Patent ID: 8744597

Claim:
A method comprising: with a medical device, delivering stimulation to a patient via at least a plurality of predetermined electrode combinations from a first electrode combination class and a plurality of predetermined electrode combinations from a second electrode combination class during a therapy evaluation period, wherein the first electrode combination class comprises electrode combinations that include electrodes within only one or two electrode columns of an implantable array of electrodes that includes at least three electrode columns, and the second electrode combination class comprises electrode combinations that include electrodes within at least three electrode columns of the implantable array of electrodes, wherein at least one of the three electrode columns of the implantable array of electrodes extends in a longitudinal direction, the second electrode combination class comprising: a transverse electrode combination, wherein a first set of anodes of the transverse electrode combination are displaced substantially transversely relative to a first cathode of the transverse electrode combination and relative to the longitudinal direction, and a stimulation field resulting from delivery of stimulation via the transverse electrode combination is oriented substantially transversely relative to a target tissue for the stimulation; and a longitudinal electrode combination, wherein a second set of anodes of the longitudinal electrode combination are displaced substantially longitudinally relative to a second cathode of the longitudinal electrode combination and relative to the longitudinal direction, and a stimulation field resulting from delivery of stimulation via the longitudinal combination is oriented substantially longitudinally relative to the target tissue for the stimulation; selecting one of the first or second electrode combination classes based on the delivery of electrical stimulation according to the plurality of predetermined electrode combinations from the first electrode combination class and the plurality of electrode combinations from the second electrode combination class; and determining, with a processor, additional electrode combinations to test on the patient based on the selected one of the first or second electrode combination classes.