Active Nerve Stimulation Device with Adaptive Charge Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current neurostimulation devices face challenges in minimizing the duration of compensatory phases to reduce blanking periods and avoiding undesirable physiological effects during charge compensation, particularly due to the varied characteristics of nerve fibers and the risk of activating fibers with lower excitation thresholds during pre-charge and passive discharge phases.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a sensing circuit to detect physiological parameters and generate test pulse trains to evaluate physiological effects from compensatory phases, allowing for adaptive adjustment of pre-charge, post-charge, or passive discharge pulse parameters to minimize their duration and amplitude, ensuring balanced charge compensation without inducing additional physiological effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the duration of compensatory phases is reduced to minimize blanking periods, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to insufficient charge compensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of compensatory phase parameters (amplitude and duration) based on real-time detection of physiological effects. The system continuously monitors nerve fiber responses and adapts the compensatory pulse characteristics to achieve adequate charge compensation while minimizing blanking period duration, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a feedback mechanism where physiological parameters are detected during and after compensatory phases, and this information is used to adjust subsequent compensatory pulse parameters. This closed-loop control ensures reliable charge compensation while optimizing the timing to minimize blanking periods, simultaneously addressing both reliability and productivity concerns.
2Reliability
If the amplitude of compensatory pulses is increased to ensure adequate charge compensation, then reliability is improved, but harmful factors increase due to activation of nerve fibers with lower excitation thresholds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different pulse characteristics to different nerve fiber populations by detecting their distinct physiological responses. The system identifies and targets specific fiber types with appropriate compensatory pulses, ensuring adequate charge compensation for therapeutic fibers while using lower amplitudes for fibers with lower excitation thresholds, thereby reducing harmful effects while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes pulse parameters (amplitude, duration, timing) based on detected physiological effects. By adjusting these parameters in real-time, the system achieves effective charge compensation when needed while avoiding excessive amplitudes that would activate non-target nerve fibers, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and harmful factors.
3Measurement precision
If test pulse trains are applied to evaluate physiological effects, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to additional testing procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary testing during initial device implantation and programming phases to establish baseline physiological responses. This advance characterization of nerve fiber responses enables optimized compensatory pulse parameters to be pre-configured, reducing the need for extensive testing during clinical use and minimizing time loss while maintaining high measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous monitoring of physiological parameters during compensatory phases without interrupting the therapeutic function. By integrating measurement and therapy into a continuous process rather than separate testing sessions, the system achieves high measurement precision while minimizing time loss, as the useful therapeutic action continues uninterrupted.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to an active medical device which includes a generator for producing multiphase nerve stimulation pulse trains, each pulse train including at least one stimulation pulse preceded by a precharge pulse and ending with a passive discharge pulse. The active medical device also includes a sensor configured to output a control signal representative of a physiological and/or physical parameter capable of being influenced by the output of nerve stimulation pulse trains. The active medical device also includes an automatic charge compensation control circuit configured to receive at the input the control signal output by the sensor, determine an amplitude and/or a precharge pulse time as a function of at least one predetermined criterion, and output to the generator a precharge pulse control signal to be produced at the output.