Patent · US Expired

Digital circuit for control of gradual turn-on of electrical tissue stimulators

US4520825A · kind A · utility

109Cited by
9References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 30, 1982
Grant dateJun 4, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 30, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/3603
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A circuit for causing the gradual turn-on of electrical tissue stimulation in a digitally controlled stimulator is disclosed. A stimulation pulse counter and a pulses per step memory circuit are connected to a decoder to provide an amplitude incrementing signal after a presettable count of stimulation pulses. An amplitude counter receives the incrementing signal to increment the amplitude of the stimulation output pulse through a digital to analog converter circuit and to reset the pulse counter. A maximum amplitude memory circuit and decoder operate in conjunction with the amplitude counter to latch the counter when a preset pulse amplitude is obtained. At the end of a stimulation interval, the amplitude counter is reset and stimulation pulses begin at the minimum amplitude at the start of the next stimulation interval.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.