Implantable Tissue Stimulator Parameter Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current tissue stimulation technologies lack effective control over stimulation parameters, leading to potential tissue damage and inefficiencies in therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Innovation Solution

An implantable stimulation device with a stimulus delivery element, memory to store range values of stimulation parameters, and a controller to manage stimulus delivery, along with an extracorporeal portion for data exchange and hardware limiters to ensure safe and appropriate stimulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If stimulation parameters are increased to improve therapeutic effectiveness, then treatment outcomes are enhanced, but risk of tissue damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic effectivenessVSAvoidtissue damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements predetermined safe ranges for stimulation parameters that are established before therapy delivery. These ranges act as pre-set boundaries that prevent harmful parameter values from being applied, thereby resolving the contradiction by allowing effective stimulation within safe limits while preventing tissue damage through advance parameter constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates monitoring of stimulation parameter values against predetermined safe ranges, with the ability to detect and respond to parameter violations. This feedback mechanism ensures that therapeutic effectiveness is maintained within safe boundaries, automatically preventing tissue damage while preserving treatment benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If stimulation parameters are freely adjustable to optimize treatment, then therapeutic customization is improved, but parameter control safety deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment customizationVSAvoidparameter control safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different control characteristics to different parameter ranges: within safe predetermined ranges, parameters are freely adjustable to allow full customization; outside these ranges, parameters are constrained to prevent unsafe values. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing both customization freedom and safety control in appropriate contexts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the control state of stimulation parameters based on whether they fall within predetermined safe ranges. Parameters within safe ranges maintain full adjustability for customization, while parameters approaching unsafe boundaries trigger constraint mechanisms. This dynamic parameter management resolves the contradiction between adaptability and safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If hardware limiters are added to ensure safety, then tissue protection is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue protectionVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical hardware limiters with software-based control mechanisms that monitor and constrain stimulation parameters through logical comparisons against predetermined ranges. This substitution achieves the same tissue protection function with significantly reduced device complexity, using computational methods instead of mechanical safety devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements self-monitoring and self-constraint capabilities within the stimulation device controller, which automatically detects parameter violations and prevents unsafe operation without requiring external hardware intervention. This self-service approach to safety reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate hardware limiter components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS7801602B2Controlling stimulation parameters of implanted tissue stimulators

Publication Date: 2010.09.21 BOSTON SCI NEUROMODULATION CORP

AI summary

Systems and techniques for controlling the stimulation of tissue. In one aspect, an apparatus includes an implantable stimulation device to elicit a response in a tissue by delivering one or more stimuli. The stimulation device includes a stimulus delivery element to deliver the one or more stimuli to elicit the response, a memory to store a range value identifying a range of values of a stimulation parameter relative to a first value, and a controller to control delivery of the stimuli by the stimulus delivery element in accordance with the range value. The stimulation parameter characterizes the stimuli to be delivered by the stimulation device.