Abstract:
Tracking toning history of a subject and determining parameters of a current toning session is provided by recording and storing into the memory of a toning device, or a computer or some other processing device, parameters of each of the preceding tissue toning procedures, as well as segments of the subject body affected by such toning procedures. Next, the recorded data is analyzed and one or more protocols related to the current tissue toning session are then derived. Concurrently, with executing the protocol, recommendations on skin care options, new products adapted for skin care and complementary to the skin/tissue toning, and any other skin care news that may be relevant to the subject skin care are identified and provided.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The method and the system relate to the field of body toning and in particular to the field of management and operation of body toning devices. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    External appearance is of concern practically to every person. In recent years, methods and apparatuses have been developed for different skin toning and cosmetic treatments. Among these methods and apparatuses are hair removal, treatment of vascular lesions, wrinkle removal, body shaping, fat removal or reduction and skin rejuvenation. In these treatments a volume of skin or tissue to be treated is heated to a temperature that is sufficiently high as to achieve a desired effect. Such temperature is typically in the range of 38-60 degrees Celsius. 
         [0003]    One method that has been used for heating the skin is application to the skin of pulsed or continuous radio-frequency (RF) energy. In this method, electrodes are applied to the skin and an RF voltage in continuous or pulse mode is applied across the electrodes. The properties of the RF voltage are selected so as to generate an RF current in the tissue to be treated, current which heats the tissue to the required temperature. 
         [0004]    Concurrently, a number of light based skin surface or deeper skin layer treatments have been developed. These treatments usually employ a laser, a LED, a Xenon lamp (Intense Pulsed Light or IPL) or incandescent lamp radiation to expose a surface of skin where vascular lesions, varicose veins, acne, mole marks and similar disorders are present. The optical radiation may be of a single wavelength or include several wavelengths. The wavelengths are selected to be optimal for the color of the contrasted component of the target, and are typically in the range of 400 to 1800 nm. 
         [0005]    Reduction of subcutaneous fat layers, or adipose tissue, is another skin treatment for which there is a growing demand. Among the different physical therapies available, the application of ultrasound is emerging as another adipose tissue removal and body shaping technology. Methods associated with this technology are based on the delivery of a dose of electromagnetic energy (RF) or ultrasound waves through the skin of a recipient into the subcutaneous adipose tissue to a volume of tissue to be treated. 
         [0006]    The above described equipment is both costly and bulky, and it is typically operated in an ambulatory set-up by a qualified operator and frequently requires presence of medical personnel specialized in such treatments or toning. Recently, equipment allowing application of any one of the listed above treatments or a combination of them by a non-professional person in a conventional residential setting has been developed. When such equipment is in use, the user has no means for tracking the toning progress, select most appropriate for him/her tissue affecting energy parameters, apply the energy in the most effective way to the segments of tissue to be treated or toned. 
         [0007]    There is a need for an integrated system that would collect the toning process parameters related to the application of tissue affecting energy to the user skin or tissue, analyze it, and recommend to the user current toning session tissue affecting energy parameters. There is also a need in a device capable of collecting such data and communicating it to the system as well as receiving and operating according to the recommended tissue affecting energy parameters. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The problem of tracking the toning history of a person (subject) and determining parameters of the current toning session can be solved by recording and storing into the memory of a toning device, or a computer or some other processing device, parameters of each of the preceding tissue toning procedures, as well as segments of the subject body affected by such toning procedures. Next, the recorded data can be analyzed and one or more protocols related to the current tissue toning session can then be derived. Concurrently, with the protocol, recommendations on skin care options, new products adapted for skin care and complementary to the skin/tissue toning, and any other skin care news that may be relevant to the subject skin care can be identified and provided. 
       GLOSSARY 
       [0009]    The terms “tissue” or “skin” as used in the present disclosure have the same meaning and are used interchangeable through the text of the disclosure. 
         [0010]    The term “tissue affecting energy” as used in the present disclosure means energy capable of causing a change in the tissue, or enabling such change. Such energy for example, may be RF energy, optical radiation in visible or invisible part of electromagnetic spectrum, ultrasound waves energy, and kinetic energy provided by a massaging device. 
         [0011]    The term “tissue toning device” as used in the present disclosure means any device providing energy affecting the tissue. Such device for example, may apply to the tissue RF energy, optical radiation existing in the visible or the invisible part of spectrum, ultrasound waves energy, kinetic energy provided by a massaging device or some other source of energy. 
         [0012]    The term “tissue toning” as used in the present disclosure includes operations that provide, among other things, skin rejuvenation treatment, cellulite management treatment, body contouring procedures, acne treatment procedures, hair removal, and other skin or tissue treatments. 
         [0013]    The term “current tissue toning protocol” means a protocol according to which the immediate tissue toning will be performed. 
         [0014]    The term “terminations” and “terminations configured to couple energy to the tissue” as used in the present disclosure includes electrodes that couple RF energy to the tissue, transducers that couple ultrasound waves to the tissue, windows, lenses, and optical waveguides that facilitate skin by optical radiation exposure, and rollers or balls of the massaging device that couple kinetic energy to the skin, as well as similar devices that are able to communicate energy from a source to the tissue. 
         [0015]    The term “computer” as used in the present disclosure means a device capable of receiving data or information, processing it, and delivering the data processing results to another device. As such, a computer may include, as non-limiting examples, a personal computer, a PDA computer, a mobile telephone, and similar devices. Typically, a computer as defined herein would have a display but, other forms of user feedback, prompting and user interface may also be used such a sound, voice detection, brail screens, or the like. 
         [0016]    As used herein, the terms “person” and “subject” have the same meaning and refer to any human or animal subject, as well as synthetic objects. 
         [0017]    As used herein, the terms “optical radiation sources” and “optical radiation emitters” have the same meaning and refer to any source or emitter of visible or non-visible optical radiation. 
         [0018]    The terms “treatment” or “toning” as used in the present disclosure have the same meaning and are used interchangeable through the text of the disclosure. 
         [0019]    The term “video” as used in the pressed disclosure is related to the visual presentation of information, usually on a display screen. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF LIST OF DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    For a better understanding of the system and the method, reference is made to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the method and/or apparatus. 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the present system for personal tissue toning. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of an exemplary computer display indicating locations of desired tissue affecting energy coupling. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3A  is a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the present tissue toning device. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3B  is a schematic illustration of the bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of the tissue toning device of  FIG. 3A . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof and wherein like reference numerals denote like elements through the several views. 
         [0026]    Reference is made to  FIG. 1  which is an exemplary embodiment of a personal tissue toning system. System  100  includes a tissue toning device  104 , a computer  108  with a display  112 , and a data transmission link  116  operative to transmit bi-directionally data between tissue toning device  104  and computer  108 . The data transmission link  116  is shown as being a physical connection but, it will be appreciated that the connection may be wireless or optical as well. Computer  108 , which will be termed the local computer may be of a variety of devices such as a personal computer, a palm computer, or a mobile telephone as non-limiting examples. Practically, any device having a processor and capable of processing data may be used in place of computer  108 . Computer  108  is configured to communicate with a memory device or component  134  of tissue toning device  104  with the help of interface  138  and may be programmed to receive (or read) from memory  134  of device  104  the historical toning data accumulated in memory  134 , analyze the historical toning data and issue a current tissue toning protocol. It should also be appreciated that the tissue toning device  104  may also include an embedded processing unit, for instance memory device  134  may be a microcontroller, and the processing unit may perform some or all of the analysis of the historical toning data and/or issue a current tissue toning protocol. Thus, the processing unit may be internal to the toning device  104 , external in a computer or distributed between the two. The current tissue toning protocol optionally may include a video or virtual user image and suggestions for complementary skin care elements such as the use of various topical creams and lotions, vitamins or other tissue care related food additives or the like. Computer  108  downloads the current protocol to device  104  through the data transmission link  116 . The communication between toning device  104  and computer  108  may be according to Ethernet, Bluetooth, or any other communication protocols and utilizing any of a variety of connection technologies. Local computer  108  would typically communicate with one or more remote computers  120  through dedicated communication links or via a network such as the Internet. Remote computer  120 , with its display  124 , may be located at a remote site  130  to which a proper qualified medical personnel has access. The personnel may review the tissue toning protocols, their effects on the subject and issue additional recommendation. 
         [0027]    System  100  may include a digital or analog video camera  142  configured to take user  200  ( FIG. 2 ) images and/or video and display them on the local computer display  112 , as well as to communicate the same to remote computer  120 . Experienced medical personnel at the remote site  130  may mark on the video images of user  200  ( FIG. 2 ) target tissue segments locations  204  ( FIG. 2 ) to which according to the current protocol, tissue affecting energy should be applied or coupled. The user can optionally have the ability to modify or change the locations  204  to which the tissue affecting energy should be applied. In an alternative embodiment, the user image  200  may be a virtual symbolic image. 
         [0028]    Tissue toning device  104  is configured to apply a tissue affecting energy to a target segment  204  of tissue  212  ( FIG. 2 ). Tissue toning device  104  typically includes at least a memory  134  ( FIG. 3A ) configured to store and accumulate data related to historical or earlier performed tissue toning results and a computer interface  138  facilitating connection and communication with local computer  108 , and an optional display  142 . The toning history may include data indicating to the user the time of the earlier performed or historic tissue toning procedures, their duration, the tissue affecting energy parameters, segments of the body treated, and the expected toning results in textual or graphical representation. The user may display the segments of the body to be treated, and the expected toning results in textual or graphical representation on an optional display  142  of device  104 . The display  142  may assist guiding the user in proper locations of tissue toning energy application. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the present tissue toning device. Tissue toning device  104  for personal skin toning further may include one or more types of terminations, which are elements configured to couple to the tissue, the tissue affecting energy provided by the respective energy sources. The energy sources may be incorporated in the tissue toning device or packed in a stand-alone housing (not shown). The sources of tissue affecting energy may be such as one or more optical radiation sources  304  shown by their power supplies, RF energy source  308 , ultrasound waves source  312 , and kinetic energy sources (not shown). Tissue toning device  104  may include any one of the tissue affecting energy sources  304 ,  308 , or  312  and any combination of them. Terminations couple the tissue affecting energy to a segment  204  of user/subject  200  ( FIG. 2 ) tissue  212  to be toned. The terminations may be one or more RF electrodes  316 , ultrasound transducers  320 , and optical radiation sources  324 , and optical radiation emitting and conveying elements, such as lamps, lenses, light guides, optical windows, and kinetic energy sources (not shown) such as massagers equipped with rollers or balls. 
         [0030]    RF electrodes  316  may have elongated and curved bodies and may be solid, flexible, and hollow electrodes made of a heat conductive metal, or metal coated plastic, or composite material. RF electrodes  316  may be permanently attached to tissue toning device  104  or may be detachable from tissue toning device  104 . Ultrasound transducers  320  may be conventional or phased array transducers. Optical radiation emitting elements  324  expose the target tissue segment to the radiation generated by the elements emitting optical radiation, such as incandescent lamps and lamps optimized for emission of red and infrared radiation and a reflector, Intense Pulse Light (IPL) source, a LED, and a laser diode (as non-limiting examples). Optionally, toning device  104  may include a massaging device (not shown) coupling to the target segment of the tissue with the help of rollers or balls kinetic energy. Tissue toning device  104  may include one or more of such sources or any combination of them. 
         [0031]    Each of the terminations of tissue toning device  104  applies to the skin an appropriate type of skin affecting energy. One or more RF electrodes  316  that are in contact with skin  328  apply to the skin RF energy provided by RF energy sources. Ultrasound waves transducers  324  couple to the skin ultrasound energy generated by the ultrasound waves source  312 , and the optical radiation emitting and conveying elements couple the optical radiation to skin  328  by exposing the skin to the energy generated by one or more optical radiation emitters  324 . 
         [0032]    Since all of the tissue affecting energies and methods disclosed alter the skin temperature at least to some degree, monitoring of the temperature is frequently used to control the toning process. Accordingly, tissue toning device  104  for personal skin toning may also include one or more tissue temperature sensors  332  (illustrated in  FIG. 3B ) configured to measure the temperature of the target segment of the tissue. Even with performing the temperature monitoring, certain potential skin damage risk still exist because the sensor response time depends on heat conductivity from the skin to the sensor and inside the sensor, and may be too long and even damaging the skin before the sensor reduces or cuts off the skin heating power. In order to avoid such potential skin damage, temperature sensors  332  communicate the measured temperature to a processing circuit capable of deriving in the course of the tissue toning the rate of the temperature change of the target segment. 
         [0033]    It has been experimentally discovered that the temperature change of the treated skin segment, and in particular a skin segment located between the RF electrodes and of the electrodes, being in contact with the skin depends on the applicator displacement speed. Heat transfer from the skin to the electrode and accordingly the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is largely dependent on the quality of the contact between the electrode and the skin. Differences in the quality of the contact could cause large variations in the temperature measurements. The quality of the skin-to-electrode contact may, for example, be monitored by monitoring the skin impedance and correcting the temperature change rate by an appropriate value or offset. Temperature sensor  332  may be of a variety of types, such as a thermistor, a thermocouple, or resistance temperature detectors as non-limiting examples. Further, temperature sensor  332  may be incorporated into a temperature probe  336  or into an electrode  316 . 
         [0034]    The displacement speed of the applicator can be determined in a variety of manners. On such non-limiting example includes the use of an accelerometer. Another non-limiting example includes the use of optical sensors that can determine movement relative to a target tissue segment. 
         [0035]    The coupling of tissue affecting energy to tissue  328  may be improved by application to the tissue of a gel  340  (shown in  FIG. 3A ) that improves one or more of the tissue properties. For example, for RF coupling, the gel may have an electrical resistance higher than that of the tissue. Whereas for ultrasound waves, the coupling the gel may have acoustic coupling properties similar to those of the skin. The tissue toning device may optionally be equipped by a gel dispenser  344  that may be manually or automatically operated and configured to dispense over the skin/tissue  328  gel  340  that may have an electrical resistance higher than that of skin  328  and have acoustic coupling properties similar to those of the skin. 
         [0036]    Although the user conducting treatment may be implementing the current protocol provided by the computer, the practical implementation of the protocol may differ from the recommended one and the user has to be given a continuous feedback on the status of interaction of the tissue affecting or heating energy with the tissue. The temperature change rate may be a basis for such feedback. For example, when tissue toning device  104  displacement speed is faster than the desired speed, the tissue does not receive enough heat and the treatment is not producing a desired effect and vice versa. The temperature change rate would be low for a rapidly displaced tissue toning device and vice versa. A visual or an audio signal indicator may be configured to provide the status of interaction of the tissue heating energy with the tissue. Accordingly, tissue toning device may include a visual signal indicator  348  that may be operative to indicate that the tissue toning device displacement speed is faster than the one set by the current protocol and/or that the tissue heating energy level is lower than the desired one. The audio indicator  352  may be operative to signify that the tissue toning device displacement speed is slower than the one set by the current protocol tissue toning device displacement speed and/or that the skin heating energy level is higher than the desired one (high temperature change rate) and may cause skin burns. Either the visual signal of different colors or the audio signal of different tones or a combination of them may be used in various embodiments. 
         [0037]    The method of use of system  100  in tissue toning procedures is now described. For tissue treatment, tissue toning device  104  connects to a computer, which may be local computer  108  ( FIG. 1 ) or remote computer  120  and upon request, communicates or uploads to the computer the earlier performed or historic toning data presently stored in memory  134 . The historical toning data may include sex and age of the treated subject, tissue affecting energy parameters of the earlier performed tissue toning, segments of the subject body that were treated, and what were the toning results in textual or graphical representation. The computer may also hold updated information on relevant topics from the medical field or the device manufacturer as well as studies on different populations and age groups. 
         [0038]    The computer analyzes the toning data received and issues one or more current tissue toning protocols. The current tissue toning protocol includes at least one or more tissue affecting energies, their respective power, duration, and coupling location or target tissue segment  204  ( FIG. 2 ) on the subject  200  body. The segments of the subject body to be currently treated may be displayed in textual or graphical representation on the local computer display  112  or on the tissue toning device display  142 . In case there is a need to consult with a medical specialist, communication with a company expert or an experienced user at the remote computer site  130  may be initiated, or a telephone call via conventional or Internet based lines may be placed to clear some of the issues that may exist. 
         [0039]    The computer (local or remote) downloads the current tissue toning protocol into device  104  memory  134 . Alternatively, local computer  108  ( FIG. 1 ) may control the tissue current tissue toning session. User  200  brings device  104  in contact with tissue  204  and couples to the skin/tissue the tissue affecting energy, which may be RF energy, optical radiation, and/or ultrasound waves or the like. Each of the energies may be coupled alone or, a combination of energies may be coupled simultaneously or in any desired order or combination to the tissue. By displacing or moving device  104  over the tissue, the user applies the current protocol to a target segment  204  and additional to be treated tissue segments of the subject  200  body. In order to facilitate the tissue toning procedure, the target segment  204  of the tissue may be displayed on the device  104  display  142  or on local computer  108  display  112 . Concurrently with displaying the current toning location the expected current toning procedure results may be displayed on the same display. 
         [0040]    The user/subject controls the tissue toning device displacement speed and the quality of at least one type of tissue affecting energy with the skin coupling by observing one of the signal indicators. The visual signal indicator  348  may be operative to indicate that the tissue toning device  104  displacement speed is faster than determined by the current protocol speed, and accordingly that the skin heating energy level is lower than necessary. The audio signal indicator  352  may be operative to signify that the tissue toning device displacement speed is slower than the displacement speed determined by the current protocol and accordingly that the skin heating energy level is higher than the desired one. For optimal toning results the subject adapts the speed so as to avoid any signal indicator activation. 
         [0041]    A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the method. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims: