Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling ultrasound power output and stability

• US 9,526,477 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): ROZANSKI, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US14/666,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20150190121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 delivering ultrasound energy, the method comprising:

a) emitting an ultrasound energy from an ultrasound transducer, the ultrasound energy initially emitted at a predetermined frequency;

b) during the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a), monitoring a current temperature of the ultrasound transducer;

c) determining that the current temperature of the ultrasound transducer has changed outside a predetermined temperature range;

d) in response to the determining of step c), correcting a frequency of the ultrasound energy to the predetermined frequency;

e) during the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a), monitoring a current power level of the ultrasound energy;

f) determining that the current power level of the ultrasound energy has deviated from a predetermined power level; and

g) in response to the determining of step f), correcting the frequency of the ultrasound energy to the predetermined frequency.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

h) during the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a), monitoring a current voltage level of the ultrasound transducer;

i) determining that the current voltage level has changed outside deviated from a predetermined voltage level; and

j) in response to the determining of step i), correcting the frequency of the ultrasound energy to the predetermined frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising terminating the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a) when the current temperature is above a predetermined upper temperature threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising terminating the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a) when the current temperature is below a predetermined lower temperature threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising adjusting the current temperature of the ultrasound transducer to within the predetermined temperature range.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising terminating the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a) when the current power level is above a predetermined upper power level threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising terminating the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a) when the current power level is below a predetermined lower power level threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

during the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a), monitoring a current voltage level of the ultrasound transducer; and

terminating the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a) when the current voltage is above a predetermined upper voltage threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

during the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a), monitoring a current voltage level of the ultrasound transducer; and

terminating the emitting the ultrasound energy of step a) when the current voltage is below a predetermined lower voltage threshold.