Devices and Methods for Radiation-Based Dermatological Treatments

• US 20120283711A1
• Filed: 04/10/2012
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Channel Investments, LLC
• Original Assignee: TRIA Beauty Incorporated (Channel Investments, LLC)
• Inventors: Liu, Harvey I-Heng, Youngquist, David, Island, Tobin
• Granted Patent: US 9,789,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00154 pulsed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00769 Tattoo removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00458 Deeper parts of the skin, e.g. treatment of vascular disorders or port wine stains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0047 Upper parts of the skin, e.g. skin peeling or treatment of wrinkles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00476 Hair follicles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00732 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20351 Scanning mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/049 against light, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 using laser light

Abstract

A device for providing a dermatological treatment, the device includes a device body, a radiation delivery system for delivering radiation to the skin to provide a dermatological treatment, and a situation-specific control system. The control system includes a plurality of sensors and control electronics programmed to receive signals from the plurality of sensors; determine whether to initiate radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system based on a comparison of the signals received from the plurality of sensors to a first condition; and once radiation is initiated, determine whether to continue radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system based on a comparison of the signals received from the plurality of sensors to a second condition that is different than the first condition.

Claims

1. A device for providing a dermatological treatment, the device comprising:

a device body;

a radiation delivery system for delivering radiation to the skin to provide a dermatological treatment,

a situation-specific control system, comprising;

a plurality of sensors;

electronics programmed to;

receive signals from the plurality of sensors;

determine whether to initiate radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system based on a comparison of the signals received from the plurality of sensors to a first condition; and

once radiation is initiated, determine whether to continue radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system based on a comparison of the signals received from the plurality of sensors to a second condition;

wherein the second condition is different than the first condition.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the second condition is less stringent than the first condition.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronics of the situation-specific control system are further programmed to:

determine that the signals received from the plurality of sensors fail to meet the second condition for a predetermined consecutive time period; and

in response to the determination, determine whether to re-initiate radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system based on the first condition.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the first condition requires a positive detection from a first number of sensors; and

the second condition requires a positive detection from a second number of sensors, the second number being smaller than the first number.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the radiation delivery system comprises a radiation source; and

determining whether to initiate radiation delivery comprises determining whether to activate the radiation source to generate a radiation beam.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors of the situation-specific control system comprise:

at least one displacement sensor configured to detect a displacement of the device relative to the skin; and

at least one skin contact sensor configured to detect contact with the skin.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein each displacement sensor is configured to detect a displacement of the device relative to the skin by:

analyzing signals from the displacement sensor to identify skin features in the skin; and

counting the number of identified skin features.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the device does not detect or determine a speed of movement of the device.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein each displacement sensor is a single-pixel sensor.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensors of the situation-specific control system comprise:

at least one glide speed sensor configured to detect a speed of the device relative to the skin; and

at least one skin contact sensor configured to detect contact with the skin.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the sensors of the situation-specific control system comprise;

at least two of a first type of sensor; and

at least two of a second type of sensor;

wherein the first condition requires a positive detection from all of the first type of sensor and a positive detection from all of the second type of sensor; and

wherein the second condition requires a positive detection from less than all of the first type of sensor and a positive detection from less than all of the second type of sensor.

12. A device for providing a dermatological treatment, the device comprising:

a device body;

a radiation delivery system for delivering radiation to the skin to provide a dermatological treatment,

a situation-specific control system, comprising;

at least one displacement sensors configured to detect a displacement of the device relative to the skin;

at least one skin contact sensor configured to detect contact with the skin; and

electronics programmed to;

receive signals from the at least one displacement sensor and the at least one skin contact sensor; and

determine whether to initiate radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system by applying a first condition to the signals from the at least one displacement sensor and the at least one skin contact sensor; and

once radiation is initiated, determine whether to continue radiation delivery by applying a second condition to the signals from the at least one displacement sensor and the at least one skin contact sensor;

wherein the second condition is different than the first condition.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the second condition is less stringent than the first condition.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein:

the first condition for initiating radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system requires positive independent detections by all of the displacement sensors and skin contact sensors; and

the second condition for continuing radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system requires positive independent detections by less than all of the displacement sensors and skin contact sensors.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the electronics of the situation-specific control system are further programmed to:

determine that the signals received from the at least one displacement sensor and the at least one skin contact sensor fail to meet the second condition for a predetermined consecutive time period; and

in response to the determination, determine whether to re-initiate radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system based on the first condition.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein:

the radiation delivery system comprises a radiation source; and

determining whether to initiate radiation delivery comprises determining whether to activate the radiation source to generate a radiation beam.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein each displacement sensor is configured to detect a displacement of the device relative to the skin by:

analyzing signals from the displacement sensor to identify skin features in the skin; and

counting the number of identified skin features.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein each displacement sensor is a single-pixel sensor.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein each skin contact sensor is a capacitance based contact sensor.

20. A device for providing a dermatological treatment, the device comprising:

a device body;

a laser for generating laser beam pulses for delivery to the skin to provide a dermatological treatment,

a situation-specific control system, comprising;

a plurality of sensors;

electronics programmed to;

receive signals from the plurality of sensors; and

determine whether to enable an initial laser beam pulse by applying a first condition to the signals received from the plurality of sensors; and

after enabling the initial laser beam pulse, determine whether to enable additional laser beam pulses by applying a second condition to the signals received from the plurality of sensors;

wherein the second condition is different than the first condition.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the second condition is less stringent than the first condition.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the electronics of the situation-specific control system are further programmed to:

determine that the signals received from the plurality of sensors fail to meet the second condition for a predetermined consecutive time period; and

in response to the determination, determine whether to enable a subsequent laser beam pulse based on the first condition.

23. The device claim 20, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise:

at least one displacement sensor configured to detect a displacement of the device relative to the skin; and

at least one skin contact sensor configured to detect contact with the skin.