TW202411707A - Device and method for non-invasive light delivery to a subject - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for non-invasive light delivery to a subject. The device includes a controller disposed in the housing, the controller being electrically connected to the power source; at least one waveform electronics assembly; a plurality of laser diodes disposed in the housing, the plurality of laser diodes being configured to operate in a super-pulsed regime, the controller being configured to operate the plurality of laser diodes with a Megahertz (MHz) modulation and peak power in milliwatts (mW), the plurality of laser diodes including at least one near-infrared laser diode, at least one mid-infrared laser diode, at least one far-infrared laser diode, and at least one visible-range laser diode; a plurality of optical fibers bundled into at least one fiber bundle, a distal end of the at least one fiber bundle being arranged and configured for delivering light from the plurality of optical fibers to the subject.

Description

Device and method for non-invasive light transmission to a subject

The present technology relates to devices and methods for non-invasively transmitting light to a subject.

Different devices for delivering non-ionizing electromagnetic (EM) signals to a subject have been proposed for treating a variety of conditions, in some cases the procedure being referred to as photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy. The terms low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and laser biostimulation are also sometimes used to describe procedures provided in conjunction with these devices.

To avoid non-specific toxicity, non-surgical treatments for complex disease (CD) often rely on agents directed against a single molecular target. However, diseased tissues can often adapt to changes in one molecular pathway, resulting in a partial or transient response followed by progression or relapse.

In PBM therapy, devices typically operate within a wavelength range relevant to a specific target. However, the coupling of signal and receptor properties that determines the biological outcome may only be optimal for one set of conditions.

Therefore, the devices constructed may then be limited to a specific subset of conditions, and each different treatment regimen may require its own device. As disease tissue adapts, a specific device may no longer be adequate to treat a given subject. This can be expensive and cumbersome for operators to provide PBM therapy to subjects with a wide range of conditions to be addressed.

Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device that addresses at least some of these disadvantages.

Embodiments of the present technology have been developed based on the developers' understanding of the shortcomings associated with previous technologies.

In one aspect, embodiments of the present technology provide a device capable of providing non-invasive light delivery to a subject at various wavelengths. The device as described herein includes a plurality of lasers modulated in different wavelength ranges, in different high frequency ranges (on the order of millions of hertz), and with different peak power ranges (on the order of milliwatts), and an internal controller capable of selectively activating and deactivating the lasers to provide various light delivery patterns to the subject. In at least some embodiments, multiple groups of the plurality of lasers may be included such that fiber bundles extending from each group may be configured on different parts of the subject's body to provide light therapy to multiple locations on the subject simultaneously. One or more phototherapy programs (referred to herein as a light generation program) can be saved to the controller to provide a device that is pre-programmed for clinical or home use of the device. In at least some cases, communication with the controller can be restricted so that only an approved operator or programmer can modify the phototherapy program. The device is configured to provide ultra-pulsed, low-power (mW) light transmission to a subject, with each laser modulated at a million-hertz (MHz) pulse rate, the specific pulse rate being controlled by the controller.

According to one aspect of the present technology, a device for non-invasive light transmission to a subject is provided. The device includes: a housing; a power source disposed in the housing; a controller disposed in the housing, the controller being electrically connected to the power source; at least one waveform electronic device assembly disposed in the housing, the at least one waveform electronic device assembly being operably connected to the power source and the controller; a plurality of laser diodes disposed in the housing, each of the plurality of laser diodes being operably connected to the power source; and a plurality of laser diodes disposed in the housing. The at least one waveform electronics assembly is connected to the plurality of laser diodes configured to operate in an ultra-pulse regime, the controller being configured to operate the plurality of laser diodes using 1 MHz modulation, the plurality of laser diodes including at least one near infrared laser diode, at least one mid infrared laser diode, at least one far infrared laser diode and at least one visible range laser diode. a plurality of optical fibers, including at least one first optical fiber optically connected at one proximal end thereof to the at least one near-infrared laser diode, at least one second optical fiber optically connected at one proximal end thereof to the at least one mid-infrared laser diode, at least one third optical fiber optically connected at one proximal end thereof to the at least one far-infrared laser diode, and at least one third optical fiber optically connected at one proximal end thereof to the at least one far-infrared laser diode. At least one fourth optical fiber of a visible light range laser diode, the plurality of optical fibers are bundled into at least one optical fiber bundle, the at least one optical fiber bundle extends from an interior of the housing to an exterior of the housing, a far end of the at least one optical fiber bundle is configured and arranged to transmit light from the plurality of optical fibers to the object, the far end of the at least one optical fiber bundle is at least partially formed by a far end of each of the plurality of optical fibers.

In some embodiments, the controller includes at least one storage medium and at least one processor; and the processor is configured to execute a light generation program saved to the storage medium.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to selectively activate each of the plurality of laser diodes according to instructions of the light generation program.

In some embodiments, the device further includes a communication assembly operably connected to the controller, the communication assembly configured to provide outbound communication of information from the controller.

In some embodiments, the communications assembly is further configured to receive inbound communications, and the controller is selectively reprogrammable when selectively connected to a secure communications connection via the communications assembly.

In some embodiments, the at least one waveform electronic device assembly includes: at least one waveform generator; at least one frequency selector circuit operably connected to the at least one waveform generator; and at least one buffer circuit operably connected to the at least one frequency selector circuit.

In some embodiments, the at least one waveform electronic device assembly includes a plurality of laser waveform assemblies; each of the plurality of laser waveform assemblies is operably connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of laser diodes; and each of the plurality of laser waveform assemblies includes: a waveform generator; a frequency selector circuit, which is operably connected to the waveform generator; and a buffer circuit, which is operably connected to the frequency selector circuit and the corresponding one of the plurality of laser diodes.

In some embodiments, the at least one near-infrared laser diode includes: a first near-infrared laser diode configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 9.5 MHz to about 10 MHz; and a second near-infrared laser diode configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 3 MHz to about 3.5 MHz.

In some embodiments, the first near-infrared laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 780 nm to about 810 nm.

In some embodiments, the second near-infrared laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 904 nm to about 945 nm.

In some embodiments, the at least one mid-infrared laser diode is configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 6 MHz to about 6.5 MHz.

In some embodiments, the at least one mid-infrared laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 1200 nm to about 1550 nm.

In some embodiments, the at least one far infrared laser diode is configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 7 MHz to about 7.5 MHz.

In some embodiments, the at least one far infrared laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 2900 nm to about 3200 nm.

In some embodiments, the at least one visible range laser diode includes: a first visible light laser diode configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 4 MHz to about 4.5 MHz; and a second visible light laser diode configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 5 MHz to about 5.5 MHz.

In some embodiments, the first visible light laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 630 nm to 700 nm; and the second visible light laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 570 nm to about 600 nm.

In some embodiments, the device further includes at least one adhesive pad connected to the distal end of the at least one optical fiber bundle; and when the at least one adhesive pad is attached to the object, the at least one adhesive pad is configured to position the distal end of the at least one optical fiber bundle so that when the device is in use, light from the plurality of laser diodes is transmitted to the object.

In some embodiments, the at least one waveform electronic device assembly includes a plurality of waveform electronic device assemblies; the plurality of laser diodes include a plurality of diode groups, each diode group of the plurality of diode groups includes at least: a first near-infrared laser diode, a second near-infrared laser diode, a mid-infrared laser diode, a far-infrared laser diode, a first visible light range laser diode and a second visible light range laser diode, each diode group is operably connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of waveform electronic device assemblies; the at least one optical fiber bundle includes a plurality of optical fiber bundles; and each optical fiber bundle of the plurality of optical fiber bundles is optically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of diode groups.

According to another aspect of the present technology, a method for transmitting light to an object using a device for non-invasive light transmission is provided, the method being performed by a controller of the device, the method comprising: causing at least one waveform electronic device assembly to generate a square wave signal, a plurality of laser diodes of the device being operably connected to the at least one waveform electronic device assembly for receiving the square wave signal therefrom; selecting a first laser diode from a plurality of laser diodes, the plurality of laser diodes comprising at least one near infrared laser diode, at least one mid infrared laser diode, at least one far infrared laser diode, and at least one visible light range laser diode; causing the first laser diode to generate a square wave signal; The device is provided with a device for generating light, wherein light from the first laser diode is transmitted to the object through a first optical fiber of a plurality of optical fibers of the device, the first laser diode is controlled to fire with a first million hertz (MHz) modulation; the first laser diode is caused to stop generating light; a second laser diode is selected from the plurality of laser diodes; the second laser diode is caused to generate light, the second laser diode is one of the plurality of laser diodes different from the first laser diode, light from the second laser diode is transmitted to the object through a second optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers; the second laser diode is controlled to fire with a second MHz modulation; and the second laser is caused to stop generating light.

In some embodiments, causing the first laser diode to generate light includes, in response to selecting the at least one near-infrared laser diode, causing the at least one near-infrared laser diode to operate at one of: a pulse frequency from about 3 MHz to about 3.5 MHz and a pulse frequency from about 9.5 MHz to about 10 MHz; in response to selecting the at least one mid-infrared laser diode, causing the at least one mid-infrared laser diode to operate at a pulse frequency from about 6 MHz to about 6.5 MHz; in response to selecting the at least one far-infrared laser diode, causing the at least one far-infrared laser diode to operate at a pulse frequency from about 7 MHz to about 7.5 MHz; and in response to selecting the at least one visible light range laser diode, causing the at least one visible light range laser diode to operate at one of: a pulse frequency from about 4 MHz to about 4.5 MHz and a pulse frequency from about 5 MHz to about 5.5 MHz.

The quantities or values described herein are intended to refer to the actual given values. The term "about" is used herein to refer to the approximation of the given value based on reasonable inferences by one of ordinary skill in the art, including equivalents and approximate values of the given value due to experimental and/or measurement conditions.

Explanations and/or definitions of terms provided in this application take precedence over explanations and/or definitions of such or similar terms that may be found in any document incorporated herein by reference.

The functions of the various elements shown in the figures, including any functional blocks labeled as a "controller," may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. When the operation of the controller is provided by a processor, the functions may be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality of individual processors (some of which may be shared). In some embodiments of the present technology, the processor may be a general-purpose processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), or a processor dedicated to a specific purpose, such as a digital signal processor (DSP). In addition, the explicit use of the term "processor" should not be interpreted as referring only to hardware capable of executing software, and may implicitly include (but not limited to) application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), read-only memories (ROMs) for storing software, random access memories (RAMs), and non-volatile memory. Other hardware (known and/or customized) may also be included.

The examples and conditional language described in this article are mainly intended to help readers understand the principles of the present technology, rather than limiting its scope to these specific examples and conditions. It will be understood that those skilled in the art can design various systems that, although not explicitly described or shown in this article, still embody the principles of the present technology.

In addition, to help understanding, the following description may describe relatively simplified implementations of the present technology. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various implementations of the present technology may have greater complexity.

In some cases, content that is considered to be a useful example of modification of the present technology may also be described. This is only to aid understanding and is not intended to define the scope of the present technology or to describe the boundaries of the present technology. These modifications are not an exhaustive list, and those skilled in the art may make other modifications while still remaining within the scope of the present technology. In addition, where examples of modifications are not described, it should not be interpreted that modifications cannot be made and/or that the content described is the only way to implement the element of the present technology.

Furthermore, all statements herein describing principles, aspects, and embodiments of the technology, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof, whether currently known or developed in the future.

In the context of the present specification, unless expressly provided otherwise, the words "first", "second", "third" etc. have been used as adjectives for the sole purpose of allowing the nouns they modify to be distinguished from each other, rather than for the purpose of describing any specific relationship between those nouns.

Each embodiment of the present technology has at least one of the above-mentioned purposes and/or aspects, but not necessarily all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of the present technology caused by attempting to achieve the above-mentioned purpose may not meet this purpose and/or may meet other purposes not specifically described herein.

Additional and/or alternative features, aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present technology will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the accompanying patent claims.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/403,925, filed on September 6, 2022, entitled “Device and Method for Non-Invasive Light Delivery to a Subject,” the entire text of which is incorporated herein by reference.

1 and 2, a non-limiting embodiment of a device 100 for providing non-invasive light delivery to a subject is shown. Although the subject generally described herein is a human subject receiving a non-invasive (i.e., applied to the skin), non-thermal (i.e., temperature increase <0.01°C), and non-ionizing light therapy, it is contemplated that animals, including other mammals, may be a light receiving subject, without limitation.

The device 100 includes a housing 102 for enclosing and protecting the components of the device 100 therein. The shape and aesthetic form of the housing 102 as depicted are not intended to be limiting, and various forms are contemplated. In at least some embodiments, the housing 102 is configured to be selectively openable to provide access to an operator or programmer of the device 100, for example, for maintenance, repair, or adjustment (such as reprogramming) of the device 100. In at least some embodiments, it is also contemplated that the housing 102 can be secured in a closed position to block access to the internal components by an end user or subject to help prevent interference with the internal components. In some such cases, the housing 102 may have fixed features (e.g., including a locking mechanism) to allow selective access by an operator or programmer while preventing access by an end user or subject. In at least some embodiments, the housing 102 may further include provisions for cooling components disposed therein, including (but not limited to): vents or slots, fans, and cooling systems.

The device 100 includes a power supply 110 disposed in the housing 102. The power supply 110 provides power to a plurality of components of the device 100 according to the required electrical input of the various components. The specific technology of the power supply 100 is not intended to be particularly limited. Depending on the embodiment, the power supply 110 may include various electronic components, for example, including a transformer for outputting power in different voltage or current configurations suitable for the components powered thereby. The power supply 110 includes an electrical plug 112 for operably connecting the device 100 to a standard electrical outlet for providing a source of power to the power supply 110. In at least some embodiments, the device 100 may additionally or alternatively include a rechargeable battery.

The device 100 includes a controller 120 disposed in the housing 102 and powered by the power supply 110. Broadly speaking, the controller 120 manages the operation of the components of the device 100, as will be further described below. The controller 120 can be implemented in a variety of forms; the configuration of a computer-implemented assembly to form the controller 120 to manage the operation of the components described herein is generally assumed to be within the capabilities of those skilled in the art and therefore will not be described in greater detail herein. Typically, the controller 120 includes one or more storage media 122 and one or more processors 124. The processor 124 is configured to execute a light generation program (described further below) that is saved to the storage medium 122.

The device 100 further includes a communication assembly 130 operably connected to the controller 120 and the power source 110. The communication assembly 130 is configured to provide at least outward communication of information from the controller 120. For example, the communication assembly 130 can be configured to send confirmation of the subject's use of the device 100 (such as date and duration) to a remotely located operator.

Although not particularly limited in the context of this document, the communication assembly 130 includes a WiFi router/modem (not shown) that is communicatively connected to the controller 120 for transmitting information from the controller 120 and transmitting received information to the controller 120. Depending on the embodiment, it is contemplated that the communication module 130 may include a variety of additional or alternative communication components, including (but not limited to): a communication bus, Bluetooth ^TM module, and hard-wired Ethernet connection module. Regardless of the specific choice of communication system, the communication assembly 130 generally operates under a secure communication method so that control of the device 100 is limited to approved parties (such as operators or programmers). In some embodiments, incoming communications can be restricted or blocked to prevent changes to the light generation program stored to the controller 120.

In at least some embodiments, the communication assembly 130 can be further configured to receive inbound communications, and the controller can be selectively reprogrammed when selectively connected to a secure communication connection via the communication assembly 130. In some configurations, the device 100 can be deactivated by a remote location operator to prevent misuse by the end user.

To generate light for the light generation process, the device 100 includes a plurality of laser assemblies 140. Although four laser assemblies 140 are shown in this example, it is contemplated that the device 100 may have more or fewer assemblies 140, including as few as one assembly 140. The laser assemblies 140 are described in more detail below.

The device 100 includes a plurality of optical fiber bundles 165 to transmit light generated by the laser assembly 140 to an object. Each optical fiber bundle 165 extends from a corresponding one of the laser assemblies 140 and is operably connected to the corresponding one. Specifically, a proximal end of each optical fiber bundle 165 is connected to a corresponding one of the laser assemblies 140. Each optical fiber bundle 165 extends from an interior of the housing 102 to an exterior of the housing 102. As will be described in more detail below, each optical fiber bundle 165 is formed by a plurality of optical fibers 160 operably connected to a corresponding laser assembly 140.

A distal end of each optical fiber bundle 165 is configured and arranged for transmitting light from the optical fiber 160 to the object, and the distal end of the optical fiber bundle 165 is at least partially formed by a distal end of each of the optical fibers 160. In the illustrated embodiment, the distal end of each optical fiber bundle 165 includes an adhesive pad 170 connected thereto. When the device 100 is in use, the adhesive pad 170 is attached to the object at a location to transmit light according to the light generation program. For a device 100 having multiple optical fiber bundles 165 and adhesive pads 170 (such as the illustrated example), the adhesive pad 170 can be connected to the same object at different locations on the body to simultaneously transmit light to different parts of the body.

Specifically, adhesive pad 170 is configured to position the distal end of optical fiber bundle 165 so that light from a laser diode (described below) of laser assembly 140 is transmitted to the subject. By adhering the distal end of optical fiber bundle 165 to the subject, adhesive pad 170 further helps maintain the positioning of the distal end of the optical fiber bundle so that light is properly transmitted to the subject even if the subject moves, for example (in at least some cases, improving the subject's comfort when using device 100).

Depending on the embodiment, different components may be used with or included by the device 100 for maintaining the position and/or connection of each fiber optic bundle 165 to an object. In addition to or as an alternative to the adhesive pad 170, the connection or attachment components may include (but are not limited to): a cuff, a tape, a strap, a belt, a bracelet, and a necklace. Although not shown herein, it is contemplated that the fiber optic bundle 165 and/or the adhesive pad 170 (or other connection components) may include one or more optical elements for shaping or conditioning the light transmitted from the fiber optic bundle 165.

One laser assembly 140 of the device 100 is shown separately and in more detail in FIG. 3 . Each laser assembly 140 is typically identical within a given device 100, and therefore, only one of the assemblies 140 will be described herein. It is contemplated that in at least some embodiments of the device 100, there may be differences between different laser assemblies 140 thereof. Although each laser assembly 140 is shown as a packaged module, this is for ease of illustration only; there is no particular packaging or separation between different laser assemblies 140 within the housing 102 under consideration. Depending on the embodiment, structures such as baffles or beam stops, for example, may be included in the housing 102 to limit crosstalk or noise within the housing 102.

The laser assembly 140 includes a waveform electronics assembly 144 disposed in the housing 102. The waveform electronics assembly 144 is operably connected to the power supply 110 and the controller 120. The components and use of the waveform electronics assembly 144 are further described below.

The laser assembly 140 also includes a plurality of laser diodes 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157 (referred to herein as diodes 152-157) disposed in the housing 102. Each laser diode 152-157 is individually and operably connected to the waveform electronics assembly 144 and the controller 120.

With the present technique, the laser diodes 152-157 are configured to operate in an ultra-pulse regime, wherein the diodes 152-157 are operated to output ("emit") at a relatively high pulse rate and a relatively low power output. Specifically, the controller 120 is configured to operate the laser diodes 152-157 with one million Hertz (MHz) pulse modulation. The MHz modulation of each laser diode 152-157 is specific to a given diode 152-157 and is described below. On average, in the ultra-pulse regime, each laser diode 152 to 157 produces an output pulse having a power in the milliwatt (mW) range and an on-time cycle that is typically greater than 50%.

The term "ultrapulsed regime" refers to a laser operating mode commonly used in the field of photobiomodulation. Ultrapulsed regimes are typically designed to operate a laser to output a pulse signal having a peak power in Watts (W), a pulse frequency in the kilohertz (kHz) range, and a pulse duration in nanoseconds (e.g., 200 ns). For example, such lasers operated under the ultrapulsed regime are used to treat wound healing, musculoskeletal pain, and inflammation. It should be noted that these ultra-pulse regimes can be designed to operate outside of the electronic parameters established by the manufacturer of a given laser under operation (e.g., a laser diode having a peak power in Watts (e.g., 10 W to 200 W) and a pulse frequency of <10 kilohertz (KHz)). The laser can be made electronically inefficient by changing the signal to mW and MHz, respectively. For biological applications sought by at least some embodiments of the present device 100, these signals are efficient from a biological perspective. Because pulses in MHz lower the impedance in tissue, these modified signals remain a non-thermal effect while achieving greater penetration. See U.S. Patent No. 5,231,984, issued August 3, 1993 to Lasb Laser Corp., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The components of the waveform electronics assembly 144 will now be described in more detail. The assembly 144 includes a waveform generator 145 operably connected to the controller 120. In the present embodiment, the waveform generator 145 (also referred to as a signal generator) is specifically an oscillator 145. In other embodiments, other types of signal generators may be implemented in place of the oscillator 145. When the device 100 is in operation, the oscillator 145 provides the pulse shape and action time cycle of each laser diode 152 to 157. With the present technology, a square wave form is typically used to provide a switched state light illumination, where the light is either transmitted at a given power or turned off, but does not ramp between those states. In at least some embodiments, oscillator 145 can be configured to output a sinusoidal or sawtooth waveform.

The waveform electronics assembly 144 also includes a frequency selector circuit (FSC) 147 operably connected to the oscillator 145. The FSC 147 is used to modulate the signal voltage of the signal received from the oscillator 145. Specifically, the FSC 147 modulates the signal to reduce the amplitude of the signal from the order of watts to the order of milliwatts while increasing the frequency of the signal from the order of kilohertz to the order of megahertz. The specific components of the frequency selector circuit 147 can be varied, and various configurations of the circuit 147 are contemplated.

The FSC 147 is further operably connected to the controller 120 for receiving commands from the controller 120. Specifically, the FSC 147 controls the transmission of signals from the oscillator 145 to the laser diodes 152-157 so as to manage the frequency and power of light generation ("emission") of the laser diodes 152-157 according to the light generation program. In some embodiments, it is contemplated that the device 100 may include a plurality of FSCs 147, one for each laser diode 152-157, so as to provide a separate control circuit for each laser diode 152-157.

The waveform electronics assembly 144 also includes a buffer circuit 149 operably connected to the FSC 147. The buffer circuit 149 provides a signal buffering of the waveform signal before the waveform signal is transmitted to the laser diodes 152-157 to prevent current spikes, thereby helping to limit possible damage to the diodes 152-157.

Depending on the embodiment, it is contemplated that the waveform electronics assembly 144 may include alternative or additional components. For example, in some embodiments, the waveform electronics assembly 144 may include additional transistors, capacitors, etc., in order to manage signal generation and laser diode operation. It is also contemplated that additional electronic components may be included between the waveform electronics assembly 144 and the laser diodes 152-157.

As briefly mentioned above, the fiber optic bundle 165 of each laser assembly 140 is formed of a plurality of optical fibers 160. Each optical fiber 160 is operably connected to a corresponding one of the laser diodes 152-157, wherein a proximal end of each optical fiber 160 receives light from its corresponding diode 152-157. Depending on the specific embodiment of the device 100 and/or depending on a specific model of the laser diodes 152-157, it is contemplated that any number of optical fibers, apertures, and optical elements may be included. For example, for the IR laser diodes 152-155 (described below), an ultraviolet (UV) blocking filter may be included to prevent UV light from some types of IR laser diodes from being transmitted into the corresponding optical fiber 160.

The distal ends of the optical fibers 160 are connected to the distal ends of the optical fiber bundle 165. In at least some embodiments, a sleeve or flexible tube can be placed around the optical fibers 160 to form the optical fiber bundle 165 and protect the optical fibers 160 therein. It is also contemplated that a light blocking sleeve can surround the optical fiber bundle 165 to prevent stray light from scattering from the optical fiber bundle 165 and/or ambient light from penetrating into the optical fiber bundle 165.

4, a laser assembly 240 of another non-limiting embodiment of the device 100 includes a plurality of waveform electronics assemblies 144. Specifically, the laser assembly 240 includes one waveform electronics assembly 144 for each laser diode 152-157.

3, the details of each laser of laser diodes 152-157 will be described in more detail. In at least some embodiments, laser assembly 140 may include additional laser diodes in addition to the diodes described below.

Each laser assembly 140 includes one or more near infrared (NIR) laser diodes. In the present embodiment, each laser assembly 140 includes two NIR laser diodes 152, 153. A first NIR laser diode 152 is configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 9.5 MHz to about 10 MHz (as controlled by the controller 120). The first NIR laser diode 152 has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 780 nm to about 810 nm.

A second near infrared laser diode 153 is also included. The second near infrared laser diode 153 has an operating wavelength selected from a range of about 904 nm to about 945 nm. As controlled by the controller 120, the second near infrared laser diode 153 is configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 3 MHz to about 3.5 MHz.

Each laser assembly 140 also includes at least one mid-infrared (MIR) laser diode 154. The MIR laser diode 154 is configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 6 MHz to about 6.5 MHz as controlled by the controller 120. The MIR laser diode 154 has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 1200 nm to about 1550 nm.

Each laser assembly 140 further includes at least one far infrared (FIR) laser diode 155. In the illustrated embodiment, the far infrared laser diode 155 has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 2900 nm to about 3200 nm. As controlled by the controller 120, the far infrared laser diode 155 is configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 7 MHz to about 7.5 MHz.

Each laser assembly 140 further includes one or more visible range (VIS) laser diodes. By this embodiment, the laser assembly 140 includes two VIS laser diodes 156, 157. A first visible light laser diode 156 has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 630 nm to 700 nm. As controlled by the controller 120, the first visible light laser diode 156 is configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 4 MHz to about 4.5 MHz. A second visible light laser diode 157 has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 570 nm to about 600 nm. As controlled by controller 120, second visible light laser diode 157 is configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 5 MHz to about 5.5 MHz.

As mentioned above, the controller 120 is configured to selectively activate each of the laser diodes 152-157 according to the instructions of a particular light generation program stored in the controller 120. Typically, one laser diode 152-157 is activated at any given moment in the light generation program, but the sequence, duration, and repetition of use of any given one of the laser diodes 152-157 varies in different light generation programs. The controller 120 in operative connection with the waveform electronics assembly 144 and the laser diodes 152-157 allows for tight control of the light generated, including control of the sequence, duration, and repetition of each laser diode 152-157.

It should be noted that although the laser diodes 152 to 157 described herein are listed in a particular order, the order of the laser diodes 152 to 157 does not correspond to or relate to any particular illumination or control sequence. It should also be noted that, further, the physical placement of any particular diode 152 to 157 is not intended to infer any particular meaning or effect on the light generation process.

5, a method 300 for using the device 100 (ie, operating the device 100) to transmit light to an object for non-invasive light transmission is shown. The method 300 is executed by the controller 120, but it is contemplated that different portions of the method 300 may be implemented in different components of the device 100.

The method 300 begins at step 310, where the waveform electronics assembly 144 is caused to generate a square wave signal. The square wave signal is generated by the waveform generator 145, where the action time cycle is selected by the controller 120 based at least in part on the light generation program.

In at least some embodiments, method 300 may then include communicating to FSC 147 to modulate the signal frequency and amplitude for light generation by one of laser diodes 152-157.

The method 300 then continues with step 320, where a first laser diode is selected from the laser diodes 152 to 157. First laser refers only to the first of the laser diodes 152 to 157 to fire in any given implementation of the method 300, and does not refer to any order or position of the corresponding laser diodes.

The method 300 continues with step 330, wherein the first laser diode is caused to generate light (also referred to as emitting). The method 300 then continues with step 340, wherein the first laser diode is controlled to emit with a first MHz modulation. The modulation is based at least in part on the laser diodes 152-157 selected in the program. In some cases, the specific pulse rate may also depend on the parameters of a given implementation of the light generation program.

Method 300 then continues with step 350, wherein the first laser diode is caused to cease generating light. With the present technique, only one of the laser diodes 152 to 157 emits at a given time and thus, operation of one of the laser diodes 152 to 157 ends before operation of another of the laser diodes 152 to 157 begins.

The method 300 continues with step 360, where a second laser diode is selected from the laser diodes 152 to 157, the second laser diode being a diode different from the first selected diode. The selection of the second laser diode is based at least in part on a particular light generation process.

The method 300 continues with step 370, wherein the second laser diode is caused to generate light. The method 300 continues with step 380, wherein the second laser diode is controlled to emit with a second MHz modulation. Controlling the second laser diode to emit with the second MHz modulation includes modulating an input signal to the diode by FSC 147. The modulation is based at least in part on the laser diode 152-157 selected as the second laser diode in the light generation process. In some cases, the specific pulse rate may also depend on parameters of a given implementation of the light generation process.

The method 300 continues with step 390, wherein the second laser is caused to cease generating light. When the device 100 completes the light generation process, the controller 120 stops the operation of the laser diodes 152-157.

Depending on the particular light generation process according to which the controller 120 controls the laser diodes 152 to 157 , the method 300 may include a plurality of steps of emitting and terminating the emission of any and/or all of the laser diodes 152 to 157 .

Depending on the particular light generation process, method 300 may include selectively activating each of laser diodes 152 to 157. In at least some processes, in response to selecting one of the near infrared laser diodes 152, 153, method 300 may include causing the corresponding laser diode 152, 153 to operate at one of: a pulse frequency from about 3 MHz to about 3.5 MHz and a pulse frequency from about 9.5 MHz to about 10 MHz.

In at least some implementations, in response to selecting the mid-infrared laser diode 154, the method 300 may include causing the mid-infrared laser diode 154 to operate at a pulse frequency from about 6 MHz to about 6.5 MHz.

In at least some embodiments, in response to selecting the FIR LD 155, the method 300 may include causing the FIR LD 155 to operate at a pulse frequency from about 7 MHz to about 7.5 MHz.

In at least some implementations, in response to selecting one of the visible range laser diodes 156, 157, method 300 may include causing the visible range laser diodes 156, 157 to operate at one of: a pulse frequency from about 4 MHz to about 4.5 MHz and a pulse frequency from about 5 MHz to about 5.5 MHz.

Although the firing of the laser diodes 152-157 is listed herein in a particular order, the actual operational order of use of any or all of the laser diodes 152-157 is not intended to be so limited. Depending on the particular light generation program stored in the controller 120, the order, duration, repetition, and flux (also referred to as dose) of use of each laser diode 152-157 may vary.

Although the embodiments described above have been described and shown with reference to specific steps performed in a specific order, it will be understood that these steps may be combined, subdivided, or reordered without departing from the teachings of the present technology. At least some steps may be performed in parallel or in series. Therefore, the order and grouping of steps is not a limitation of the present technology.

It should be clearly understood that not all technical effects mentioned herein need to be enjoyed in every embodiment of the present technology. Modifications and improvements to the above-described embodiments of the present technology may become apparent to those familiar with the technology. The foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Therefore, the scope of the present technology is intended to be limited only by the scope of the accompanying invention application.

100: device 102: housing 110: power supply 112: electrical plug 120: controller 122: storage medium 124: processor 130: communication assembly 140: laser assembly 144: waveform electronics assembly 145: waveform generator/oscillator 147: frequency selector circuit (FSC) 149: buffer circuit 152: laser diode/first near infrared (NIR) laser diode 153: laser diode/second near infrared (NIR) laser diode 154: laser diode/mid infrared (MIR) laser diode 155: Laser diode/Far infrared (FIR) laser diode 156: Laser diode/Visible light range (VIS) laser diode/First visible light laser diode 157: Laser diode/Visible light range (VIS) laser diode/Second visible light laser diode 160: Optical fiber 165: Optical fiber bundle 170: Adhesive pad 240: Laser assembly 300: Method 310: Step 320: Step 330: Step 340: Step 350: Step 360: Step 370: Step 380: Step 390: Steps

For a better understanding of the present technology and other aspects and further features of the present technology, reference is made to the following description used in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a light transmission device according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology;

FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the device of FIG1;

FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a laser assembly of the device of FIG1 ;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of another non-limiting embodiment of a laser assembly of the device of FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting a method of operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1 .

It should also be noted that unless explicitly specified otherwise herein, the drawings are not drawn to scale.

110: Power supply

112: Electrical plug

120: Controller

122: Storage media

124: Processor

130: Communication assembly

140:Laser assembly

165: Fiber optic bundle

170: Adhesive pad

Claims (20)

A device for non-invasively transmitting light to a subject, the device comprising: a housing; a power source disposed in the housing; a controller disposed in the housing, the controller electrically connected to the power source; at least one waveform electronics assembly disposed in the housing, the at least one waveform electronics assembly operably connected to the power source and the controller; a plurality of laser diodes disposed in the housing, each of the plurality of laser diodes operably connected to the at least one waveform electronics assembly, the plurality of laser diodes being configured to operate in an ultra-pulse regime, the controller being configured to operate the plurality of laser diodes with MHz modulation, the plurality of laser diodes comprising: at least one near-infrared laser diode, at least one mid-infrared laser diode, at least one far-infrared laser diode, and at least one visible range laser diode; a plurality of optical fibers, comprising: at least one first optical fiber, the at least one first optical fiber optically connected to the at least one near-infrared laser diode at one of its proximal ends, at least one second optical fiber, the at least one second optical fiber optically connected to the at least one mid-infrared laser diode at one of its proximal ends, at least one third optical fiber, the at least one third optical fiber optically connected to the at least one far-infrared laser diode at one of its proximal ends, and At least one fourth optical fiber, the at least one fourth optical fiber optically connected to the at least one visible light range laser diode at a proximal end thereof, the plurality of optical fibers are bundled into at least one optical fiber bundle, the at least one optical fiber bundle extends from an interior of the housing to an exterior of the housing, a distal end of the at least one optical fiber bundle is configured and arranged for transmitting light from the plurality of optical fibers to the object, the distal end of the at least one optical fiber bundle being at least partially formed by a distal end of each of the plurality of optical fibers. The device of claim 1, wherein: the controller includes at least one storage medium and at least one processor; and the processor is configured to execute a light generating program stored in the storage medium. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate each of the plurality of laser diodes based on instructions of the light generating program. The device of claim 1, further comprising a communication assembly operably connected to the controller, the communication assembly being configured to provide outward communication of information from the controller. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the communication assembly is further configured to receive inbound communications, and the controller is selectively reprogrammable when selectively connected to a secure communication connection via the communication assembly. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one waveform electronic device assembly comprises: at least one waveform generator; at least one frequency selector circuit operably connected to the at least one waveform generator; and at least one buffer circuit operably connected to the at least one frequency selector circuit. The device of claim 1, wherein: the at least one waveform electronics assembly comprises a plurality of laser waveform assemblies; each of the plurality of laser waveform assemblies is operably connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of laser diodes; and each of the plurality of laser waveform assemblies comprises: a waveform generator, a frequency selector circuit operably connected to the waveform generator, and a buffer circuit operably connected to the frequency selector circuit and the corresponding one of the plurality of laser diodes. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one near-infrared laser diode comprises: a first near-infrared laser diode configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 9.5 MHz to about 10 MHz; and a second near-infrared laser diode configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 3 MHz to about 3.5 MHz. The device of claim 8, wherein the first near-infrared laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 780 nm to about 810 nm. The device of claim 8, wherein the second near-infrared laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 904 nm to about 945 nm. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one mid-infrared laser diode is configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 6 MHz to about 6.5 MHz. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one mid-infrared laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 1200 nm to about 1550 nm. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one far infrared laser diode is configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 7 MHz to about 7.5 MHz. A device as in claim 13, wherein the at least one far infrared laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 2900 nm to about 3200 nm. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible light range laser diode comprises: a first visible light laser diode configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 4 MHz to about 4.5 MHz; and a second visible light laser diode configured to operate at a pulse frequency from about 5 MHz to about 5.5 MHz. The device of claim 15, wherein: the first visible light laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 630 nm to 700 nm; and the second visible light laser diode has an operating wavelength selected from a wavelength range of about 570 nm to about 600 nm. The device of claim 1, further comprising: at least one adhesive pad connected to the distal end of the at least one optical fiber bundle; and wherein: when the at least one adhesive pad is attached to the object, the at least one adhesive pad is configured to position the distal end of the at least one optical fiber bundle so that when the device is in use, light from the plurality of laser diodes is transmitted to the object. The device of claim 1, wherein: the at least one waveform electronic device assembly comprises a plurality of waveform electronic device assemblies; the plurality of laser diodes comprises a plurality of diode groups, each diode group of the plurality of diode groups comprises at least: a first near-infrared laser diode, a second near-infrared laser diode, a mid-infrared laser diode, a far-infrared laser diode, a first visible light range laser diode, and a second visible light range laser diode, each diode group is operably connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of waveform electronic device assemblies; the at least one optical fiber bundle comprises a plurality of optical fiber bundles; and Each of the plurality of optical fiber bundles is optically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of diode groups. A method for transmitting light to an object using a device for non-invasive light transmission, the method being performed by a controller of the device, the method comprising: causing at least one waveform electronics assembly to generate a square wave signal, a plurality of laser diodes of the device being operably connected to the at least one waveform electronics assembly for receiving the square wave signal therefrom; selecting a first laser diode from a plurality of laser diodes, the plurality of laser diodes comprising: at least one near infrared laser diode, at least one mid infrared laser diode, at least one far infrared laser diode, and at least one visible range laser diode; Causing the first laser diode to generate light, the light from the first laser diode being transmitted to the object through a first optical fiber of a plurality of optical fibers of the device, Controlling the first laser diode to emit with a first million hertz (MHz) modulation; Causing the first laser diode to stop generating light; Selecting a second laser diode from the plurality of laser diodes; Causing the second laser diode to generate light, the second laser diode being one of the plurality of laser diodes different from the first laser diode, the light from the second laser diode being transmitted to the object through a second optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers; Controlling the second laser diode to emit with a second MHz modulation; and Causing the second laser to stop generating light. The method of claim 19, wherein causing the first laser diode to generate light comprises: In response to selecting the at least one near-infrared laser diode, causing the at least one near-infrared laser diode to operate at one of: a pulse frequency from about 3 MHz to about 3.5 MHz and a pulse frequency from about 9.5 MHz to about 10 MHz; In response to selecting the at least one mid-infrared laser diode, causing the at least one mid-infrared laser diode to operate at a pulse frequency from about 6 MHz to about 6.5 MHz; In response to selecting the at least one far-infrared laser diode, causing the at least one far-infrared laser diode to operate at a pulse frequency from about 7 MHz to about 7.5 MHz; and In response to selecting the at least one visible range laser diode, causing the at least one visible range laser diode to operate at one of: a pulse frequency from about 4 MHz to about 4.5 MHz and a pulse frequency from about 5 MHz to about 5.5 MHz.