CN116173411A - Electrical stimulator for modulating waveform based on non-periodic signal - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides an electric stimulator for waveform modulation based on non-periodic signals, which comprises: the device comprises a receiver module, a microcontroller module, a digital-to-analog conversion module, a voltage-controlled current source module and a pulse width modulation module; the receiver module is electrically connected with the microcontroller module and sends the received non-periodic signals to the microcontroller module; the microcontroller module is electrically connected with the digital-to-analog conversion module and the pulse width modulation module; the digital-to-analog conversion module outputs a voltage signal, and the pulse width modulation module outputs a pulse signal; the digital-to-analog conversion module and the pulse width modulation module are electrically connected with the voltage-controlled current source module; the voltage-controlled current source module receives the voltage signal and the pulse signal and outputs a pulse current stimulation signal. The invention can output the stimulation current signal according to the non-periodic signal selected by the user, such as a music signal, and the stimulation mode becomes very flexible. The traditional voltage source output mode is replaced by the current source output mode, and the mutual interference among different stimulation channels is reduced.

Description

Electrical stimulator for modulating waveform based on non-periodic signal

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the technical field of electrical stimulation medical equipment, and relates to an electrical stimulator for modulating waveforms based on non-periodic signals.

Background

The common electric stimulator is in a voltage source output form, and periodically changes the width of the stimulation pulse or the amplitude of the stimulation pulse according to the stimulation mode selected by a user so as to stimulate the human tissues through the electric signals, so that part of the human tissues are excited, and the aim of health care/treatment is fulfilled. This approach has the following drawbacks:

1. the stimulation mode is fixed, and for one piece of electric stimulator equipment, the stimulation mode is relatively fixed, can not be changed at will, can not be combined with non-periodic signals such as music, and the like, so that the stimulation mode is expanded;

2. the stimulation signal is in a voltage source output form, and for the stimulation of two or more channels, the transmission path of the electric signal on the surface of the human body is not fixed due to the effect of the common ground of the stimulation voltage, so that the stimulation effect is unstable.

Therefore, how to provide an electro-stimulator capable of modulating the waveform of the non-periodic signal and ensuring the output stability of the current source and the modulation method thereof are needed to be solved by those skilled in the art.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the above, the present invention provides an electro-stimulator for modulating waveforms based on non-periodic signals, which solves the technical problems in the prior art.

In order to achieve the above purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical scheme:

the invention discloses an electric stimulator for waveform modulation based on non-periodic signals, which comprises: the device comprises a receiver module, a microcontroller module, a digital-to-analog conversion module, a voltage-controlled current source module and a pulse width modulation module; wherein,,

the receiver module is electrically connected with the microcontroller module and sends the received non-periodic signals to the microcontroller module;

the microcontroller module is electrically connected with the digital-to-analog conversion module and the pulse width modulation module; the digital-to-analog conversion module outputs a voltage signal, and the pulse width modulation module outputs a pulse signal;

the digital-to-analog conversion module and the pulse width modulation module are electrically connected with the voltage-controlled current source module; the voltage-controlled current source module receives the voltage signal and the pulse signal and outputs a pulse current stimulation signal.

Preferably, the wireless communication system further comprises a main control end, wherein the main control end is in wireless connection with the receiver module.

Preferably, the receiver module receives the non-periodic signal sent by the master control terminal through bluetooth and WIFI wireless.

Preferably, the device further comprises a power module, wherein the power module is electrically connected with the receiver module, the microcontroller module, the digital-to-analog conversion module, the voltage-controlled current source module and the pulse width modulation module respectively.

Preferably, the system further comprises a sensor module and a comparator module; the sensor module is electrically connected with the voltage-controlled current source module and the comparator module;

the sensor module receives the pulse current stimulation signal output by the voltage-controlled current source module, generates a voltage signal and sends the voltage signal to the comparator module.

Preferably, the sensor module comprises a transformer or a linear optocoupler.

Preferably, the comparator module is electrically connected with the microcontroller module.

Preferably, the system further comprises a man-machine interaction module, wherein the man-machine interaction module is electrically connected with the microcontroller module.

Preferably, the microcontroller module is electrically connected with the digital-to-analog conversion module through an SPI bus/IIC bus.

Preferably, the digital-to-analog conversion module includes any one of the following:

a D/A circuit;

and a circuit formed by passing the PWM output through a 1-order or multi-order low-pass filter.

Preferably, the non-periodic signal includes time-varying information of pitch/intensity/chromaticity and the like, which are analyzed from the audio signal.

Compared with the prior art, the technical scheme has the beneficial effects that:

the mode of the electric stimulator stimulation provided by the invention is flexible and changeable: parameters such as amplitude/pulse width of stimulation current output by the electric stimulator can be modulated according to non-periodic signals selected by a user, such as tone/intensity/tone chromaticity of music, and the like, and compared with the traditional electric stimulator, the stimulation mode of the electric stimulator is flexible.

The electric signals sent by the electric stimulator provided by the invention are more fixed and regular in the stimulation path of the body surface: the traditional voltage source output mode is replaced by the current source output mode, so that the mutual interference among different stimulation channels is reduced, and the study of the electric stimulation action mechanism by medical workers is facilitated.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings that are required to be used in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly described below, it will be apparent that the drawings in the following description are only embodiments of the present invention, and other drawings can be obtained according to the provided drawings without inventive effort to a person skilled in the art;

fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electrical stimulator for modulating waveforms based on non-periodic signals according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The following description of the embodiments of the present invention will be made clearly and completely with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is apparent that the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the invention.

As shown in fig. 1, an embodiment of the present invention provides an electro-stimulator for modulating waveforms based on non-periodic signals, which includes a receiver module 200, a microcontroller module 300, a digital-to-analog conversion module 500, a voltage-controlled current source module 600, and a pulse width modulation module 700; the receiver module 200 is electrically connected with the microcontroller module 300, and transmits the received non-periodic signal to the microcontroller module 300; the microcontroller module 300 is electrically connected with the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 and the pulse width modulation module 700; the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 outputs a voltage signal, and the pulse width modulation module 700 outputs a pulse signal; the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 and the pulse width modulation module 700 are electrically connected with the voltage-controlled current source module 600; the voltage-controlled current source module 600 receives the voltage signal and the pulse signal to output a pulse current stimulation signal.

The working principle among the modules of the invention is specifically described below:

the receiver module 200 may receive the externally sent command including the non-periodic signal, send the status feedback information, and perform information interaction with the microcontroller module 300 through bluetooth, WIFI or other wireless communication modes; the microcontroller module 300 performs information interaction and control with other modules in the electric stimulator actuator; the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 outputs the current of the signal input by the microcontroller module 300, and the voltage-controlled current source module 600 receives the voltage signal input by the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 and converts the voltage signal into a corresponding current stimulation signal, wherein the voltage signal controls the amplitude of the stimulation current output by the electric stimulation actuator through the voltage-controlled current source module 600; meanwhile, the pulse width modulation module 700 generates a pulse signal with variable pulse width, and the current stimulation signal output by the pulse width modulation module 700 is changed into a pulse form by receiving the variable pulse width pulse signal output by the pulse width modulation module 700; the pulse width of the stimulating current output by the electric stimulator is controlled by the voltage-controlled current source module 600, and particularly, the pulse width of the stimulating current can be adjusted by controlling the on-off of an output control triode/MOS tube in the voltage-controlled current source module 600 by the pulse width modulation module 700; the stimulating current signal output by the voltage controlled current source module 600 is applied to the electrodes.

The embodiment has simple structure and can be rapidly realized on general analog electronic devices such as a singlechip, an FPGA or a CPLD with a microprocessor function. The application of the general analog electronic devices such as the singlechip, the FPGA or the CPLD in the embodiment does not change the principle. Although the electronic devices used by the modules are all common devices with low cost, according to the actual requirement of the electric stimulator based on the non-periodic signals, the embodiment adopts the common chip to obtain a new circuit structure and principle through the actual printed circuit board connection so as to solve the common problems in the traditional electric stimulator.

In one embodiment, the manner in which the microcontroller module 300 implements the voltage signal output may be that the microcontroller module 300 controls the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 to output through the SPI bus/IIC bus and/or other inter-chip communication manners; the microcontroller module 300 may also output a PWM signal, where the output PWM signal becomes a stable voltage signal after passing through a low-pass filter; the digital to analog conversion module 500 may also be integrated for the microcontroller module 300. These above modes are merely changes in the output mode of the voltage signal, and the principle is not changed. The voltage signal will control the amplitude of the stimulation current output by the electrical stimulator through the voltage controlled current source module 600.

The microcontroller module 300 may use various low cost microcontrollers that are currently common in the market for information interaction and control with other modules in the electrostimulator actuator.

In one embodiment, the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 outputs a voltage signal under the control of the microprocessor module 300, wherein the voltage signal is obtained by analyzing the microprocessor module 300 according to an externally input non-periodic signal, for example, a music signal, which changes the signal of the microprocessor module 300 controlling the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 according to the level change of the tone signal. The digital-to-analog conversion module 500 may use a digital-to-analog conversion module or a chip with an SPI bus, an IIC bus, or other inter-chip communication methods to output the voltage signal.

The pulse width modulation module 700 and the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 are both connected with the voltage-controlled current source module 600 under the control of the microcontroller module 300.

In one embodiment, the pulse width modulation module 700 may be integrated in the microcontroller module 300 or may be implemented independently of a chip for generating a pulse width variable pulse signal that will control the pulse width of the stimulation current output by the electro-stimulation actuator through the voltage controlled current source module 600.

In specific implementation, the pulse width modulation module 700 outputs a PWM signal with a variable pulse width and a variable period, and the circuit is implemented by a PWM circuit, and the implementation method includes a triangle wave, a combination mode of a comparator and a counter, and the like.

In one embodiment, the voltage-controlled current source module 600 can realize the conversion from a voltage signal to a current signal, specifically can realize the conversion from voltage to current through a V-I conversion circuit, and can realize the conversion in a Howlan current pump mode; the current source mode can be realized for operational amplifier and MOS/triode; the switching circuit can also be in a mirror current source mode and is matched with a reversing circuit realized by an MOS/triode/analog multi-way switch. These above modes are merely changes in the manner of converting voltage signals into current signals, without changing the principle thereof.

The voltage-controlled current source module 600 is configured to receive the voltage signal input by the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 and convert the voltage signal into a corresponding current stimulation signal, and simultaneously, receive the variable pulse width pulse signal output by the pulse width modulation module 700 and convert the current stimulation signal output by the variable pulse width modulation module into a pulse form according to the signal.

In one embodiment, the system further comprises a master control end 100, and the master control end 100 is wirelessly connected with the receiver module 200. The main control terminal 100 is configured to send a command and receive status feedback information through bluetooth, WIFI or other wireless communication methods, and control the electrical stimulator to output various signals.

The receiver module 200 is configured to receive, by means of bluetooth, WIFI or other wireless communication, an instruction sent by the master control end, including an aperiodic signal sent by the master control end 100, further send status feedback information to the master control end 100, and perform information interaction with the microcontroller module 300.

In this embodiment, the master control end 100 may be a device with bluetooth, WIFI or other wireless communication, such as a mobile phone, a tablet, a computer, etc., and the device may analyze audio signals such as wav, MP3, etc. through an installed APP or an executable file, and send corresponding instructions to the electric stimulator executor according to information such as tone/intensity/chromaticity, etc. analyzed by the audio signals, so as to modulate parameters such as amplitude/pulse width, etc. of a stimulating current output by the electric stimulator executor, and finally achieve the purpose of controlling the electric stimulator executor to output the stimulating current by the music signal, that is, music electric stimulation. The master control terminal 100 can also control and monitor the electric stimulator executor under the control of the APP or executable file program.

The receiver module 200 may be implemented using a module, a chip, or a microcontroller integrated with the above functions, which have communication functions such as bluetooth, WIFI, or other wireless communication.

In one embodiment, the power supply module 400 is further included, and the power supply module 400 is electrically connected with the receiver module 200, the microcontroller module 300, the digital-to-analog conversion module 500, the voltage-controlled current source module 600, and the pulse width modulation module 700, respectively. The power module 400 is used for generating power supply voltages required by other modules so that the modules can operate normally;

the power module 400 can use a DC-DC module, can use a chip with a boost or bulk function and a peripheral circuit thereof to realize the increase or decrease of voltage, and can be matched with a three-terminal voltage stabilizing device to realize the output of specified voltage.

In one embodiment, further comprising a sensor module 900 and a comparator module 800; the sensor module 900 is electrically connected with the voltage-controlled current source module 600 and the comparator module 800; the sensor module 900 receives the pulse current stimulus signal output by the voltage-controlled current source module 600 and generates a voltage signal to be sent to the comparator module 800.

In this embodiment, the comparator module 800 is configured to monitor the signal output by the sensor module 900, so as to report an electrode falling error to the microcontroller module; the comparator module 800 may be implemented by a general purpose voltage comparator chip or other similarly functioning circuit for monitoring the signal output by the sensor module 900 to report electrode-fall errors to the microcontroller module 300.

In this embodiment, the sensor module 900 is configured to monitor the current stimulation signal output by the electric stimulator actuator in real time, and convert the current stimulation signal into a linear voltage signal, so as to provide the linear voltage signal to the comparator module 800 for judgment. The sensor module 900 may be implemented using a transformer or a linear optocoupler, or may be implemented using other high-side/low-side current sampling chips, for monitoring the current stimulation signal output by the electric stimulator actuator in real time, and converting the current stimulation signal into a linear voltage signal for providing to the comparator module for judgment.

In one embodiment, the system further comprises a man-machine interaction module 1000, wherein the man-machine interaction module 1000 is electrically connected with the microcontroller module 300. The man-machine interaction module 1000 is used for acquiring input information of a field operator and displaying feedback information of instrument equipment, so as to realize a field man-machine interaction function.

The man-machine interaction module 1000 may be composed of a key matrix formed by touch switches and an LED lamp or an LCD screen, so as to realize functions of status display, on-off equipment, stimulation intensity switching, status control, etc., so as to facilitate information interaction with a user.

The following describes the specific working procedure of the invention:

the user can adjust the switching machine, the stimulation intensity increase/decrease and the like through the man-machine interaction module 1000, and the user can realize the switching machine by pressing a corresponding tact switch in the man-machine interaction module 1000; the user informs the microcontroller module 300 of the man-machine interaction module 1000 in an interrupt mode or an IO mode, and after receiving the related key information of the man-machine interaction module 1000, the microcontroller module 300 feeds back the input of the user in modes such as an LED lamp, LCD screen display or voice output, and the like, and makes a change of the stimulus intensity or mode according to an internal program. The master control terminal 100 may also send the analyzed information such as the tone, the intensity, the chroma, etc. of the music to the receiver module 200 through bluetooth, WIFI or other wireless communication modes, the receiver module 200 may send the received information to the microcontroller module 300, after receiving the information sent by the receiver module 200, the microcontroller module 300 may timely make a change of the stimulus intensity or mode according to an internal program, and meanwhile, feedback the status information of the electric stimulator to the master control terminal 100 through the receiver module 200, where the APP or the executable program corresponding to the master control terminal 100 may also display the status information fed back by the electric stimulator executor. The power module 400 is used for supplying power to other modules in the electric stimulator, and is connected with the modules through a ground wire and a power supply wire; for a battery powered electrical stimulator, it would also feed back battery charge information to the microcontroller module 300 via leads, while also providing battery charging functionality. The digital-to-analog conversion module 500 receives the voltage output instruction sent by the microcontroller module 300 through the SPI bus/IIC bus or other inter-chip communication modes and outputs corresponding voltage, and the digital-to-analog conversion module 500 can be a traditional D/A circuit or a circuit formed by PWM output and then a 1-order or multi-order low-pass filter; the voltage is output to the voltage controlled current source module 600. The pulse width modulation module 700 outputs a PWM signal under the control of the microcontroller module 300; the PWM signal is output to the voltage controlled current source module 600. The voltage-controlled current source module 600 performs V-I conversion on the voltage signal received from the digital-to-analog conversion module 500, and outputs an equal proportion of the stimulating current, which ultimately acts on a specific part of the object designated by the user, typically a human body or an animal; meanwhile, the voltage-controlled current source module 600 also performs output pulse change or even polarity change of the output stimulation current according to the PWM signal input by the pulse width modulation module 700. The comparator module 800 receives the voltage signal outputted from the sensor module 900 and compares the voltage signal with a preset voltage, and outputs the comparison result to the microcontroller module 300, so as to inform the microcontroller module 300 that the electrode connection condition of the current stimulation channel includes poor contact or falling. The sensor module 900 is connected with the stimulation output of the electric stimulator actuator and the comparator module 800 at the same time, and is used for converting the stimulation output condition of the electric stimulator actuator into a voltage signal and feeding the voltage signal back to the comparator module 800.

For purposes of illustrating the structures described in this patent, a circuit component connection relationship of one embodiment will now be described in connection with practice. The keys in the man-machine interaction module 1000 can be realized by using a waterproof tact switch with the size of 6mm multiplied by 6mm and a pull-up resistor with the size of 10k omega, the voice module can be realized by using an NV040D and an 8 omega horn with the size of 0.5W, and the indicator lamp can be realized by using a general green LED and a general red LED; the master control terminal 100 can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a computer or other devices with Bluetooth communication functions, and can be used after an APP or an executable file is installed; the receiver module 200 may be integrated into the microcontroller module 300 by simply providing a PCB antenna or an external antenna; the micro-controller module 300 is mainly composed of CH579M and peripheral resistor and capacitor circuits thereof; the power module 400 is mainly composed of a charging circuit consisting of TP4057 and peripheral inductance, resistance and capacitance thereof; LM3488 and boost circuit composed of peripheral inductance, resistance and capacitance; an EH2806 and a switching circuit formed by peripheral capacitors thereof; LN1154B and its peripheral capacitor. The digital-to-analog conversion module 500 is mainly composed of a PWM module integrated inside the microcontroller module 300 and a peripheral 2-order resistance-capacitance low-pass filter; the voltage-controlled current source module 600 mainly comprises a mirror current source formed by high voltage resistant triodes such as 2SC2713 and the like and peripheral circuits thereof, and an H-bridge polarity conversion circuit; the pulse width modulation module 700 is mainly implemented by a PWM module integrated inside the microcontroller module 300; the comparator module 800 mainly comprises LM311 and TL431 and peripheral circuits thereof for implementing a window comparator; the sensor module 900 is mainly composed of a miniature 1:1 current transformer and peripheral circuits thereof.

The above describes the waveform modulation based on the non-periodic signal in detail, and specific examples are applied in this embodiment to illustrate the principle and implementation of the present invention, and the above description of the examples is only used to help understand the method and core idea of the present invention; meanwhile, as those skilled in the art will vary in the specific embodiments and application scope according to the idea of the present invention, the present disclosure should not be construed as limiting the present invention in summary.

The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined in this embodiment may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims (10)

1. An electro-stimulator for waveform modulation based on non-periodic signals, comprising: a receiver module (200), a microcontroller module (300), a digital-to-analog conversion module (500), a voltage-controlled current source module (600) and a pulse width modulation module (700); wherein,,

the receiver module (200) is electrically connected with the microcontroller module (300) and transmits the received non-periodic signal to the microcontroller module (300);

the microcontroller module (300) is electrically connected with the digital-to-analog conversion module (500) and the pulse width modulation module (700); the digital-to-analog conversion module (500) outputs a voltage signal, and the pulse width modulation module (700) outputs a pulse signal;

the digital-to-analog conversion module (500) and the pulse width modulation module (700) are electrically connected with the voltage-controlled current source module (600); the voltage-controlled current source module (600) receives the voltage signal and the pulse signal and outputs a pulse current stimulation signal.

2. The non-periodic signal based waveform modulated electrostimulator of claim 1 further comprising a master terminal (100), the master terminal (100) being wirelessly connected with the receiver module (200).

3. The electrical stimulator for waveform modulation based on non-periodic signals according to claim 2, wherein the receiver module (200) receives non-periodic signals sent by the master control terminal (100) wirelessly through bluetooth, WIFI.

4. The non-periodic signal based waveform modulated electrostimulator of claim 1 further comprising a power supply module (400), the power supply module (400) being electrically connected to the receiver module (200), microcontroller module (300), digital to analog conversion module (500), voltage controlled current source module (600) and pulse width modulation module (700), respectively.

5. The non-periodic signal based waveform modulated electrostimulator of claim 1, further comprising a sensor module (900) and a comparator module (800); the sensor module (900) is electrically connected with the voltage-controlled current source module (600) and the comparator module (800);

the sensor module (900) receives the pulse current stimulation signal output by the voltage-controlled current source module (600) and generates a voltage signal to be sent to the comparator module (800).

6. The non-periodic signal based waveform modulated electrostimulator of claim 5, wherein the sensor module (900) comprises a transformer or a linear optocoupler.

7. The non-periodic signal based waveform modulated electrostimulator according to claim 5, characterised in that the comparator module (800) is electrically connected to the microcontroller module (300).

8. The non-periodic signal based waveform modulated electrostimulator of claim 1 further comprising a human machine interaction module (1000), the human machine interaction module (1000) being electrically connected to the microcontroller module (300).

9. The non-periodic signal based waveform modulated electrostimulator of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller module (300) is electrically connected to the digital to analog conversion module (500) via the SPI/IIC bus.

10. The non-periodic signal based waveform modulated electrostimulator of claim 1, wherein the digital to analog conversion module (500) comprises any one of the following:

a D/A circuit;

and a circuit formed by passing the PWM output through a 1-order or multi-order low-pass filter.

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