Duty Cycle Control for Implantable Electrical Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current implantable electrical stimulation systems lack an efficient method to manage energy delivery, leading to potential battery life issues and side effects due to constant stimulation, without effectively balancing therapeutic efficacy and prolonged battery life.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a duty cycle parameter that suppresses a percentage of electrical pulses, allowing for adjustable distribution and amplitude reduction, enabling controlled energy delivery through implantable systems, thereby optimizing energy usage and minimizing side effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If constant electrical stimulation is delivered to patient tissue, then therapeutic efficacy is maintained, but battery life is reduced and side effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a duty cycle parameter that periodically suppresses electrical pulses according to a defined pattern. Instead of continuous stimulation, the system delivers pulses in cycles with specific on/off ratios, creating periodic action that maintains therapeutic effects while reducing overall energy consumption and extending battery life.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the duty cycle parameter to optimize between therapeutic efficacy and energy conservation. The duty cycle can be modified based on treatment requirements, allowing the stimulation pattern to adapt over time, thereby balancing battery life extension with maintained therapeutic effectiveness.
2Reliability
If constant electrical stimulation is delivered to patient tissue, then therapeutic effect is maintained, but side effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing periodic pulse suppression through the duty cycle parameter, the system reduces continuous stimulation that causes side effects. The periodic on/off pattern allows tissue recovery periods while maintaining therapeutic benefits during active stimulation phases, thereby reducing harmful effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The duty cycle parameter implements partial action by suppressing a specific percentage of electrical pulses rather than delivering continuous stimulation. This partial delivery approach maintains sufficient therapeutic effect while avoiding the excessive stimulation that leads to side effects.
3Duration of action of moving object
If electrical pulses are suppressed according to duty cycle, then battery life is extended, but energy delivery control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system manages complexity by implementing the duty cycle as a single adjustable parameter that controls pulse suppression. This parameter-based approach simplifies the control architecture compared to complex timing circuits, allowing battery life extension through straightforward parameter modification rather than complex hardware changes.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having processor-executable instructions for delivering electrical stimulation energy through at least one electrode of an implantable electrical stimulation system, the processor-executable instructions when installed onto a system enable the system to perform actions, the processor-executable instructions comprising receiving a plurality of stimulation parameters comprising a selection of one or more electrodes, a stimulation amplitude, and a stimulation frequency, wherein the stimulation parameters define, at least in part, an electrical stimulation energy deliverable as a series of electrical pulses at the stimulation frequency, receiving a duty cycle parameter, wherein the duty cycle parameter indicates a relative number of the electrical pulses to be suppressed, receiving at least one of 1) a suppression distribution parameter to indicate a distribution of the suppressed electrical pulses within the series of electrical pulses or 2) a suppression level parameter to indicate a reduction of an amplitude of the suppressed electrical pulses, and delivering the electrical stimulation energy to patient tissue through the one or more electrodes, wherein a percentage of the electrical pulses are suppressed according to the duty cycle parameter.