Mobile phone using non-invasive nerve stimulation
View Patent ↗Devices, systems and methods are disclosed that allow a patient to self-treat a medical condition, such as migraine headache, by electrical noninvasive stimulation of a vagus nerve. The system comprises a handheld stimulator that is applied to the surface of the patient's neck, wherein the stimulator comprises or is joined to a smartphone. A camera of the smartphone may be used to position and reposition the stimulator to a particular location on the patient's neck. The system may also comprise a base station that is used to meter the charging of a rechargeable battery within the stimulator. The base station and stimulator transmit data to one another regarding the status of a stimulation session.
1. A system for treating a medical condition of a patient, comprising:
a stimulator comprising a housing having a contact surface comprising an electrically conductive material for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient, wherein the housing is configured for attachment and electrical coupling to a mobile device configured to receive a wireless signal;
an energy source coupled to the stimulator and the mobile device, the energy source being configured to generate an electric field sufficient to transmit an electric current through the contact surface and the outer skin surface of the patient sufficient to modulate a nerve at a target region within the patient; and
a filter coupled in series between the energy source and the contact surface for filtering high frequency components of the electric current.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone and the stimulator is an integral part of the mobile phone.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone and the stimulator attaches to a surface of the mobile phone.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone and the stimulator comprises a case for the mobile phone.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a mobile Wi-Fi device capable of receiving and transmitting data over the internet.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the contact surface comprises one or more electrodes.
7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a signal generator coupled to the energy source and the contact surface of the stimulator housing and configured to generate an electrical impulse sufficient to modulate the nerve at the target region of the patient.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the signal generator is situated within the housing of the stimulator.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein the signal generator is located exterior to the stimulator housing, the system further comprising a software program coupled to the electrodes and wirelessly coupled to the signal generator for transmitting the electrical impulse to the electrodes.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein the software program is a mobile application software program configured for wireless downloading onto the mobile device.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the mobile application software program comprises an audio program.
12. The system of claim 7 further comprising an amplifier coupled to the signal generator and the electrodes for amplifying the signal to the electrodes.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the amplifier is located within the stimulator housing.
14. The system of claim 12 wherein the amplifier is located exterior to the stimulator housing and is configured for electrical connection to the mobile device or the stimulator housing.
15. The system of claim 1 wherein the power source is a battery located within the stimulator housing.
16. The system of claim 1 wherein the power source is a battery within the mobile device, wherein the battery provides power to the mobile device and the stimulator.
17. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a base station configured to receive data from a remote source, the base station being configured for coupling to the stimulator and transmitting the data to the stimulator, wherein the data comprises a therapy regimen for treating the medical condition in the patient.
18. The system of claim 1 further comprising control software within the stimulator housing and a control panel on the mobile device coupled to the control software, wherein the control panel is configured to modulate properties of the electric current.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the control panel is configured to modulate an amplitude of the electric current.
20. The system of claim 18 wherein the control panel is configured to disable functions of the mobile device when the stimulator is enabled.
21. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter comprises an electrically conductive fluid located between the contact surface and the energy source.
22. The system of claim 7 wherein the electric impulse comprises bursts of pulses with each burst having a frequency of about 1 to about 100 bursts per second and each pulse having a frequency of about 1 to 20 KHz.
23. The system of claim 1 further comprising a camera in the mobile device, wherein the camera is configured to image a selected location on or under the patient's skin.
24. A system for treating a medical condition of a patient, comprising:
a stimulator comprising a housing having a contact surface, wherein the housing is configured for attachment and electrical coupling to a mobile device configured to receive a wireless signal;
an energy source coupled to the stimulator and the mobile device, the energy source being configured to generate an electric field sufficient to transmit an electric current through the contact surface and the outer skin surface of the patient sufficient to modulate a nerve at a target region within the patient; and
a control software within the stimulator housing and a control panel on the mobile device coupled to the control software, wherein the control panel is configured to disable functions of the mobile device when the stimulator is enabled.
25. The system of claim 24 wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone and the stimulator is an integral part of the mobile phone.
26. The system of claim 24 wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone and the stimulator attaches to a surface of the mobile phone.
27. The system of claim 24 wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone and the stimulator comprises a case for the mobile phone.
28. The system of claim 24 wherein the mobile device is a mobile WI-FI device capable of receiving and transmitting data over the internet.
29. The system of claim 24 wherein the contact surface comprises one or more electrodes.
30. The system of claim 29 further comprising a signal generator coupled to the energy source and the contact surface of the stimulator housing and configured to generate an electrical impulse sufficient to modulate the nerve at the target region of the patient.
31. The system of claim 30 wherein the signal generator is situated within the housing of the stimulator.
32. The system of claim 30 wherein the signal generator is located exterior to the stimulator housing, the system further comprising a software program coupled to the electrodes and wirelessly coupled to the signal generator for transmitting the electrical impulse to the electrodes.
33. The system of claim 32 wherein the software program is a mobile application software program configured for wireless downloading onto the mobile device.
34. The system of claim 33 wherein the mobile application software program comprises an audio program.
35. The system of claim 30 further comprising an amplifier coupled to the signal generator and the electrodes for amplifying the signal to the electrodes.
36. The system of claim 35 wherein the amplifier is located within the stimulator housing.
37. The system of claim 35 wherein the amplifer is located exterior to the stimulator housing and is configured for electrical connection to the mobile device or the stimulator housing.
38. The system of claim 24 wherein the power source is a battery located within the stimulator housing.
39. The system of claim 24 further comprising a base station configured to receive data from a remote
source, the base station being configured for coupling to the stimulator and transmitting the data to the stimulator, wherein the data comprises a therapy regimen for treating the medical condition of the patient.
40. The system of claim 24 wherein the control panel is configured to modulate an amplitude of the electric current.
41. The system of claim 24 wherein the contact surface comprises an electrically conductive material, the system further comprising a filter coupled in series between the energy source and the contact surface for filtering high frequency components of the electric current.
42. The system of claim 41 wherein the filter comprises an electrically conductive fluid.
43. The system of claim 24 wherein the electric impulse comprises bursts of pulses with each burst having a frequency of about 1 to about 100 bursts per second and each pulse having a frequency of about 1 to 20 KHz.
44. The system of claim 24 further comprising a camera in the mobile device, wherein the camera is configured to image a selected location on or under the patient's skin.