Patent ID: 8187161

Claim:
An implantable system, comprising: a controller comprising an amplifier and a first supply voltage, the amplifier comprising an input and an output; first and second lead lines coupled to the controller, wherein the first and second lead lines are characterized at least by an impedance across the first and second lead lines; a first variable resistor comprising first and second ends, wherein the first end of the first variable resistor is coupled to the first supply voltage and the second end of the first variable resistor is coupled to the first lead line, and wherein the first variable resistor is coupled to the input of the amplifier; wherein the amplifier is configured to amplify a voltage difference across the first variable resistor; and a plurality of implantable integrated circuits coupled to the first and second lead lines, wherein a selected one of said implantable integrated circuits is configured to reduce the impedance across the first and second lead lines to change the voltage difference across the first variable resistor to communicate an electrode configuration to the controller.