Patent US3529958A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6032078A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6032078A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Voltage controlled variable tuning antenna
Assignee: Auslo Research LLC
•
Filing: 1997-10-22
•
Granted: 2000-02-29
•
Expires: 2017-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A catheter shaft carries a coaxial cable, the terminal end of which contains a dipole antenna with opposing first and second helical elements. The first and second helical elements originate from a common connection to an outer conductor of the coaxial cable. The first and second helical elements are formed by winding flat wire around an outer insulator of the coaxial cable near a terminal end of the coaxial cable. A variable, controllable impedance is connected between an inner conductor of the coaxial cable and a point on the second helical element where the resistive component of the antenna's impedance matches the characteristic impedance of the coaxial cable. The impedance match minimizes reflective losses of the antenna, thereby maximizing power transferred to the antenna. The antenna has an effective electrical length which is equal to one-half the wavelength of the radiation emitted, independent of the physical length of the antenna. The antenna also has a radiation length which can be adjusted by varying the number in pitch and turns of the flat wire and the location of the impedance matching point.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric N. Rudie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/1815
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia comprising: inserting a microwave antenna-containing catheter shaft into a urethra so as to position the microwave antenna adjacent a prostatic region of the urethra, the antenna connected to a variable impedance device; providing a drive signal to the antenna to apply a radio frequency emission to tissue surrounding the urethra, the radio frequency emission causing molecular excitation of tissue surrounding the urethra sufficient to heat the tissue; and adjusting the variable impedance device, while providing the drive signal, as a function of a reflected power component of the antenna.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia comprising: inserting a microwave antenna-containing catheter shaft into a urethra so as to position the microwave antenna adjacent a prostatic region of the urethra, the antenna connected to a variable impedance device; providing a drive signal to the antenna to apply a radio frequency emission to tissue surrounding the urethra, the radio frequency emission causing molecular excitation of tissue surrounding the urethra sufficient to heat the tissue; and adjusting the variable impedance device, while providing the drive signal, as a function of a reflected power component of the antenna.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the variable impedance device is performed continuously.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
95 words
A method for treating tissues with an application of thermal energy comprising: inserting a microwave antenna-containing catheter into a body cavity so as to position the microwave antenna adjacent a region of tissue to be heated, the antenna including a controllable variable voltage dependent capacitance having a reactive impedance for canceling a reactive component of the impedance of the antenna; providing a driving signal to the antenna to cause heating of tissue surrounding the catheter; providing a control voltage to the voltage dependent capacitance as a function of a reflected power component from the antenna.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
95 words
A method for treating tissues with an application of thermal energy comprising: inserting a microwave antenna-containing catheter into a body cavity so as to position the microwave antenna adjacent a region of tissue to be heated, the antenna including a controllable variable voltage dependent capacitance having a reactive impedance for canceling a reactive component of the impedance of the antenna; providing a driving signal to the antenna to cause heating of tissue surrounding the catheter; providing a control voltage to the voltage dependent capacitance as a function of a reflected power component from the antenna.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for treating tissues with an application of thermal energy comprising: inserting a microwave antenna-containing catheter into a body cavity so as to position the microwave antenna adjacent a region of tissue to be heated, the antenna being connected to a variable impedance device; providing a driving signal to the antenna to cause heating of tissue surrounding the catheter; and adjusting the variable impedance device, while providing the driving signal, as a function of a reflected power component from the antenna.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for treating tissues with an application of thermal energy comprising: inserting a microwave antenna-containing catheter into a body cavity so as to position the microwave antenna adjacent a region of tissue to be heated, the antenna being connected to a variable impedance device; providing a driving signal to the antenna to cause heating of tissue surrounding the catheter; and adjusting the variable impedance device, while providing the driving signal, as a function of a reflected power component from the antenna.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 4, further comprising measuring forward power delivered to the microwave antenna and reflected power reflected from the microwave antenna, wherein the step of adjusting the variable impedance device as a function of the reflected power component from the antenna comprises minimizing a ratio of measured reflected power to measured forward power.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the body cavity is a urethra and the region of tissue to be heated surrounding the catheter is prostatic tissue surrounding the urethra, for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the variable impedance device comprises a controllable variable voltage dependent capacitance having a reactive impedance for canceling a reactive component of an impedance of the antenna, and wherein the step of adjusting the variable impedance device comprises providing a control voltage to the voltage dependent capacitance to minimize the ratio of measured reflected power to measured forward power.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the step of adjusting the variable impedance device is performed continuously.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2407690A
Cited
US3411507A
Cited
GB1238200A
Cited
US3494723A
Cited
US4312364A
Cited
US4140130A
Cited
US4154246A
Cited
US4162500A
Cited
SU738596A1
Cited
US4204549A
Cited
US4285346A
Cited
US4311154A
Cited
US4448198A
Cited
US4290435A
Cited
US4557272A
Cited
US4375220A
Cited
WO1981003616A1
Cited
EP0048402A1
Cited
EP0105677A1
Cited
US4662383A
Cited
US4559951A
Cited
US4583556A
Cited
US4676258A
Cited
US4497324A
Cited
US4601296A
Cited
US4690156A
Cited
US4798215A
Cited
US4612940A
Cited
US4800899A
Cited
US4821725A
Cited
US4732161A
Cited
US4632127A
Cited
US4669475A
Cited
US4712559A
Cited
JPS629351A
Cited
US4643186A
Cited
US4700716A
Cited
US4776086A
Cited
US5057106A
Cited
EP0248758A1
Cited
US4813429A
Cited
EP0246176A2
Cited
US4823812A
Cited
EP0253677A1
Cited
US4872458A
Cited
US4993430A
Cited
US5003991A
Cited
US4825880A
Cited
US5106360A
Cited
US4841988A
Cited
US4841988B1
Cited
US5097845A
Cited
SU1512622A1
Cited
US5061267A
Cited
US4860752A
Cited
US4945318A
Cited
US4924863A
Cited
WO1989011311A1
Cited
US4998933A
Cited
US4934365A
Cited
US4865047A
Cited
EP0462302A1
Cited
US4967765A
Cited
US4932420A
Cited
US4955377A
Cited
US5151100A
Cited
US5056531A
Cited
US5026959A
Cited
EP0459535A2
Cited
EP0370890A1
Cited
WO1991013650A1
Cited
US5234004A
Cited
EP0519958B1
Cited
US5007437A
Cited
US5213097A
Cited
EP0485323A1
Cited
US5323768A
Cited
US5301687A
Cited
US5383917A
Cited
US5323778A
Cited
US5344398A
Cited
US5370677A
Cited
US5413588A
Cited
US5330518A
Cited
US5300099A
Cited
US5370676A
Cited
WO1993020767A1
Cited
US5370678A
Cited
US5401274A
Cited
WO1994002204A1
Cited
US5370675A
Cited
EP0629382A1
Cited
EP0597463A2
Cited
US5437662A
Cited
WO1994022384A1
Cited
EP0628288A2
Cited
WO1994026188A1
Cited
US5364392A
Cited
US5405346A
Cited
US5520684A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-02-28 | 2003-08-30 | 2004-02-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-28 | 2007-08-30 | 2008-02-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-28 | 2011-08-30 | 2012-02-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |