Multi-frequency ultrasound therapy system with data encoder

Inventors

Tinaz, Levant • Leonard, Patrick • Zhang, Xiaoyu • Kurtz, Ron • Allard, Mathieu

Assignees

Profound Medical Inc

Abstract

A multi-frequency ultrasound therapy apparatus is configured to operate at its center frequency and at the higher harmonic of its center frequency. The center frequency can be for the entire apparatus or for each ultrasound source element. At least one source element can generate ultrasound energy at its center frequency while, simultaneously, at least another source element can generate ultrasound energy at the higher harmonic of its center frequency. In addition, the same source element can generate ultrasound energy at its center frequency and the higher harmonic of its center frequency, respectively, but at different times. A data storage unit that stores encrypted and encoded data is disposed on the apparatus. The encoded data includes a unique identification code of the apparatus, the condition of use of the apparatus, the center frequency of each source element, the ultrasound efficiency of each source element, and/or other parameters relating to the apparatus.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a multi-frequency ultrasound therapy apparatus with an ultrasound therapy array including a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements. Each transducer element has an operational bandwidth spanning at least a center frequency through an integer multiple of the center frequency, and each transducer element is defined by a respective set of physical dimensions and a transducer efficiency proportional to the respective transducer element’s acoustic power output relative to the respective transducer element’s electrical power input.

The apparatus includes an electrical driving circuit configured to selectively deliver a first electrical driving signal to a first transducer element at the center frequency. The electrical driving circuit is further configured to deliver a second electrical driving signal to a second transducer element at an integer multiple of the center frequency.

A data storage unit stores encoded data representing a predetermined array center frequency for the ultrasound therapy array as a whole and an element predetermined center frequency for each ultrasound transducer element. The electrical driving circuit obtains the element predetermined center frequency for each ultrasound transducer element from the data storage unit and generates the electrical driving signals using the element predetermined center frequency.

The method and system aspects include using encrypted and encoded data representing a condition of use, determining whether the ultrasound therapy apparatus has been used, and interlocking the apparatus to prevent operation after use.

Claims Coverage

The document contains two independent claims. The first independent claim defines an apparatus architecture with dual-frequency capable array bandwidth and selective driving using per-element stored center frequencies, and the second independent claim defines an operating method using encrypted condition-of-use interlocking and request/retrieval of per-element center frequencies.

Across the independent claims, the coverage focuses on dual-frequency capable transducer bandwidth spanning center frequency to an integer multiple, selective electrical driving at the center frequency and the integer-multiple frequency, stored encoded per-element predetermined center frequencies used by the driving circuitry, and a condition-of-use determination that can interlock the apparatus to prevent turning on transducer elements after use.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications