Apparatus for athermapeutic medical treatments

{
  "publication_number": "US6458121B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Apparatus for athermapeutic medical treatments",
  "abstract": "Apparatus is disclosed herein which is capable of administering DIAPULSE(R) treatments, and also capable of applying electromagnetic energy to a treatment area for modified DIAPULSE treatments and for new applications, both thermal and non-thermal, including research. The apparatus provides: more precise control of treatment parameters, including burst repetition rate, power level, and treatment duration, using a minimal number of hardware components; dynamic adjustment of power radiated to a treatment area to a selected power level; the capability of varying treatment parameters in software beyond the variations possible in the earlier DIAPULSE(R) apparatus; the automatic creation and updating of a patient file which logs treatment parameters and other information, and the ability to access, upload and down load the patient file and information therein; and the reduction of power consumption and power dissipation by and in the improved apparatus. The apparatus includes a power monitor and a processor which cooperate to provide closed loop control of the power of the RF pulses output by the apparatus, and \"fail-safe\" control of the apparatus to prevent the apparatus from radiating pulses at power levels above a given maximum and upon detection by the apparatus of an abnormal condition.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A treatment system for generating, regulating and radiating RF pulses in short bursts to be delivered to a patient, comprising: an RF pulse generator; an amplifier coupled to the pulse generator; a radiating device coupled to the amplifier to radiate RF pulses output by the amplifier; at least one input device for a user to input a burst repetition rate and a power level of the RF pulses to be radiated by the radiating device; a configurable logic device coupled to the pulse generator comprising a plurality of separately configurable logic elements; a memory device for storing a plurality of configuration files, each file when loaded into the configurable logic device causing the configurable logic elements to be configured so that the logic device outputs RF pulses at a pulse repetition rate input by the user; a controller coupled to the configurable logic device and memory device which selects the configuration file stored in the memory device to be loaded into the configurable logic device based on a burst repetition rate input by a user; and means for controlling the power level of the RF pulses output by system in accordance with the power level input by the user."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "A61N 1/40"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "DIAPULSE CORP OF AMERICA"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1996-03-19",
  "publication_date": "2002-10-01",
  "grant_date": "2002-10-01",
  "priority_date": "1996-03-19",
  "application_number": "US-61840996-A",
  "family_id": "24477565",
  "citations": [
    "US5370645A",
    "US5406503A",
    "US5540681A",
    "US5817092A",
    "US5849010A",
    "US5931835A",
    "US5957969A"
  ]
}