Patent Document ID: 20100094375
Application ID: 12638266
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. An apparatus for applying a signal to a nerve for the treatment of a disorder, said apparatus comprising: a first electrode and a second electrode, each adapted to be secured to a vagus nerve of a patient; a first anode connected to the first electrode and a second anode connected to the second electrode; a signal generator electrically connected to each of said first and second electrodes; said signal generator providing for selection of a first and a second waveform, a pulse duration, and a duty cycle comprising an on period and an off period; and said signal generator adapted to create the first waveform at the first electrode and the second waveform at said second electrode, wherein each of said first and second waveforms have parameters selected to block propagation of neural action potentials; wherein the parameters comprise a duty cycle, wherein said on period comprises a repeating pattern of cycles of pulses and a delay period between at least selected ones of said cycles of pulses, wherein each cycle of pulses includes at least a negative pulse and a positive pulse, and wherein said delay period is less than a time period identified as sufficient for a recovery of the vagus nerve from a neural block induced by said cycle; and wherein said first and second waveforms are out of phase with each other such that during each on period a cycle of one of said waveforms occurs during the delay period of the other of said waveforms.