| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080218102 | Programmable radio frequency waveform generatior for a synchrocyclotron - A synchrocyclotron comprises a resonant circuit that includes electrodes having a gap therebetween across the magnetic field. An oscillating voltage input, having a variable amplitude and frequency determined by a programmable digital waveform generator generates an oscillating electric field across the gap. The synchrocyclotron can include a variable capacitor in circuit with the electrodes to vary the resonant frequency. The synchrocyclotron can further include an injection electrode and an extraction electrode having voltages controlled by the programmable digital waveform generator. The synchrocyclotron can further include a beam monitor. The synchrocyclotron can detect resonant conditions in the resonant circuit by measuring the voltage and or current in the resonant circuit, driven by the input voltage, and adjust the capacitance of the variable capacitor or the frequency of the input voltage to maintain the resonant conditions. The programmable waveform generator can adjust at least one of the oscillating voltage input, the voltage on the injection electrode and the voltage on the extraction electrode according to beam intensity and in response to changes in resonant conditions. | 09-11-2008 |
| 20090140672 | Interrupted Particle Source - A synchrocyclotron includes magnetic structures to provide a magnetic field to a cavity, a particle source to provide a plasma column to the cavity, where the particle source has a housing to hold the plasma column, and where the housing is interrupted at an acceleration region to expose the plasma column, and a voltage source to provide a radio frequency (RF) voltage to the cavity to accelerate particles from the plasma column at the acceleration region. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090200483 | Inner Gantry - A system includes a patient support and an outer gantry on which an accelerator is mounted to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on the patient support. The accelerator is configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach a target in the patient. An inner gantry includes an aperture for directing the proton or ion beam towards the target. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20100045213 | Programmable Radio Frequency Waveform Generator for a Synchrocyclotron - A synchrocyclotron comprises a resonant circuit that includes electrodes having a gap therebetween across the magnetic field. An oscillating voltage input, having a variable amplitude and frequency determined by a programmable digital waveform generator generates an oscillating electric field across the gap. The synchrocyclotron can include a variable capacitor in circuit with the electrodes to vary the resonant frequency. The synchrocyclotron can further include an injection electrode and an extraction electrode having voltages controlled by the programmable digital waveform generator. The synchrocyclotron can further include a beam monitor. The synchrocyclotron can detect resonant conditions in the resonant circuit by measuring the voltage and or current in the resonant circuit, driven by the input voltage, and adjust the capacitance of the variable capacitor or the frequency of the input voltage to maintain the resonant conditions. The programmable waveform generator can adjust at least one of the oscillating voltage input, the voltage on the injection electrode and the voltage on the extraction electrode according to beam intensity and in response to changes in resonant conditions. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100230617 | CHARGED PARTICLE RADIATION THERAPY - Among other things, an accelerator is mounted on a gantry to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on a patient support. The accelerator is configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach any arbitrary target in the patient from positions within the range. The proton or ion beam passes essentially directly from the accelerator to the patient. In some examples, the synchrocyclotron has a superconducting electromagnetic structure that generates a field strength of at least 6 Tesla, produces a beam of particles having an energy level of at least 150 MeV, has a volume no larger than 4.5 cubic meters, and has a weight less than 30 Tons. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100308235 | Programmable Particle Scatterer for Radiation Therapy Beam Formation - Interposing a programmable path length of one or more materials into a particle beam modulates scattering angle and beam range in a predetermined manner to create a predetermined spread out Bragg peak at a predetermined range. Materials can be “low Z” and “high Z” materials that include fluids. A charged particle beam scatterer/range modulator can comprise a fluid reservoir having opposing walls in a particle beam path and a drive to adjust the distance between the walls of the fluid reservoir under control by a programmable controller. A “high Z” and, independently, a “low Z” reservoir, arranged in series, can be used. When used for radiation treatment, the beam can be monitored by measuring beam intensity, and the programmable controller can adjust the distance between the opposing walls of the “high Z” reservoir and, independently, the distance between the opposing walls of the “low Z” reservoir according to a predetermined relationship to integral beam intensity. Beam scattering and modulation can be done continuously and dynamically during a treatment in order to deposit dose in a target volume in a predetermined three dimensional distribution. | 12-09-2010 |
