SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AND CONTROLLING ULTRASOUND POWER OUTPUT AND STABILITY

• US 20130018286A1
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Slayton, Michael H., Jaeger, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,011,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00678 upper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00732 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/546 involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method of providing ultrasound energy having a stable power output. The method can comprise providing ultrasound energy from a ultrasound transducer; determining a power level threshold of the ultrasound energy; monitoring a power level of the ultrasound energy over time of the ultrasound energy; communicating a power level to a controller; adjusting the frequency of the ultrasound energy upon a change in the power level; and maintaining the power level threshold of the ultrasound energy.

Claims

1. A method of providing ultrasound energy having a stable power output, the method comprising:

providing ultrasound energy from an ultrasound transducer;

monitoring a power level of the ultrasound energy over time of the ultrasound energy;

communicating a power level to a controller;

adjusting the frequency of the ultrasound energy upon a change in the power level;

monitoring a temperature of the ultrasound transducer over time;

communicating the temperature to a controller;

adjusting the frequency of the ultrasound energy upon an change in the temperature; and

maintaining the power level threshold of the ultrasound energy.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining a temperature threshold of the ultrasound transducer and terminating the providing ultrasound energy when the temperature of the ultrasound transducer is above the temperature threshold.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising emitting the ultrasound energy at a specific frequency and correcting the frequency to the specific frequency upon the change of voltage.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising terminating the providing the ultrasound energy upon a change of the power level above the power level threshold.

5. A method of providing ultrasound energy having a stable power output, the method comprising:

providing ultrasound energy from an ultrasound transducer;

monitoring a power level of the ultrasound energy over time of the ultrasound energy;

communicating a power level to a controller;

adjusting the frequency of the ultrasound energy upon a change in the power level;

monitoring a temperature of the ultrasound transducer over time;

communicating the temperature to a controller;

adjusting the frequency of the ultrasound energy upon an change in the temperature; and

maintaining the power level threshold of the ultrasound energy.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising determining a temperature threshold of the ultrasound transducer and terminating the providing ultrasound energy when the temperature of the ultrasound transducer is above the temperature threshold.

7. The method according to claim 5 further comprising emitting the ultrasound energy at a specific frequency and correcting the frequency to the specific frequency upon the change of voltage.

8. The method according to claim 5 further comprising terminating the providing the ultrasound energy upon a change of the power level above the power level threshold.