Electrical stimulation device for applying frequency and peak voltage having inverse relationship

Abstract

A portable electrical stimulation device is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a pair of electrodes configured to be electrically coupled to a user and a wave generator configured to provide an electrical signal to the user via the pair of electrodes. The wave generator is further configured to generate the electrical signal at one of a plurality of levels. Each of the plurality of levels is defined by at least a frequency, a peak voltage, and a peak current. For each of the levels the frequency is in a range of about 50 Hz-about 500 Hz, the peak voltage is in a range of about 40 V-about 250 V, the peak current is in a range of about 25 mA-about 150 mA, and the frequency and the peak voltage have a generally inverse relationship.

1 . A method of using a portable electrical stimulation device, comprising:
 placing a first electrode at a first location of a user;   placing a second electrode at a second location of the user;   selecting one of a plurality of levels for an electrical signal to be applied to the first and second electrodes via a wave generator, the wave generator configured to provide the electrical signal to the user via the first and second electrodes, wherein each of the plurality of levels is defined by at least a frequency, a peak voltage, and a peak current, and wherein the frequency and the peak voltage have a generally inverse relationship; and   moving at least one of the first and second electrodes along a region of the user's skin while the electrical signal is provided to the first and second electrodes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 placing a third electrode and a fourth electrode on a third location of the user different from the first and second locations,   wherein the moving the at least one of the first and second electrodes is performed while the electrical signal is provided to the third and fourth electrodes.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the third location is feet of the user. 
     
     
         4 . A method of using a portable electrical stimulation device, comprising:
 placing a first electrode at a first location of a first user;   placing a second electrode at a second location of a second user;   selecting one of a plurality of levels for an electrical signal to be applied to the first and second electrodes via a wave generator, the wave generator configured to provide the electrical signal to the first user and the second user via the first and second electrodes, wherein each of the plurality of levels is defined by at least a frequency, a peak voltage, and a peak current, wherein the frequency and the peak voltage have a generally inverse relationship; and   applying the electrical signal, with the wave generator, to the first and second electrodes while the second user is performing a massage on the first user, thereby forming an electrical path between the first and second electrodes via direct contact between the first and second users.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wave generator comprises a current limiter disposed outside of the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the current limiter comprises a resistive element. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the wave generator comprises an output terminal, and wherein the current limiter is arranged in series with the output terminal of the wave generator. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating, using the wave generator, waves having a substantially equal positive pulse width; and   adjusting, using the wave generator, the frequency of each of the levels by altering a neutral pulse width of the waves while maintaining the positive pulse width.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing, in a memory, user information comprising an identification of the user and the user's previous reaction to the plurality of levels;   sensing, by one or more sensors of the portable electrical stimulation device, biometric parameters of the user;   identifying, by a biometric user identification module of the portable electrical stimulation device, the user based on the sensed biometric parameters of the user;   retrieving the user information of the identified user from the memory;   automatically selecting a signal level of the plurality of levels based on the retrieved user information; and   applying the selected signal level to the user via the first and second electrodes.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating, using the wave generator, waves having a strictly positive voltage.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of levels is defined by one or more of 1) a frequency in a range of about 50 Hz-about 500 Hz, 2) a peak voltage in a range of about 40 V-about 250 V, or 3) a peak current in a range of about 25 mA-about 150 mA. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wave generator comprises:
 a microcontroller configured to generate a boost clock signal and a pulse out signal,   a boost converter configured to receive the boost clock signal and generate a boosted signal, and   at least one transistor configured to generate the electrical signal based on the pulse out signal and the boosted signal.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 instructing the wave generator to transition from a first level to a second level that is different from the first level; and   gradually increasing, using the wave generator, the peak voltage of the first level to a peak voltage of the second level in response to instructing the wave generator to transition from the first level to the second level.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the wave generator comprises a current limiter disposed outside of the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the current limiter comprises a resistive element. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the wave generator comprises an output terminal, and wherein the current limiter is arranged in series with the output terminal of the wave generator. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 generating, using the wave generator, waves having a substantially equal positive pulse width; and   adjusting, using the wave generator, the frequency of each of the levels by altering a neutral pulse width of the waves while maintaining the positive pulse width.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 storing, in a memory, user information comprising an identification of the first user and the first user's previous reaction to the plurality of levels;   sensing, by one or more sensors of the portable electrical stimulation device, biometric parameters of the first user; and   identifying, by a biometric user identification module of the portable electrical stimulation device, the first user based on the sensed biometric parameters of the first user;   retrieving the first user information of the identified first user from the memory;   automatically selecting a signal level of the plurality of levels based on the retrieved first user information; and   applying the selected signal level to the first and second electrodes.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 generating, using the wave generator, waves having a strictly positive voltage.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of levels is defined by one or more of 1) a frequency in a range of about 50 Hz-about 500 Hz, 2) a peak voltage in a range of about 40 V-about 250 V, or 3) a peak current in a range of about 25 mA-about 150 mA.