Patent ID: 7979132

Claim:
An implantable neurostimulator, comprising: pulse generating circuitry for generating electrical pulses; switching circuitry for outputting electrical pulses from the pulse generating circuitry among a plurality of outputs of the implantable neurostimulator; a controller for controlling the implantable neurostimulator according to software instructions; and memory for storing (i) software for controlling pulse generation and output operations of the implantable neurostimulator and (ii) a plurality of stimulation programs wherein each stimulation program comprises a pulse amplitude parameter, an electrode combination parameter, and a pulse limit parameter; wherein the software for controlling pulse generation and output operations controls the pulse generating circuitry and the switching circuitry by cycling through the plurality of stimulation programs according to one or more pulse frequency parameters, wherein in each cycle, the software for controlling (i) compares the pulse limit parameter against a number of pulses generated for a current stimulation program since an immediately preceding pattern reset, (ii) generates and outputs a stimulation pulse for the current stimulation program according to the pulse amplitude parameter and the electrode combination parameter of the current stimulation program when a comparison, of the pulse limit against a number of pulses generated, determines that a sufficient number of pulses have not been generated, (iii) precedes to a succeeding stimulation program without generating a stimulation pulse for the current stimulation program when the comparison, of the pulse limit against a number of pulses generated, determines that a sufficient number of pulses have been generated, and (iv) performs a pattern reset after a predetermined number of repetitions through the plurality of stimulation programs.