Patent ID: 8255056

Claim:
A device for treating a sleep breathing disorder comprising: at least one electrode configured to sense a parameter corresponding to a precursor to onset of a sleep breathing disorder where intrinsic breathing is present, and the at least one electrode, or an additional electrode, configured to deliver an electrical signal targeting diaphragm or phrenic nerve tissue to cause contraction of at least a portion of a diaphragm to control breathing in response to a sensed precursor, to prevent or mitigate a sleep breathing disorder in a subject; a control unit comprising: a stimulation pulse generator configured to deliver electrical stimulation to the tissue through the at least one electrode to thereby elicit a diaphragm response to control a breathing of the subject; wherein the control unit is programmed to detect the precursor and to deliver the stimulation in response to information sensed by the at least one electrode by controlling electrical stimulation delivered to the tissue through the electrode, wherein the control unit is further programmed to control the stimulation pulse generator to deliver a burst or series of pulses as the electrical stimulation; and wherein upon detecting a precursor to onset of a sleep breathing disorder, the control unit is further programmed to provide at least one electrical stimulation, monitor the breathing of the subject for a first interval of time and provide at least one electrical stimulation if the breathing is not as desired, monitor the breathing for at least a subsequent second interval of time longer than the first interval, sense for normalized breathing, compare the breathing to intrinsic breathing, and to further provide at least one electrical stimulation if the breathing is not as desired or cease the at least one electrical stimulation if breathing is as desired.