Portable stimulation screening device for screening therapeutic effect of electrical stimulation on a patient user during normal activities of the patient user

Patent 5893883 Issued on April 13, 1999. Estimated Expiration Date:

April 30, 2017. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Treatment method and instrumentation system
Patent #: 4505275
Issued on: 03/19/1985
Inventor: Chen

Output limited electrical stimulator for biological tissue
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Inventor: King-Smith , et al.

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Method and apparatus for treating neurodegenerative disorders by electrical brain stimulation Patent #: 5683422
Issued on: 11/04/1997
Inventor: Rise

Inventors

Assignee

Medtronic, Inc.

Application

No. 847650 filed on 04/30/1997

US Classes:

607/59Control signal storage (e.g., programming)

Examiners

Primary: Kamm, William E.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Banner & Witcoff Ltd.

International Class

A61N 001/36

Abstract

A stimulation device for screening therapeutic effects from electrical stimulation of electrically excitable tissue. The stimulation device includes inputs such that the user can easily select the polarity, amplitude, pulse width, and pulse rate of the respective stimulation signal applied on each of the implanted electrodes. Alternatively, the stimulation device automatically sets those parameters of the stimulation signal with parameters that have historically produced high ratings of therapeutic effect. The user then enters a rating of the therapeutic effect that results from the application of those stimulation signals on the implanted electrodes. The stimulation device is designed to also include a casing such that the stimulation device is adapted to be portable. Because the stimulation device of the present invention is also inexpensive, the user can carry this device around during normal daily activities of the user during the screening process. Consequently, parameters of the stimulation device that would result in optimum therapeutic effect for normal daily activities of the user can be determined more easily and more accurately.