Vibroacoustic sound therapeutic system and method

• US 20070093732A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Healthsonix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Healthsonix, Inc.
• Inventors: Venturi, David, Doederlein, Dieter, Shivas, T.
• Application Number:
  US11/258,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20070093732A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/47
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0115 used in water
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5005 for controlling frequency distribution, modulation or interference of a driving signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0236 using sonic waves, e.g. using loudspeakers

Abstract

The present invention provides a vibroacoustic sound therapeutic system including an acoustic energy source having means for generating an acoustic drive signal, the acoustic drive signal being characterized by a frequency sweep between a relatively low frequency and a relatively high frequency, and one or more acoustic transducers adapted for operation in a liquid medium, the transducers being responsive to the acoustic drive signal to generate acoustic energy at frequencies corresponding to frequencies of the acoustic drive signal.

Claims

1. A vibroacoustic therapeutic system comprising:

A. an acoustic energy source including means for generating an acoustic drive signal, said acoustic drive signal being characterized by a frequency sweep between a relatively low frequency and a relatively high frequency, and

B. one or more acoustic transducers adapted for operation in a liquid medium, said transducers being responsive to said acoustic drive signal to generate acoustic energy at frequencies corresponding to frequencies of said acoustic drive signal.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said frequency sweep is periodic.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said frequency sweep is aperiodic.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said frequency sweep is asymmetrical.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said frequency sweep is relatively slow from said low frequency to said high frequency and relatively rapid from said high frequency to said low frequency.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said frequency sweep is a piecewise succession of linear functions of time.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said frequency sweep has a sawtooth form.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein said frequency sweep has a triangle form.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said frequency sweep is amplitude modulated.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein said amplitude modulation is sinusoidal.

11. A system according to claim 9 wherein said amplitude modulation is triangular.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein said frequency sweep is a non linear function of time.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said frequency sweep has a sinusoidal form.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic drive signal is modulated.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic drive signal is amplitude modulated.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic drive signal is frequency modulated.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic drive signal is further characterized by an audio signal.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said acoustic drive signal is a music signal.

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic transducers include a peripheral assembly adapted for contact with the skin of a patient, whereby substantially all of said acoustic energy is couplable to said patient.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein said relatively low frequency is less than 100 HZ and said relatively high frequency is greater than or equal to 1 KHZ.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein said relatively low frequency is approximately 60 HZ and said relatively high frequency is approximately 1 KHZ.

22. A system according to claim 20, wherein said relatively high frequency is less than 20 KHZ.

23. A vibroacoustic sound therapeutic method for a region of interest of a patient, comprising the steps of:

A. positioning said patient whereby said region of interest is within a liquid medium;

B. generating an acoustic drive signal, said acoustic drive signal being characterized by a frequency sweep between a relatively low frequency and a relatively high frequency;

C. generating acoustic energy at frequencies corresponding to frequencies of said acoustic drive signal in a liquid medium; and

D. coupling said acoustic energy by way of said liquid medium to said region of interest of said patient.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said frequency sweep is periodic.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein said frequency sweep is aperiodic.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein said frequency sweep is asymmetrical.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein said frequency sweep is relatively slow from said low frequency to said high frequency and relatively rapid from said high frequency to said low frequency.

28. A method according to claim 23, wherein said frequency sweep is a succession of piecewise linear functions of time.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein said frequency sweep has a sawtooth form.

30. A method according to claim 28, wherein said frequency sweep has a triangle form.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein said frequency sweep is amplitude modulated.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein said amplitude modulation is sinusoidal.

33. A method according to claim 31 wherein said amplitude modulation is triangular.

34. A method according to claim 23, wherein said frequency sweep is a nonlinear function of time.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein said frequency sweep has a sinusoidal form.

36. A method according to claim 23, wherein said acoustic drive signal is modulated.

37. A system according to claim 23, wherein said acoustic drive signal is amplitude modulated.

38. A method according to claim 23, wherein said acoustic drive signal is frequency modulated.

39. A method according to claim 23, wherein said acoustic drive signal is further characterized by an audio signal.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein said acoustic drive signal is a music signal.

41. A method according to claim 23, wherein said relatively low frequency is less than 100 HZ and said relatively high frequency is greater than or equal to 1 KHZ.

42. A method according to claim 41, wherein said relatively low frequency is approximately 60 HZ and said relatively high frequency is approximately 1 KHZ.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein said relatively high frequency is less than 20 KHZ.