Patent ID: 8644957

Claim:
A sleep disordered breathing therapy device, comprising: an implantable flexible carrier configured for implantation proximal to a genioglossus muscle of a subject; a pair of electrodes located on the implantable flexible carrier; a power interface located on the implantable flexible carrier configured to receive a power signal; and circuitry located on the implantable flexible carrier in electrical communication with the power interface and the pair of electrodes and configured to receive the power signal transferred from the power interface, and, in response to receiving the power signal, send an electrical signal to the electrodes, wherein the pair of electrodes are spaced from each other by a distance greater than 3 mm, and are configured to facilitate, when supplied with the electrical signal, a substantially unidirectional electric field sufficient to modulate a hypoglossal nerve, and wherein the pair of electrodes are further configured to modulate the hypoglossal nerve when tissue of the subject is interposed between the pair of electrodes and the hypoglossal nerve.