Patent ID: 7171261

Claim:
A method of recording and processing neural response (NR) using a stimulating electrode and a recording electrode, the method comprising: (a) recording a response in which the first stimulus and the second stimulus are separated by a time gap greater than the relative refractory period (Rmp_distant), while a first supra-threshold stimulus pulse, S 1 , is delivered to a target nerve and, thereafter, a second stimulus pulse, S 2 is delivered to the target nerve, wherein S 2 is initiated outside of the relative refractory period of the action potential elicited by delivery of S 1 ; (b) recording a response in which a first stimulus and a second stimulus are separated by a time gap of less than the relative refractory period (Rmp), while a supra-threshold stimulus pulse, S 3 , which is essentially identical to S 1 , is delivered to the target nerve, and a second stimulus pulse, S 4 , essentially identical to S 2 is delivered to the target nerve, wherein S 4 is initiated within the relative refractory period of the action potential of the target nerve elicited by delivery of S 3 ; (c) recording a stimulus pulse (Rm), while a supra-threshold stimulus pulse, S 5 , essentially identical to S 1 , is delivered to the target nerve; and (d) processing the recordings to yield an estimate NR in accordance with the relation: estimated NR=(Rmp_distant−Rm)−Time Shift(Rmp−Rm).