EMI/ESD hardened transducer driver driver for a closed loop neuromodulator

1 . A hardened transducer driver for protecting electronics of a closed loop neuromodulator, configured to optimize sleep therapy for a patient, from electromagnetic interference (EMI) or electrostatic discharge (ESD), the driver comprising:

an input configured to receive a transducer signal;

an output configured to provide the transducer signal to a sleep therapy transducer;

an EMI filter coupled to the output and a grounded metal shield, the EMI filter configured to reduce EMI between the output and the electronics;

an ESD protection device coupled to the grounded metal shield, the ESD protection device configured to protect the electronics from an energy surge; and

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to receive respiration information from a sensor and to generate the transducer signal for the sleep therapy transducer.

2 . The driver of claim 1 , wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to interrupt a sleep disorder event using the transducer signal.

3 . The driver of claim 2 , wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to detect a sleep disorder event using the respiration information, and to provide a first stimulus to the patient in response to the detected sleep disorder event, the first stimulus configured to not interrupt the detected sleep disorder event; and

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to provide a second stimulus to the patient in response to the detected sleep disorder event, following the first stimulus, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the detected sleep disorder event.

4 . The driver of claim 1 , wherein the EMI filter includes an external EMI filter and an internal EMI filter, wherein the internal EMI filter is configured to suppress electromagnetic interference generated from the closed loop neuromodulator.

5 . The driver of claim 4 , wherein the internal EMI filter is enclosed within the grounded metal shield.

6 . The driver of claim 5 , wherein the external EMI filter is located outside the grounded metal shield.

7 . The driver of claim 5 , wherein the external EMI filter includes ferrite beads.

8 . The driver of claim 1 , wherein the ESD protection device includes a plurality of interleaved vias connecting first and second ground planes, wherein the closed loop neuromodulator include a printed circuit board, and wherein the first ground plane is disposed on a first side of the printed circuit board and the second ground plane is disposed on a second side of the printed circuit board, the second ground plane opposite the first ground plane.

9 . The driver of claim 1 , including an amplifier coupled between an input and the ESD protection device, the amplifier configured to amplify a stimulus signal received from a stimulus escalator of the closed loop neuromodulator and to output the transducer signal.

10 . The driver of claim 9 , wherein the amplifier is programmable.

11 . The driver of claim 10 , wherein the amplifier includes a programmable gain.

12 . The driver of claim 10 , wherein the gain is programmable over a range of about −20 dB to about +20 dB.

13 . A system for protecting electronics of a closed loop neuromodulator from electromagnetic interference (EMI) or electrostatic discharge (ESD), the system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect information indicative of respiration from a patient;

the closed loop neuromodulator configured to optimize sleep therapy for the patient, the closed loop neuromodulator including:

a hardened transducer driver coupled to a sleep therapy transducer, the hardened transducer driver configured to protect electronics of the closed loop neuromodulator from EMI or ESD, the hardened transducer driver including:

an output configured to transmit a transducer signal to a sleep therapy transducer;

an EMI filter coupled to the output and a grounded metal shield, the EMI filter configured to reduce EMI between the output and the electronics;

an ESD protection device coupled to the grounded metal shield, the ESD protection device configured to protect the electronics from an energy surge; and

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to receive respiration information from the sensor, to detect a sleep disorder event using the respiration information, to provide a first stimulus to the transducer, the first stimulus configured to not interrupt the detected sleep disorder event;

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to provide a second stimulus to the transducer, following the first stimulus, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the detected sleep disorder event; and

wherein the transducer is configured to deliver the first and second stimuli to the patient.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of a thermocouple, a thermistor, an air pressure transducer, an electrode, a respiratory effort belt, or a pyro/piezoelectric sensor; and

wherein the transducer includes at least one of an acoustic transducer, a tactile mechanical agitator, an ocular stimulator, an electrical stimulator, a thermal stimulator, or an ultrasonic stimulator configured to modulate an audible signal onto an ultrasonic sound carrier.

15 . A method for protecting electronics of a closed loop neuromodulator, configured to optimize sleep therapy for a patient, from electromagnetic interference (EMI) or electrostatic discharge (ESD), the method comprising:

receiving a transducer signal at an input of a hardened sensor interface;

providing the transducer signal at an output of the hardened sensor interface to a sleep therapy transducer;

reducing EMI between the output and the electronics using an EMI filter and a grounded metal shield; and

providing an ESD protection device coupled to the grounded metal shield, the ESD protection device configured to protect the electronics of the closed loop neuromodulator from an energy surge.

16 . The method of claim 15 , including:

receiving respiration information from a sensor;

generating the transducer signal; and

interrupting a sleep disorder event using the transducer signal.

17 . The method of claim 16 , including:

detecting a sleep disorder event using the respiration information; and

providing the transducer signal in response to the detected sleep disorder event.

18 . The method of claim 17 , including providing sleep therapy to the patient using the transducer signal.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the providing sleep therapy includes:

providing a first stimulus to the patient in response to the detected sleep disorder event, the first stimulus configured to not interrupt the detected sleep disorder event; and

providing a second stimulus to the patient in response to the detected sleep disorder event, following the first stimulus, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the detected sleep disorder event.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the providing the transducer signal includes amplifying the driver signal.