Patent ID: 7241270
Filing Date: 2007-07-10
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A system comprising an ultrasound transducers, an ultrasound generator coupled to the ultrasound transducer for operation, a use register sized and configured to be carried by the ultrasound transducer, the use register comprising memory fields including a first memory field that registers, according to preprogrammed rules, a prescribed copyright notice a second memory field that registers, according to the preprogrammed rules, a prescribed maximum usage time for the ultrasound transducer, and a third memory field that registers a frequency tuned for the ultrasound transducer according to the preprogrammed rules for the maximum usage time, the third memory field comprising a write-once memory field that once written to, according to the preprogrammed rules, cannot be written over, and a use monitoring controller sized and configured to be carried by the ultrasound generator and to be coupled to the use register to control delivery of ultrasound energy through the ultrasound transducer according to the preprogrammed rules comprising a first preprogrammed rule that compares the prescribed copyright notice in the first memory field to a prescribed content and disables use of the ultrasound transducer if the prescribed content is not present in the first memory field; a second preprogrammed rule that, only if the prescribed content is present in the first memory field and only if the third memory field has not been previously written to, selects a tuned frequency for the ultrasound transducer and writes the tuned frequency to the third memory field; a third preprogrammed rule that delivers ultrasound energy to the ultrasound transducer only at the tuned frequency written to the third memory field; and a fourth preprogrammed rule that disables operation of the ultrasound transducer at the end of the prescribed maximum usage time registered in the second memory field.