a transcranial photostimulator.

[0004] This application provides a control system for a transcranial photostimulator, comprising: A microcontroller module; At least two stimulation modules are uniformly controlled by a microcontroller module. The at least two stimulation modules include a first stimulation module and a second stimulation module. The first stimulation module is a light stimulation module, and the second stimulation module is an electrical stimulation module. The microcontroller module independently controls the output parameters of at least two stimulation modules through different digital communication protocols.

[0005] Understandably, the control system provided in this application uses a microcontroller module to uniformly schedule two different physical therapy modes, photostimulation and electrical stimulation, enabling photoelectric synergistic treatment. Simultaneously, the system employs different digital communication protocols for independent control of different stimulation modules, effectively achieving isolation and decoupling of control signals. Since the conditions for triggering photostimulation and electrical stimulation differ significantly, and their response speed and accuracy requirements for control signals also differ, using independent protocol control avoids bus conflicts and signal crosstalk, improves the system's anti-interference capability, and allows physicians to flexibly adjust the light and current intensity asynchronously or synchronously according to actual treatment needs.

[0006] In one embodiment, the microcontroller communicates with the first stimulation module via a first digital communication protocol and with the second stimulation module via a second digital communication protocol, wherein the first digital communication protocol and the second digital communication protocol are different communication protocol types.

[0007] Understandably, differentiating communication protocols into different types (e.g., using I2C and SPI respectively) allows the system to optimize resource allocation based on the characteristics of peripherals. Optical and electrical stimulation often differ in waveform modulation frequency and command data volume; employing a heterogeneous communication design prevents command blocking caused by the limited bandwidth of a single bus. This design ensures that when one module is performing large-volume communication, it will not interfere with the control timing of another module, thus guaranteeing real-time response capabilities for light intensity and current output.

[0008] In one embodiment, the photostimulation module includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with feedback function, a power drive unit, and a first current sampling resistor. The input terminal of the DAC is connected to a microcontroller module, and the output terminal of the DAC is connected to the control terminal of the power drive unit. The output terminal of the power drive unit is used to connect to a light-emitting element. The input terminal of the power drive unit is grounded through the first current sampling resistor. The feedback input terminal of the DAC is connected between the power drive unit and the connection node of the first current sampling resistor. The microcontroller module sends a digital code representing the target light intensity to the DAC via an I2C bus. The DAC outputs a corresponding analog voltage as a drive signal based on the digital code.

[0009] Understandably, traditional open-loop control is susceptible to power fluctuations or device temperature drift, leading to unstable luminous intensity. In this embodiment, however, the digital-to-analog converter directly samples the voltage across the sampling resistor (i.e., the actual current flowing through the light-emitting element) as feedback, automatically adjusting the driving voltage in real time and using a stable constant current source to drive the light-emitting element. This means that regardless of how the internal resistance of the light-emitting element (such as an LED / laser diode) changes with temperature, the system can maintain a constant optical power output, ensuring the accuracy of the transcranial photostimulation dose.

[0010] In one embodiment, the photostimulation module further includes a first filter circuit that provides analog power to the digital-to-analog converter. The first filter circuit includes a first filter capacitor and a second filter capacitor, which are connected in parallel between the power supply and ground to provide a reference voltage for the digital-to-analog converter.

[0011] Understandably, the output accuracy of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is highly dependent on the purity of the power supply. In portable devices containing high-frequency switching power supplies, power supply noise is a common source of interference. By setting up a filter circuit with two capacitors in parallel, and utilizing the difference in capacitor frequency characteristics, high-frequency glitches and low-frequency ripples on the power lines can be filtered out simultaneously, providing a clean reference environment for the DAC. This effectively suppresses noise in the drive signal and prevents the light-emitting elements from exhibiting faint flickering that is imperceptible to the human eye but affects the neural modulation effect.

[0012] In one embodiment, the electrical stimulation module includes a boost converter and a digital potentiometer. The input of the digital potentiometer is connected to the microcontroller module 10, and the output of the digital potentiometer is connected to the signal input of the boost converter. The microcontroller module 10 sends digital commands to the digital potentiometer via an SPI bus to characterize the target output current intensity. The digital potentiometer adjusts its equivalent resistance value according to the digital commands to set the output current reference of the electrical stimulation module.

[0013] Understandably, unlike conventional PWM modulation, this solution sends commands to a digital potentiometer via an SPI bus (typically with a high communication rate) to change its resistance value. This resistance value is then connected to the signal input of the boost converter. Using the adjustable resistor of the digital potentiometer in conjunction with the boost converter allows for the output of a current value at the boost converter's output. This output current is constant and does not change based on the load, achieving stable electrical stimulation and ensuring the safety and accuracy of transcranial photoelectric stimulation.

[0014] In one embodiment, the control system of the transcranial photostimulator further includes a start-up control module, which includes: A main power switch transistor is connected in series between the power supply and the microcontroller module. The signal input terminal of the main power switch transistor is connected to the power supply, and the signal output terminal of the main power switch transistor is connected to the microcontroller module. A first start-up control resistor is connected between the signal input terminal and the signal control terminal of the main power switch transistor; A switching circuit and a self-locking control circuit are connected in parallel between the signal control terminal of the main power switch and ground. The control terminal of the self-locking control circuit is connected to the microcontroller module, the input terminal of the self-locking control circuit is connected to the main power switch, and the output terminal of the self-locking control circuit is connected to ground. Specifically, when the switching circuit is closed or the self-locking control circuit is activated, the potential of the signal control terminal of the main power switch is pulled low, causing the main power switch to conduct.

[0015] Understandably, by connecting the main power switch in series in the power circuit and cooperating with the first start-up control resistor, the power supply path to the microcontroller module and subsequent circuits can be physically cut off when the device is powered off via a switch circuit (such as a button). This reduces the shutdown leakage current to an extremely low level, effectively extending the battery's lifespan. Simultaneously, the switch circuit provides a momentary low-level trigger signal to initially turn on the power, while the self-locking control circuit maintains this low level after system startup, achieving a reliable power management logic of hardware triggering and software maintenance.

[0016] In one embodiment, the self-locking control circuit includes a second switch connected to the microcontroller module; the second switch is turned on after the microcontroller module is started, grounding the signal control terminal of the main power switch or maintaining it in a low-level state, so as to keep the main power switch continuously on.

[0017] Understandably, by introducing a second switch controlled by the microcontroller module, after the microcontroller module completes initialization, the control terminal of the main power switch is clamped to a low level (i.e., in the on state) by turning on the second switch. This achieves power self-locking after button release (eliminating the size and cost of mechanical self-locking switches), and also gives the system the ability to automatically shut down at a set time or actively cut off the power when an anomaly is detected, thus improving the intelligence and safety of the equipment.

[0018] In one embodiment, the control system of the transcranial photostimulator further includes a lithium battery boost converter module. The input terminal of the lithium battery boost converter module is connected to the lithium battery power supply, and the output terminal of the lithium battery boost converter module is connected to at least the first stimulation module and the second stimulation module.

[0019] Understandably, the voltage of a lithium battery fluctuates as its charge decreases during use. Direct power supply would cause the stimulation intensity to decay over time, and the operating voltage required by the subsequent first and second stimulation modules is also relatively high. This embodiment uses a pre-installed lithium battery boost converter to convert the unstable battery voltage into a stable system voltage, providing a unified and stable energy source for the subsequent first and second stimulation modules. This ensures that the output power of photostimulation and electrical stimulation can be kept as consistent as possible, guaranteeing the repeatability of the therapeutic effect.

[0020] This application also provides a control method for a transcranial photostimulator, which is applied in a control system as provided in any of the above embodiments, and includes the following steps: Receive user power on / off commands to power on or off the control system; When the control system is powered on, at least two stimulation modules are initialized by the microcontroller module. Receive stimulation mode setting instructions from users, including target output parameters for one or more of at least two stimulation modules; The microcontroller module converts the target output parameters into corresponding digital instructions, and sends the digital instructions to the corresponding stimulation modules through different digital communication protocols, so as to control the stimulation modules to output according to the set parameters.

[0021] Understandably, the initialization process upon power-on allows for a self-check of the multimodal stimulation module's status, ensuring the device is in a safe and ready state. By converting user-defined target parameters (such as light intensity and current values) into digital instructions using different protocols and sending them independently, unified scheduling of heterogeneous hardware at the software level is achieved.

[0022] This application also provides a readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, performs the steps according to the above-described control method embodiments.

[0023] Understandably, storing the aforementioned control logic on a storage medium facilitates software updates and functional expansion of the technology, enabling hardware devices to implement richer treatment modes by loading different programs. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the control system of the transcranial photostimulator provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a partial schematic diagram of the microcontroller module of the control system of the transcranial photostimulator provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a partial schematic diagram of the microcontroller module of the control system of the transcranial photostimulator provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the photostimulation module of the control system of the transcranial photostimulator provided in this application embodiment.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical stimulation module of the control system of the transcranial photoelectric stimulator provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the lithium battery boost module of the control system of the transcranial photostimulator provided in this application embodiment.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the start-up control module of the control system of the transcranial photostimulator provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of the transcranial photostimulator provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0032] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 10. Microcontroller module; 11. First stimulation module; 12. Second stimulation module; 13. Start-up control module; 14. Lithium battery boost converter module; 15. Human-computer interaction module; 151. Screen display submodule; 152. Button submodule; 16. LDO module; 17. Lithium battery charging management module; 18. Lithium battery. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1 to 8 This application will be described in further detail below.

[0034] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments are only possible technical implementations of this application, but are not limited thereto. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art in conjunction with the embodiments of this application without creative effort are also within the protection scope of this application.

[0035] It should be noted that this application does not involve methods for diagnosing or treating diseases, but merely provides medically relevant information. It pertains to an intelligent system; that is, this application is neither intended to determine a patient's disease, nor to provide any parameters or indicators for diagnosing a disease, nor is it a preliminary disease screening method. Conversely, the information provided by the solution in this application cannot be used for disease diagnosis and treatment; rather, the corresponding diagnosis and treatment should be provided to the user by the hospital / doctor.

[0036] In one embodiment, the control system of the transcranial photostimulator includes: a microcontroller module 10; at least two stimulation modules controlled by the microcontroller module 10, the at least two stimulation modules including a first stimulation module 11 and a second stimulation module 12, the first stimulation module 11 being a photostimulation module and the second stimulation module 12 being an electrical stimulation module; wherein, the microcontroller module 10 independently controls the output parameters of the at least two stimulation modules through different digital communication protocols.

[0037] Understandably, the control system provided in this application uses a microcontroller module 10 to uniformly schedule two different physical therapy modes, photostimulation and electrical stimulation, enabling photoelectric synergistic treatment. Simultaneously, the system employs different digital communication protocols for independent control of different stimulation modules, effectively achieving isolation and decoupling of control signals. Since the conditions for triggering photostimulation and electrical stimulation differ significantly, and their response speed and accuracy requirements for control signals also differ, using independent protocol control avoids bus conflicts and signal crosstalk, improves the system's anti-interference capability, and allows doctors to flexibly adjust the light intensity and current intensity asynchronously or synchronously according to actual treatment needs.

[0038] In this embodiment, further combined Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the microcontroller module includes a microcontroller U1 and peripheral circuitry. The microcontroller U1 (e.g., an STM32F103 series) serves as the main control chip. Its digital power pins (VDD_1, VDD_2, VDD_3) and analog power pin (VDDA) are connected to the 3.3V system power supply; its digital ground pins (VSS_1, VSS_2, VSS_3) and analog ground pin (VSSA) are connected to the system common ground. A decoupling capacitor bank consisting of capacitors C1 to C6 is connected in parallel between the 3.3V power supply and ground. Each of the six capacitors C1 to C6 has a capacitance of 100nF. The microcontroller U1's backup power pin VBAT is connected to the positive terminal of battery BT1, while the negative terminal of BT1 is grounded. This connection is used to maintain the operation of the RTC (Real-Time Clock) during system power failure.

[0039] The microcontroller module is equipped with both a high-speed and a low-speed external clock circuit. The high-speed external clock circuit is connected between OSC_IN (pin 5) and OSC_OUT (pin 6) of the microcontroller U1. It includes an 8MHz crystal oscillator Y1, a feedback resistor R9 (1MΩ) connected in parallel across the crystal, and load capacitors C11 and C12 (both 22pF) connected between the crystal and ground, providing a precise operating clock for the main system. The low-speed external clock circuit is connected between OSC32_IN (pin 3) and OSC32_OUT (pin 4) of the microcontroller U1. It includes a 32.768kHz crystal oscillator Y2, and load capacitors C31 and C32 (both 20pF) connected between the crystal and ground, providing a reference clock for the RTC.

[0040] The reset pin NRST of microcontroller U1 is connected to a resistor-capacitor (RC) reset network. This network includes a pull-up resistor R10 (10kΩ) connected between the 3.3V power supply and the NRST pin, and a capacitor C13 (100nF) connected between the NRST pin and ground. Simultaneously, a reset button S1 is connected in parallel across capacitor C13; pressing S1 pulls the NRST pin low, resetting the system.

[0041] The BOOT0 (pin 60) configuration pin of microcontroller U1 is grounded through pull-down resistor R2 (10kΩ), and the BOOT1 (pin 28) is grounded through pull-down resistor R4 (10kΩ). The debug interface P5 (ST-LINK) is connected to the SWDIO pin (pin 46, PA13) and SWCLK pin (pin 49, PA14) of microcontroller U1, respectively, for program download and simulation debugging.

[0042] In one embodiment, the microcontroller module 10 communicates with the first stimulation module 11 via a first digital communication protocol and with the second stimulation module 12 via a second digital communication protocol, wherein the first digital communication protocol and the second digital communication protocol are different communication protocol types.

[0043] Understandably, since optical stimulation requires high-frequency and precise current regulation to prevent flicker and achieve specific waveforms (such as 40Hz Gamma waves), the I2C bus, in conjunction with a DAC with buffered output, can provide a stable voltage reference. On the other hand, electrical stimulation requires high-voltage output and has high safety requirements. By controlling the digital potentiometer through the SPI bus, the high-speed characteristics of SPI can be used to quickly adjust the current limiting threshold. Furthermore, the physically separated buses avoid crosstalk between the high-frequency optical modulation signal and the high-voltage electrical stimulation control signal, thus improving the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and safety of the system.

[0044] In this embodiment, as Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the microcontroller U1 is also equipped with multiple communication and control interfaces, including an ADC acquisition interface (pins 8-11), an I2C communication interface (pins 15-16, 58-59), an SPI communication interface (pins 20-22, 40, 39), a serial communication interface (UART, pins 29-30, 42-43), and a key input interface (KEY1-KEY5), for connecting and interacting with other peripherals of the system. The I2C communication interface of the microcontroller U1 is connected to the corresponding I2C interface pin of the first stimulation module (photostimulation module), forming an I2C communication link. The SPI communication interface of the microcontroller U1 is connected to the corresponding SPI interface pin of the second stimulation module (electrostimulation module), forming an SPI communication link. The I2C bus path and the SPI bus path are physically separated on the circuit board.

[0045] In addition, the PC10 pin (pin 51) of the microcontroller U1 is configured as the power detection input terminal VCC_check, which is used to connect to the startup control module to detect the button status; the PC11 pin (pin 52) is configured as the power maintenance control terminal VCC_control, which is used to output a high-level signal to lock the power.

[0046] Understandably, differentiating communication protocols into different types (e.g., using I2C and SPI respectively) allows the system to optimize resource allocation based on the characteristics of peripherals. Optical and electrical stimulation often differ in waveform modulation frequency and command data volume; employing a heterogeneous communication design prevents command blocking caused by the limited bandwidth of a single bus. This design ensures that when one module is performing large-volume communication, it will not interfere with the control timing of another module, thus guaranteeing real-time response capabilities for light intensity and current output.

[0047] In one embodiment, the control system of the transcranial photostimulator may include multiple stimulation modules, such as two first stimulation modules 11 and two second stimulation modules 12, to meet performance requirements; the following embodiment is illustrated by including one first stimulation module 11 and one second stimulation module 12.

[0048] In one embodiment, the photostimulation module includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with feedback function, a power drive unit, and a first current sampling resistor. The input terminal of the DAC is connected to the microcontroller module 10, and the output terminal of the DAC is connected to the control terminal of the power drive unit. The output terminal of the power drive unit is used to connect to a light-emitting element. The input terminal of the power drive unit is grounded through the first current sampling resistor. The feedback input terminal of the DAC is connected between the power drive unit and the connection node of the first current sampling resistor. The microcontroller module 10 sends a digital code representing the target light intensity to the DAC via an I2C bus. The DAC outputs a corresponding analog voltage as a drive signal based on the digital code.

[0049] In this embodiment, further combined Figure 4 As shown, the photostimulation module includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) U6 (e.g., DAC53401) whose SDA and SCL pins are connected to the microcontroller module. The output pin (OUT) of DAC U6 is connected to the gate of the MOSFET Q1 in the power drive unit. The drain of MOSFET Q1 is used to connect to the light-emitting element LED1. The source of MOSFET Q1 is connected to one end of the first current sampling resistor R20, and the other end of the first current sampling resistor R20 is grounded. The feedback pin FB of DAC U6 is connected to the common connection point between the source of MOSFET Q1 and the first current sampling resistor R20 via a separate feedback trace. Furthermore, an analog-to-digital sampling signal line ADC3 is also led out from the common connection point between the source of MOSFET Q1 and the first current sampling resistor R20. This signal line ADC3 is connected to the analog-to-digital conversion input interface of the microcontroller module for independent verification and monitoring of the actual drive current by the microcontroller module.

[0050] Understandably, traditional open-loop control is susceptible to power fluctuations or device temperature drift, leading to unstable luminous intensity. In this embodiment, however, the digital-to-analog converter directly samples the voltage across the sampling resistor (i.e., the actual current flowing through the light-emitting element) as feedback, automatically adjusting the driving voltage in real time and using a stable constant current source to drive the light-emitting element. This means that regardless of how the internal resistance of the light-emitting element (such as an LED / laser diode) changes with temperature, the system can maintain a constant optical power output, ensuring the accuracy of the transcranial photostimulation dose.

[0051] In one embodiment, the photostimulation module further includes a first filter circuit that provides analog power to the digital-to-analog converter. The first filter circuit includes a first filter capacitor and a second filter capacitor, which are connected in parallel between the power supply and ground to provide a reference voltage for the digital-to-analog converter.

[0052] In this embodiment, the power supply pin VDD of the digital-to-analog converter U6 is connected to a 5V power supply. A first filter capacitor C20 and a second filter capacitor C18 are connected in parallel between the power supply pin VDD and ground. The capacitance of the first filter capacitor C20 is 0.1uF, and the capacitance of the second filter capacitor C18 is 1nF, used to filter out power supply noise. It is understood that the output accuracy of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is highly dependent on the purity of the power supply. In portable devices containing high-frequency switching power supplies, power supply noise is a common source of interference. By setting up a filter circuit with two capacitors in parallel, the difference in capacitor frequency characteristics can be utilized to simultaneously filter out high-frequency glitches and low-frequency ripples on the power line, providing a clean reference environment for the DAC, effectively suppressing noise in the drive signal, and preventing the light-emitting element from exhibiting a faint flicker that is imperceptible to the human eye but affects the neural modulation effect.

[0053] In this embodiment, the clock pin SCL and data pin SDA of the digital-to-analog converter U6 are connected to the communication networks SCL2 and SDA2, respectively. The clock pin SCL is connected to a 3.3V power supply via pull-up resistor R18, and the data pin SDA is connected to a 3.3V power supply via pull-up resistor R19. Both pull-up resistors R18 and R19 have a resistance of 2.2KΩ. The address configuration pin A0 of the digital-to-analog converter U6 is grounded via pull-down resistor R17, which has a resistance of 10KΩ, to set the slave address to a low-level logic (e.g., 000). The internal adjustment pin CAP of the digital-to-analog converter U6 is grounded via a voltage regulator capacitor Cin1, which has a resistance of 2.2µF. The analog ground pin AGND and the bottom heat sink EP of the digital-to-analog converter U6 are both connected to system ground.

[0054] In one embodiment, the electrical stimulation module includes a boost converter and a digital potentiometer. The input of the digital potentiometer is connected to the microcontroller module 10, and the output of the digital potentiometer is connected to the signal input of the boost converter. The microcontroller module 10 sends digital commands to the digital potentiometer via an SPI bus to characterize the target output current intensity. The digital potentiometer adjusts its equivalent resistance value according to the digital commands to set the output current reference of the electrical stimulation module.

[0055] In this embodiment, further combined Figure 5As shown, the electrical stimulation module includes a digital potentiometer chip U1 and a boost converter chip U2. The boost converter chip U2 can be an LT3905 chip, which has a high-side APD current monitoring function. Combined with the digital potentiometer U1 (e.g., a TPL0501 with 256 vernier positions), it can achieve precise current adjustment within the range of 3uA to 3mA.

[0056] The power supply pin VDD of digital potentiometer U1 is connected to a 5V power supply. A third filter capacitor C9 and a fourth filter capacitor C10 are connected in parallel between VDD and ground. The capacitance of the third filter capacitor C9 is 0.1uF, and the capacitance of the fourth filter capacitor C10 is 1nF. The ground pin GND and the low-side pin L of digital potentiometer U1 are both connected to system ground, while the high-side pin H remains floating (not connected). The slider pin W of digital potentiometer U1 is connected to network label W1. The SPI communication interface of digital potentiometer U1 includes a clock pin SCLK, a data input pin DIN, and a chip select pin CS, which are connected to the corresponding SPI bus networks SCLK1, DIN1, and CS1 of the microcontroller module, respectively.

[0057] The input power supply pin VIN of the boost converter U2 is connected to a 5V power supply and is equipped with a grounded input filter capacitor C8 with a capacitance of 1uF. Regarding the control pin configuration, the enable pin EN / UVLO, the signal loss adjustment pin LOS_ADJ, and the control pin CTRL of the boost converter U2 are all connected to a 5V power supply to set the chip to always-on, default threshold, and maximum control voltage operating states. The signal loss indicator pin LOS is connected to one end of a pull-up resistor R6 (100K), the other end of which is connected to a 5V power supply. The current limit pin ILIM is connected to one end of a resistor R5 (100K), the other end of which is connected to a 5V power supply; the monitoring output pin MON is connected to one end of a resistor R8 (4.99K), the other end of which is grounded. The monitoring output pin LOS_MON is grounded through a resistor R7 (1M), and the frequency selection pin fSEL is grounded.

[0058] In the boost circuit, the boost inductor L1 (model SD3110-100-R) is connected between the input power supply VIN and the switch pin SW. The voltage output pin VOUT of the boost converter U2 is grounded through the high-voltage filter capacitor C7 (220nF / 100V), and is shorted to the monitoring input pin MONIN. The output voltage is fed back to pin FB through a voltage divider resistor network, where the upper voltage divider resistor R1 is 680KΩ connected between VOUT and FB, and the lower voltage divider resistor R3 is 15KΩ connected between FB and ground. The APD drive pin of the boost converter U2 is connected to the output interface Header1, and also to network label W1, thus electrically connecting to the sliding terminal of the digital potentiometer U1. The output characteristics are adjusted by changing the resistance value of the digital potentiometer.

[0059] Understandably, unlike conventional PWM modulation, this solution sends commands to the digital potentiometer via the SPI bus (which typically has a high communication rate) to change its resistance value. Since this resistance value is connected to the signal setting terminal of the boost converter, the system essentially uses a digitally adjustable resistor to simulate a physical knob, directly setting certain operating references for the hardware chip (such as APD bias current or current limiting threshold). The LT3905 chip outputs a constant current based on this resistance value, preventing drastic fluctuations due to minute changes in load impedance (scalp impedance), thus achieving stable electrical stimulation and ensuring the safety and accuracy of transcranial photoelectric stimulation.

[0060] In one embodiment, the control system of the transcranial photostimulator further includes a lithium battery boost converter module 14, the input terminal of which is connected to the lithium battery 18, and the output terminal of which is electrically connected to at least the first stimulation module 11 and the second stimulation module 12.

[0061] In this embodiment, further combined Figure 6 As shown, the lithium battery boost module includes a boost converter chip U10 (e.g., a TPS61030) and its peripheral circuitry, used to convert the input 3.7V battery voltage into a stable 5V DC voltage.

[0062] The 3.7V power supply is connected to the power input pin VBAT (pin 6) of the boost converter chip U10. A first input filter capacitor C19 and a second input filter capacitor C21 are connected in parallel between the 3.7V power supply and ground, where C19 has a capacitance of 10uF and C21 has a capacitance of 0.1uF. The enable pin EN of the boost converter chip U10 is connected to the 3.7V power supply. The low battery voltage input pin LBI and the sync mode pin SYNC are both connected to ground. Multiple power ground pins PGND (pins 3, 4, and 5), the analog ground pin GND, and the bottom heatsink POWERPAD (pin 17) are all connected to the system common ground.

[0063] One end of the boost inductor L3 (with an inductance of 4.7μH) is connected to the 3.7V power supply, and the other end is connected to the switch pins SW (pin 1 and pin 2) of the boost converter chip U10. The energy storage boost is achieved by switching the internal switching transistor of the chip.

[0064] The output voltage pins VOUT, VOUT / 2, and VOUT / 3 of the boost converter chip U10 are shorted together to form a 5V output. A first output filter capacitor C28 and a second output filter capacitor C27 are connected in parallel between the 5V output and ground. C28 is a 2.2uF ceramic capacitor, and C27 is a 220uF electrolytic capacitor, used to smooth the output voltage. Simultaneously, the output voltage is regulated by a feedback network consisting of an upper voltage divider resistor R21 and a lower voltage divider resistor R22. The upper voltage divider resistor R21 (1.3MΩ) is connected between the 5V output and the chip's feedback pin FB (pin 12), and the lower voltage divider resistor R22 (150kΩ) is connected between the feedback pin FB and ground. The boost converter chip U10 adjusts its duty cycle based on the feedback voltage at the FB pin to maintain a constant output voltage.

[0065] Understandably, the voltage of the lithium battery 18 will fluctuate as the charge decreases during use, and direct power supply will cause the stimulation intensity to decay over time. In this embodiment, a pre-installed lithium battery boost converter module 14 converts the unstable battery voltage into a stable system voltage, providing a unified and stable energy source for the subsequent first and second stimulation modules 12. This ensures that the output power of photostimulation and electrical stimulation remains consistent regardless of the battery charge level, guaranteeing the repeatability of the treatment effect.

[0066] In one embodiment, the control system of the transcranial photostimulator further includes a start-up control module 13. The start-up control module 13 includes: a main power switch transistor connected in series between the power supply and the microcontroller module 10, with the signal input terminal of the main power switch transistor connected to the power supply and the signal output terminal of the main power switch transistor connected to the microcontroller module 10; a first start-up control resistor connected between the signal input terminal and the signal control terminal of the main power switch transistor; a switching circuit and a self-locking control circuit, the switching circuit and the self-locking control circuit being connected in parallel between the signal control terminal of the main power switch transistor and ground, the control terminal of the self-locking control circuit being connected to the microcontroller module, the input terminal of the self-locking control circuit being connected to the main power switch transistor, and the output terminal of the self-locking control circuit being connected to ground; wherein, when the switching circuit is closed or the self-locking control circuit is activated, the potential of the signal control terminal of the main power switch transistor is pulled low, causing the main power switch transistor to conduct.

[0067] Understandably, the design of this startup control module 13 significantly optimizes the standby power consumption of portable devices. By connecting the main power switch in series in the power circuit, and in conjunction with the first startup control resistor (as a pull-up resistor), when the device is powered off and the button is not pressed, the gate-source voltage of the P-channel MOSFET is zero, and it is in the off state, physically cutting off the power supply path to the microcontroller module 10 and subsequent circuits. This results in extremely low shutdown leakage current, effectively extending battery life. Simultaneously, the button circuit provides a momentary low-level trigger signal to initially turn on the power, while the self-locking control circuit maintains this low level after system startup, realizing a reliable power management logic of "hardware triggering, software maintenance".

[0068] In one embodiment, the self-locking control circuit includes a second switch connected to the microcontroller module 10; the second switch is turned on after the microcontroller module 10 is started, grounding the signal control terminal of the main power switch or maintaining it in a low level state, so as to keep the main power switch continuously on.

[0069] Understandably, by introducing a second switching transistor controlled by the microcontroller module 10, the control system gains control of the power supply. After the microcontroller module 10 completes initialization, it clamps the control terminal of the main power switch transistor to a low level (i.e., the on state) by turning on the second switching transistor. This achieves power self-locking after button release (eliminating the size and cost of mechanical self-locking switches), and also gives the system the ability to automatically shut down at set intervals or actively cut off the power supply when an anomaly is detected, thus improving the intelligence and safety of the equipment.

[0070] In this embodiment, further combined Figure 7 As shown, the start control module is connected between the battery power supply terminal (3V7BAT) and the system 3.7V power supply terminal to realize the system's button power-on, power self-locking maintenance, and button status detection functions.

[0071] A P-channel MOSFET is used as the main power switch Q2. The source of the main power switch Q2 is connected to the 3V 7BAT battery power supply terminal, and the drain serves as the 3.7V power output terminal of the system. A first start-up control resistor R25 (with a resistance of 100kΩ) is connected between the source and gate of the main power switch Q2 to pull up the gate potential of Q2 when there is no external signal trigger, so that it remains in the default off state.

[0072] The switching circuit includes a push-button switch S2, and the self-locking control circuit includes a second switching transistor Q4 (N-channel MOSFET). One end of the push-button switch S2 is connected to the gate of the main power switch Q2 through a diode D1, and the other end of the push-button switch S2 is grounded. The anode of the diode D1 is connected to the gate of the main power switch Q2, and the cathode is connected to the push-button switch S2. When the push-button switch S2 is pressed, the gate potential of the main power switch Q2 is pulled low, thereby turning on the main power switch Q2 and powering it on.

[0073] In this configuration, the drain of the second switching transistor Q4 is connected to the gate of the main power switching transistor Q2 via a current-limiting resistor R30 (10kΩ), while the source of the second switching transistor Q4 is grounded. The gate of the second switching transistor Q4 is connected to the MCU control signal terminal VCC_control via a resistor R32 (100kΩ). When the system starts, the MCU controls VCC_control to output a high level, turning on Q4 and continuously pulling down the gate potential of Q2, thus achieving power self-locking after the button is released.

[0074] The circuit also includes a detection signal terminal, VCC_check, which is connected to a 3.3V power supply via a pull-up resistor R27 (100kΩ). Simultaneously, the detection signal terminal VCC_check is connected to pin 3 of the push-button switch S2 via diode D2; the anode of diode D2 is connected to VCC_check, and the cathode is connected to S2. This circuit structure allows the MCU to determine whether the button S2 is pressed by detecting changes in the voltage level of the VCC_check pin.

[0075] In one embodiment, the control system of the transcranial photostimulator further includes a lithium battery charging management module 17 for managing the charging of the lithium battery 18. This module uses a switching buck single-cell lithium battery 18 charging management chip (e.g., TP5000X) as the core controller. The input of the charging management chip is connected to an external power source (e.g., a 5V power source provided by a USB interface), and the output is connected to the positive terminal of the lithium battery 18. The charging management module is configured with charging logic in three stages: trickle pre-charging, constant current charging, and constant voltage charging. The magnitude of the constant current charging current is set by an external resistor connected to a specific pin of the chip (e.g., set to a maximum of 2A). Furthermore, this module utilizes the chip's built-in power PMOSFET and anti-backflow circuit structure, eliminating the need for an external anti-backflow Schottky diode and simplifying the circuit size.

[0076] In one embodiment, the control system of the transcranial photostimulator further includes an LDO module 16 (low dropout linear regulator module). The LDO module 16 employs a linear regulator chip (e.g., AMS1117). The input of the linear regulator chip is connected to the 5V output of the lithium battery boost converter module 14, and the output of the linear regulator chip serves as a 3.3V system power supply. This 3.3V system power supply is connected to the digital power pin (VDD) and analog power pin (VDDA) of the microcontroller module 10, respectively, to further step down and regulate the 5V voltage output from the lithium battery boost converter module 14 to 3.3V, thereby providing a stable operating power supply for the microcontroller and peripheral low-voltage logic circuits.

[0077] In one embodiment, the control system of the transcranial photostimulator further includes a human-machine interface module 15, which includes a button submodule 152 and a screen display submodule 151. The button submodule 152 includes five buttons: up (S5), down (S6), left (S4), right (S3), and confirm (S7), forming a typical five-way navigation key for user menu operations, parameter settings, etc. The screen display submodule 151 communicates with the microcontroller module 10 via USART and, in conjunction with the button module, can select the photostimulation mode. The screen of the screen display submodule 151 can display battery information, time information, and a countdown after stimulation begins.

[0078] Further integration Figure 8 As shown in the embodiments of this application, a control method for a transcranial photostimulator is also provided. This method is applied in the control system provided in any of the above embodiments and includes the following steps: S1: Receives power on / off commands from the user to power on or off the control system; S2: When the control system is powered on, at least two stimulation modules are initialized by the microcontroller module; S3: Receive the user's stimulus mode setting instruction, which includes target output parameters for one or more of at least two stimulus modules; S4: The microcontroller module converts the target output parameters into corresponding digital instructions, and sends the digital instructions to the corresponding stimulation modules through different digital communication protocols to control the stimulation modules to output according to the set parameters.

[0079] Understandably, this control method translates the aforementioned hardware architecture advantages into concrete execution procedures. Through the initialization steps upon power-on, the status of the multimodal stimulation module can be self-checked, ensuring the device is in a safe-ready state. By converting user-defined target parameters (such as light intensity and current values) into digital instructions using different protocols and sending them independently, unified scheduling of heterogeneous hardware at the software level is achieved. This method has a clear logical flow and can flexibly adapt to various complex transcranial stimulation prescriptions (such as photoelectric alternation, synchronous enhancement, etc.), enhancing the clinical application value of the device.

[0080] This application also provides a readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, performs the steps according to the above-described control method embodiments.

[0081] Understandably, storing the aforementioned control logic on a storage medium facilitates software updates and functional expansion of the technology, enabling hardware devices to implement richer treatment modes by loading different programs.

[0082] For example, the computer program can be divided into one or more modules / units, which are stored in a readable storage medium and executed by at least one processor to complete this application. One or more modules / units can be a series of computer program instruction segments capable of performing specific functions, describing the execution process of the computer program in an electronic device. The processor can be a microcontroller module or any conventional processor, etc. The memory can be used to store computer programs and / or modules / units, and the processor implements various functions by running or executing the computer programs and / or modules / units stored in the memory, and by calling data stored in the memory. The memory can mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area can store the operating system, applications required for at least one function, etc.; the data storage area can store data created according to the use of the electronic device, etc. Furthermore, the memory can include high-speed random access memory, and can also include non-volatile memory, such as hard disks, RAM, plug-in hard disks, smart media cards (SMC), secure digital (SD) cards, flash cards, at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage devices.

[0083] When modules / units integrated into an electronic device are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can also be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer-readable medium can include: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code, recording media, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, magnetic disks, optical disks, computer memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and software distribution media, etc. It should be noted that the content included in the computer-readable medium can be appropriately added or removed according to the requirements of legislation and patent practice in the jurisdiction. For example, in some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, the computer-readable medium does not include electrical carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0084] In one embodiment, the overall physical architecture of the transcranial photostimulator includes a handheld device main unit, a head-mounted electrode support, sheet electrodes, lead wires, and a charging cable. The sheet electrodes may include single sheet electrodes and photoelectric combined sheet electrodes. The sheet electrodes are detachably mounted on the head-mounted electrode support, which is configured as an adjustable structure to support electrode position adjustments to cover different brain regions. The handheld device main unit is connected to the head-mounted electrode support via the lead wires and is used to output electrical stimulation signals and photostimulation drive signals.

[0085] The control system operates based on the principle of photoelectric synergistic stimulation: the electrical stimulation signal output by the second stimulation module applies microcurrent stimulation to the cerebral cortex, causing changes in neuronal potentials; the near-infrared light stimulation output by the first stimulation module promotes cellular energy metabolism and increases local cerebral blood oxygen supply. The microcontroller module controls the synergistic output of the two stimulation modes, and the resulting biological effects are designed to help enhance the excitability of the cerebral cortex and improve symptoms related to brain function.

[0086] Regarding the operation logic and human-computer interaction process of the transcranial photostimulator, the control strategy of the transcranial photostimulator is roughly as follows: After the user connects the head-mounted electrode bracket to the handheld device host through the lead wire, the microcontroller responds to the trigger signals of the up, down, left, and right directional buttons (corresponding to the aforementioned S3 to S6 buttons) and selects the stimulation mode and switches parameters on the screen display module; the microcontroller responds to the short press signal of the confirmation button (corresponding to the aforementioned S7 button) (e.g., the press time is less than a set threshold), controls the first stimulation module and / or the second stimulation module to start outputting stimulation signals, and starts the countdown display on the screen; during the stimulation output, when the microcontroller detects the long press signal of the confirmation button (e.g., the press time lasts for more than 2 seconds), the control system forcibly stops all stimulation output, realizing the emergency stop function; if there is no active stop operation, the microcontroller automatically cuts off the stimulation output after the preset treatment time of the selected mode is reached.

[0087] As a preferred parameter configuration in this embodiment, the hardware and software design of the control system meets the following technical specifications: Environmental adaptability: The normal operating temperature of the system is 0℃~40℃, relative humidity ≤90%, and atmospheric pressure 700hPa~1060hPa; the dustproof and waterproof rating is designed to be IP22.

[0088] Power performance: Powered by a 3.7V, 5000mAh lithium battery, the handheld device can last for more than 5 hours on a full charge.

[0089] Photostimulation output parameters: Supports dual wavelength output of 810nm and 1064nm; output waveform can be selected as continuous wave or pulse square wave (duty cycle 50%); supported pulse frequency levels include 0Hz (continuous wave), 10Hz, 20Hz, 30Hz and 40Hz.

[0090] Electrical stimulation output parameters: The output current intensity is adjustable, including 0.5mA, 1.0mA, 1.5mA, 2.0mA and 2.5mA levels; the output waveform can be selected as continuous wave or pulse square wave (duty cycle 50%); the supported pulse frequency levels include 0Hz, 10Hz, 20Hz, 30Hz and 40Hz.

[0091] Timed control: Supports setting treatment duration levels including 20min, 30min, 40min, 50min and 60min.

[0092] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that this application can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of this application. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of this application is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be embraced within this application. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Furthermore, it is clear that the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or, and the singular does not exclude the plural. Multiple elements or devices recited in the system claims may also be implemented by a single element or device in software or hardware. The terms "first," "second," etc., are used to indicate names and do not indicate any particular order.

[0093] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this application.

Claims

1. A control system for a transcranial photostimulator, characterized in that, include: A microcontroller module; At least two stimulation modules are uniformly controlled by the microcontroller module. The at least two stimulation modules include a first stimulation module and a second stimulation module. The first stimulation module is a light stimulation module, and the second stimulation module is an electrical stimulation module. The microcontroller module independently controls the output parameters of the at least two stimulation modules through different digital communication protocols.

2. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microcontroller module communicates with the first stimulation module through a first digital communication protocol and with the second stimulation module through a second digital communication protocol, wherein the first digital communication protocol and the second digital communication protocol are different communication protocol types.

3. The control system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The photostimulation module includes a digital-to-analog converter with feedback function, a power drive unit, and a first current sampling resistor. The input terminal of the digital-to-analog converter is connected to the microcontroller module, the output terminal of the digital-to-analog converter is connected to the control terminal of the power drive unit, the output terminal of the power drive unit is used to connect to a light-emitting element, the input terminal of the power drive unit is grounded through the first current sampling resistor, and the feedback input terminal of the digital-to-analog converter is connected between the connection node of the power drive unit and the first current sampling resistor. The microcontroller module sends a digital code representing the target light intensity to the digital-to-analog converter via the I2C bus. The digital-to-analog converter outputs a corresponding analog voltage as a drive signal based on the digital code.

4. The control system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The photostimulation module further includes a first filter circuit that provides analog power to the digital-to-analog converter. The first filter circuit includes a first filter capacitor and a second filter capacitor, which are connected in parallel between the power supply and ground to provide a reference voltage for the digital-to-analog converter.

5. The control system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The electrical stimulation module includes a boost converter and a digital potentiometer. The input terminal of the digital potentiometer is connected to the microcontroller module, and the output terminal of the digital potentiometer is connected to the signal input terminal of the boost converter. The microcontroller module sends digital commands to the digital potentiometer via the SPI bus to characterize the target output current intensity. The digital potentiometer adjusts its equivalent resistance value according to the digital commands to set the output current reference of the electrical stimulation module.

6. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control system of the transcranial photostimulator also includes a start-up control module, which includes: A main power switch transistor is connected in series between the power supply and the microcontroller module. The signal input terminal of the main power switch transistor is connected to the power supply, and the signal output terminal of the main power switch transistor is connected to the microcontroller module. A first start-up control resistor is connected between the signal input terminal and the signal control terminal of the main power switch transistor. A switching circuit and a self-locking control circuit are provided. The switching circuit and the self-locking control circuit are connected in parallel between the signal control terminal of the main power switch and ground. The control terminal of the self-locking control circuit is connected to the microcontroller module. The input terminal of the self-locking control circuit is connected to the main power switch and the output terminal of the self-locking control circuit is connected to ground. Specifically, when the switching circuit is closed or the self-locking control circuit is activated, the potential of the signal control terminal of the main power switch is pulled low, causing the main power switch to conduct.

7. The control system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The self-locking control circuit includes a second switch connected to the microcontroller module; the second switch is turned on after the microcontroller module is started, grounding the signal control terminal of the main power switch or maintaining it in a low level state, so as to keep the main power switch continuously on.

8. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control system of the transcranial photoelectric stimulator also includes a lithium battery boost converter module. The input terminal of the lithium battery boost converter module is connected to the lithium battery power supply, and the output terminal of the lithium battery boost converter module is connected to at least the first stimulation module and the second stimulation module.

9. A control method for a transcranial photostimulator, characterized in that, Applied to the control system as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, the control method comprises the following steps: Receive user power-on or power-off commands to power on or off the control system; When the control system is powered on, the microcontroller module initializes the at least two stimulation modules. Receive a user's stimulation mode setting instruction, the instruction including target output parameters for one or more of the at least two stimulation modules; The microcontroller module converts the target output parameters into corresponding digital instructions, and sends the digital instructions to the corresponding stimulation modules through different digital communication protocols to control the stimulation modules to output according to the set parameters.

10. A readable storage medium, characterized in that, It stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of the control method according to claim 9.

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