Nanosecond pulsed electric field system
Inventors
Krieg, Kenneth R. • Schaadt, Gregory P. • Huang, Chaofeng
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11904164-B2
Publication Date
2024-02-20
Expiration Date
Abstract
Described herein are apparatuses (e.g., systems and devices) and methods of delivering nanosecond pulsed electrical fields (nsPEF). In particular, these apparatuses and methods may provide enhanced safety and robust operation over even very short (e.g., nanosecond and sub-nanosecond pulses) and high voltage pulsing; these benefits may be accomplished by multi-functional isolation of various subsystems and components of the apparatus, even including the low-voltage, control and command portions of the apparatus with extremely low capacitance, high voltage isolation.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention relates to a system for delivering nanosecond pulsed electrical energy for electrotherapy. The system includes a treatment controller that receives input from one or more user interfaces, a nanosecond pulse generator, and a handpiece subsystem having a handpiece for delivering pulses from the nanosecond pulse generator. An interface board couples the treatment controller, the nanosecond pulse generator, and the handpiece subsystem so that all power and communications between the nanosecond pulse generator and the handpiece subsystem or treatment controller pass through the interface board.
The interface board includes a plurality of electromagnetic interference (EMI)-filtered, transient protected and high-voltage isolation barriers. The power and communications are routed through these barriers, including communications between the treatment controller and the nanosecond pulse generator and the high-voltage pulsed output delivered to the handpiece through the same isolation barriers. The nanosecond pulse generator is organized with subcircuits that are electrically isolated from each other by multi-function isolation connections having a capacitance of 20 pF or less.
The system further supports handpiece and tip identification by including a handpiece having a microcontroller and a reader and an encrypted authentication integrated circuit configured to verify authenticity of the handpiece and/or a tip attached to it. The disclosed approach also includes real-time monitoring of delivered pulse behavior using a high-speed digitizer to sample pulse voltage and current and to compute critical pulse metrics such as risetime, falltime, overshoot, and pulsewidth, along with cable impedance and tip-tissue impedance, for detecting deviations including arcs or improper insertion and rapidly stopping or pausing pulse delivery.
Claims Coverage
Independent claim coverage includes three independent claims with an overall emphasis on routing power and communications through EMI-filtered, transient-protected high-voltage isolation barriers and, for some embodiments, constraining isolation capacitance to 20 pF or less and implementing handpiece authenticity verification and pulse monitoring/critical metric calculation.
Interface board with EMI-filtered transient-protected high-voltage isolation barriers
The system includes an interface board comprising a plurality of electromagnetic interference (EMI)-filtered, transient protected and high-voltage isolation barriers, wherein the treatment controller, the nanosecond pulse generator and the handpiece subsystem are coupled to the interface board so that all power and communications between the nanosecond pulse generator and the handpiece subsystem or treatment controller pass through the barriers.
Generator subcircuit isolation via multi-function isolation connections capacitance limit
The system interconnect circuit, the low voltage pulse triggering and timing circuit and the pulse output circuit are each electrically isolated from each other by one or more multi-function isolation connections having a capacitance of 20 pF or less.
Communications and high-voltage output through interface board isolation barriers
Transmitting all communications to and from the nanosecond pulse generator through the one or more high-voltage isolation barriers of the interface board; and delivering a high voltage pulsed output from the nanosecond pulse generator to a handpiece of the handpiece subassembly through the one or more high-voltage isolation barriers of the interface board, wherein the high voltage pulsed output is based on the user input.
Across the independent claims, the main inventive themes are using an interface board with EMI-filtered, transient-protected high-voltage isolation barriers so that power and communications pass through the barriers, providing generator-internal isolation between the system interconnect, low voltage pulse triggering and timing circuit, and pulse output circuit using multi-function isolation connections with a capacitance limit of 20 pF or less, and transmitting communications and delivering high-voltage pulsed output through the interface board’s high-voltage isolation barriers based on user input.
Stated Advantages
Enhanced safety/robust operation via multi-functional broadband galvanic isolation through EMI-filtered, transient-protected high-voltage isolation barriers with very low isolation capacitance.
Improved control behavior by detecting deviations including arcs or improper insertion and rapidly stopping or pausing pulses.
Documented Applications
Electrotherapy using nanosecond pulsed electrical energy delivered by a treatment controller, nanosecond pulse generator, and handpiece subsystem.
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