FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a medical treatment device for providing electrically induced treatment to a subject.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a subject’s body, i.e. a human or animal body, some biological processes are known to be linked to electricity. For example, the functional basis of sensory, nerve and muscle cells is based on the generation, transmission and processing of electrical impulses containing information. By way of example, the beating of the heart is triggered by electrical impulses, the control of muscles occurs through electrical signals, and when thinking, brain currents flow more, etc. Thereby, e.g. a bloodvessel may act as a transmission line to conduct electricity.

Further, it has been found that electrical models can also be formed to tissue, bone, nerve, proteins, etc. Thereby, for example, proteins may act as a semi-conductor, tissues and bones may act as crystalline arrays, nerves and muscles may conduct electromagnetically signals, etc. Also at cell level, due to given permeability and transport properties of a cell membrane, an uneven ion distribution and thus charge distribution between a cell interior and surrounding media is maintained, resulting in a membrane potential. In this regard, it has been found that the cell membrane may be described by an electrical model, in which the cell membrane model includes various ionic conductance and electromotive forces in parallel with a capacitor.

RKO:TE Since diseases, particularly if they are triggered by pathogens, such as bacteria, parasites, fungi, viruses, etc., in the human or animal body are based at least in part on the above structures, such as proteins, DNA, cells, etc., and/or electrical mechanisms, such as model able electrical behavior, they are likely to be subject to influence them by electrical processes.

Technically, however, it is a challenge to treat diseases electrically in a reliable way, as the requirements for the electrical process are high, such as providing a precisely controllable electrical current at a desired frequency and/or level, providing a desired voltage level, or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There may, therefore, be a need for providing improved means for providing electrically induced treatment to a subject. The object of the present invention is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims, wherein further embodiments are incorporated in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect, there is provided a medical treatment device for providing electrically induced treatment to a subject.

For example, the medical device may be configured to provide one or more electric electrically induced treatment to influence, e.g. stimulate, a pathogen, such as a bacteria, fungus, virus, parasites, etc., cancer, or the like, present at, particularly in or on, the subject in a frequency domain harmful to the pathogen. Pathogens, like other biological processes, can be influenced electrically because they are composed, for example, of cells, cell membranes, proteins, DNA, or the like, all of which are based on electrical processes and can be modeled electrically. Thereby, exemplary mechanisms of action harmful to the pathogen may rely on stimulating the pathogen or components thereof by applying the electric current signal in a specific frequency domain. For example, the frequency domain may be chosen to comply with a resonance frequency domain, or the like, of the pathogen, cancer, etc.

The medical treatment device comprises: a housing, comprising a number of compartments; a number of electrical drivers, each of which being accommodated in the corresponding compartment to form a corresponding number of channels of the device, and being configured to provide the electrically induced treatment; a controller, configured to control, via the corresponding channel, the number of electrical drivers based on a control program comprising a number of channel-specific driver signal description modules, and configured to align, in a periodic time, the channel-specific driver signal description modules of each of the number of channels with each other; and a number of applicators, each of which is operatively connected to the number of electrical drivers, and configured to be brought into contact with the subject.

In this way, the medical treatment device is channel-operable, wherein the one or more channels may be freely configured by a user of the device. By aligning the individual channels with each other in the periodic time, the control program may be executed or repeated again and again with exactly the same time sequence and with the same driver signal. The free configurability of the channels and the reliably repeatable execution of the control program enable precise treatment of the subject.

As used herein, the housing may be a rack or the like, in which the individual compartments are formed, for example, as slots for computer plug-in cards or boards, or the like. The compartments may be configured in the same way, so that a modular housing can be provided in which the electrical drivers can be freely configured and exchanged according to a treatment plan or the like.

As used herein, the controller, which may also be referred to as a main controller, may be broadly understood and/or as an arrangement of electrical and/or electronic components and/or software components that can perform control of the medical device based on at least the control program, and optionally further based on one or more feedback signals, as described herein. Accordingly, the controller may be implemented either in hardware, in software or in a combination of hardware and software, and may be configured to control operation of hardware and/or software components of the medical device, based on the control program. It is noted that the control program, when serving therapeutic purposes, may also be referred to as therapy program, wherein the control program comprises instructions to generate the electric current signals in a way so as to influence the subject in a manner being preferably harmful to it. The control program may be executed by or via the operator console. In addition, the control program may also be executed, and/or created and/or edited by a separate software application that is run on a computing device, such as a workstation, or the like, arranged separately to the medical treatment device, wherein the software application may also be referred to as a therapy editor. The control program created and/or edited by using the separate software application may then be provided to the medical treatment device for execution. It is noted that, if the driver signal defined in the control program is composed by merely defining signal parameters instead of sample-by-sample definition, a data size may be small, so that the required data amount is small, which may have a positive effect on data transfer time, data consumption in a memory, processing speed, etc.

As used herein, the subject to be treated, e.g. influenced, stimulated, etc., by the medical treatment device may be broadly understood, and may, for example, be a human or animal, a body thereof or a part of it. Alternatively, the subject may also be an in vitro substance, e.g. a pathogen, an organism, or the like, such as one cultivated in a Petri dish, test tube, or the like, wherein the substance is influenced by the electrical current of the medical device.

Further, as used herein, the number of applicators may be understood broadly as an interface that can be brought, preferably non-invasively, into electrically conductive contact with the subject to provide the electrical induced treatment to the subject. The number of applicators may comprise one or more of a coil, a light device, a skin electrode, a head electrode, which can optionally be arranged in a kind of helmet, or the like. Further the number of applicators may comprise a needle, which may be used on the skin and/or dermis, epidermis or hypodermis, etc. Optionally, the number of applicators may differ in type from each other. According to an embodiment, the medical treatment device may comprise a plurality of channels operable in parallel and/or simultaneously, wherein the plurality of channels may comprise at least a first type of electrical driver and a second type of electrical driver, wherein the first type and the second type of electrical driver are different to each other. In other words, the medical treatment device may comprise a plurality of channels and/or electrical drivers, wherein at least some channels and/or electrical drivers may be of different to others. It is contemplated that the device may comprise multiple channels and/or electrical drivers of a same type and, at the same time, one or more channels and/or electrical drivers of a different type. For example, there may be n channels and/or electrical drivers of the first type and m channels and/or electrical drivers of the second type, wherein n and m is an integer equal or greater than one. In this way, a free configurable treatment that combines different treatment methods and provides them simultaneously or with a time delay, in any case in a repeatable manner may be provided to the subject.

In an embodiment, the medical treatment device may comprise a plurality of channels operable in parallel, and wherein at least two channels comprise a same type of electrical driver. In other words, the same type of treatment method may be provided to subject, using a different or a same configuration of the individual channel.

According to an embodiment, a type of the number of electric drivers is selected from: an electric current driver, a current-controlled magnetic field driver, a voltage- controlled magnetic field driver, a led light driver, a halogen light driver, and an ultrasonic driver. In this way, the medical device provides a broad spectrum of different treatment methods, such as electric current treatment, magnetic field treatment, light treatment, ultrasonic treatment, etc. For example, the number of electric drivers may be formed as a computer board configured to be accommodated in one of the compartments.

In an embodiment, the electric current driver may comprise: a channel-specific sub-controller, comprising a signal source configured to generate a first analog signal with a first phase and, simultaneously, a second analog signal with a second phase phase- shifted to the first phase; a first voltage-controlled current source, connected to the signal source to receive the first analog signal and to generate, based on the received first analog signal, an electric current, and configured to provide a first output impedance; and a second voltage-controlled current source, connected to the signal source to receive the second analog signal and to generate, based on the received second analog signal, an electric current, and configured to provide a second output impedance different to the first output impedance.

In this way, the medical treatment device is particularly configured to apply, for example, electric currents suitable for penetrating intracellular living tissues, to penetrate or pass inside cells, or the like, to the subject. Thereby, impedance of the subject may vary considerably from subject to subject and/or may vary on the same subject during therapy application. Further, impedance of the subject may also be rather high, even several hundred kilo ohms (kOhm, 1<W) high. Therefore, the medical device may be configured to deliver sufficiently high voltages to the subject via the applicators, i.e. the first and second applicator. According to the first aspect, using at least two current sources, i.e. the first and second current source, may allow to increase, especially double, the output voltage capability of the medical device. Preferably, the at least two current sources are connectable or connected in series with the subject, which may also be referred to as a load in a correspondingly formed electrical circuit. Further, the phase shift between the at least two current sources may allow a wide range of frequencies of the electric currents to be generated, and may particularly allow to increase the frequencies of the electric currents generated. In addition, the output voltage of the medical device may be controlled at least one of the applicators. In particular, by providing e.g. the second impedance at the second current source different to the first impedance, the medical device may be able to control its output voltage. For example, the output voltage potential at the second applicator may be controlled based on a variable impedance, i.e. a variable second impedance, which may be varied by the controller and/or sub-controller. Thereby, the first and second current sources may be of a Howland type. Further, the output voltage potential at the second applicator may be referenced around a potential zero reference. Optionally, the first and/or second current source may have floating potentials at the applicator referred to each individual ground. These are galvanically isolated from each other.

It is noted that, as used herein, any channel-specific sub-controller may be operatively connected to the (main) controller, wherein the (main) controller may be configured to control any channel-specific sub-controller.

According to an embodiment, wherein the first phase and second phase of the analog signals are opposite to each other, i.e. having a 180° phase shift. For this purpose, the first and second analog signal may be generated and/or provided by the signal source in a 180° phase shift. In other words, the signal source provides two, basically or actually equal, differential input signals with 180° phase shift from each other. In this way a wide range of frequencies of the electrical current generated by the first and second current source may be provided.

In an embodiment, the magnetic field driver may comprise: a channel-specific sub-controller, comprising a pulse-width modulation, PWM, generator configured to generate a number of PWM signals corresponding to the control program comprising information on one or more specific magnetic waveforms and/or magnetic intensities to be provided; an electronic switching circuit, comprising a number of switches connected to the channel-specific sub-controller to receive the number of PWM signals and configured to be selectively switched on and off to generate an electric current, caused by the number of PWM signals, through the electronic switching circuit; and a coil assembly, connected to the number of switches, and configured to be driven by the electric current and to generate, in response to the electric current, the one or more specific magnetic waveforms and/or magnetic intensities to be provided, wherein the coil forms a sub-applicator of the corresponding channel. The coil assembly may be part of or may form at least one of the number of applicators of the medical treatment device.

In this way, the medical device may provide a broad-frequency magnetic field.

Further, this configuration allows a high power efficiency, a high frequency magnetic spectmm, and requires merely few electrical components.

According to an embodiment, the sub-applicator may further comprise: a coil assembly comprising a number of conductive coils stacked in a layer-by-layer fashion and mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein adjacent coils are insulated from one another by an intermediate insulating layer; and at least one of the conductive coils of the coil assembly is connected to the number of switches of the electronic switching circuit and configured to be driven by the electric current and to generate, in response to the electric current, the one or more specific magnetic waveforms and/or magnetic intensities to be provided.

In this way, the magnetic field generator may provide a broad-frequency magnetic field. Further, this configuration allows a high-power efficiency, a high frequency magnetic spectrum, and requires merely few electrical components. Moreover, no additional support structure is needed for the coil assembly.

In an embodiment, the conductive coils of the coil assembly may be connected in parallel, and the coil assembly may be connected to the number of switches of the electronic switching circuit. Hence, all conductive coils of the coil assembly are connected to the number of switches of the electronic switching circuit, as a result of which the PWM voltage is equally applied to all conductive coils of the coil assembly. In addition, the coil assembly will remain fully operational even if one of the conductive coils should fail due to, for example, failure of an electrical contact.

According to an embodiment, w the number of conductive coils of the coil assembly may be co-linearly arranged and mounted on the printed circuit board. In other words, the conductive coils are arranged side-by-side, with the insulating layer in between. In this way, the total magnetic flux density of the coil assembly equals the sum of the magnetic flux densities through each conductive coil.

In an embodiment, each conductive coil of the coil assembly may be spirally wound in a layer plane. In other words, the windings of each conductive coil are not arranged side- by-side as in cylindrical coils, but one above the other. For example, the coil windings may be made from copper. In this way, each conductive coil may have a low inductivity, thereby further improving the broad-frequency magnetic field. Further, each conductive coil may have high rigidity due to the spiral structure, a minimized self-induction between the spirals, a self- resonance at high frequency, low parasitic capacity, and may be produced in a simple way. This type of conductive coil structure may also be referred to as planar-spiral type conductive coil.

According to an embodiment, the shape of each of the number of coils of the coil assembly may be selected from the group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, a spiral, a rectangle or a polygon. In this way, conductive coils may have varying shapes, not necessarily spiral, if needed.

In an embodiment, the number of conductive coils of the coil assembly may be in a range of 2 to 15, preferably in a range of 5 to 13, most preferably 8. In this way, the number of conductive coils can be selected depending on the needed magnetic flux density.

According to an embodiment, the thickness of each conductive coil of the coil assembly may be in a range of 0.030 mm to 0.120 mm, preferably in a range of 0.060 mm to 0.090 mm, most preferably of 0.070 mm.

In an embodiment, each coil of the coil assembly may have a circular shape, and a diameter of each coil may be in the range of 1 cm to 150 cm, preferably in the range of 15 cm to 50 cm, and most preferably of 17 cm, 25 cm or 50 cm. In this way, the coil may span a wide range of volumes, for example up to a volume sufficient to accommodate a human being inside the coil assembly, so that it is applicable for various applications, such as in audio technology, medical technology, etc.

According to an embodiment, the medical treatment device may further comprise an operator console, operatively connected to the controller, and comprising a user interface configured to provide control of the controller and to access a database having stored the control program, wherein the accessed control program is, via the user interface, executable to operate the device. For example, the user interface may comprise a user interface, input means, or the like, in order to interact with the user. The database may be part of the medical treatment device or may be arranged separately and/or remotely thereto. The operator console may provide means, such as a graphical user interface (GUI) to at least execute the control program, wherein it may also be configured to create and/or edit the control program at least in part. In this way, the medical treatment device may be provided as a standalone system on which the user may perform all operations directly.

In an embodiment, the medical treatment device may further comprise a data interface, operatively connected to the controller, and a service console, connectable or connected to the data interface, configured to display, via a user interface, a configuration of the channels and/or compartments, and configured to set and/or adjust system functions of the device based on the displayed configuration. For example, the user or operator may perform measurements concerning the electrical drivers, may update a firmware of the medical treatment device, or the like. In this way, the medical treatment device may be provided as a standalone system on which the user may perform all operations directly.

According to an embodiment, the medical treatment device, and particularly the controller, may optionally comprise at least one measuring unit, connectable to the subject. The controller may be configured to receive, e.g. via the at least one measuring unit, one or more measurement signals, e.g. from a sensor, a medical monitor, or the like, wherein the one or more measurement signals are assigned to one or more physiological parameters of the subject. Thereby, the controller may further be configured to adjust the driver signal and/or the number of electrical drivers based on the measured one or more physiological parameters. Alternatively or additionally, based on the one or more measurement signals, the controller may control signal generation in the corresponding electrical driver, e.g. by controlling a signal source or the like of the electrical driver.

In other words, the medical treatment device, e.g. the controller, may be configured to consider, preferably in real-time, the one or more measurement signals for driving the number of electrical drivers accordingly. In this way, the treatment may be adapted to the physiological effect to the subject. Therefore, the measurement of the measuring unit may also be referred to as bio- and/or medical feedback. The one or more physiological parameters may comprise and/or may associated with one or more of a skin impedance, a heart rate variability (HRV), Electroencephalography (EEG), an electrocardiogram (ECG), Electromyography (EMG), pulse oximetry (SP02), etc., wherein this is not limited herein. Further, the medical treatment device may comprise, for example, at least one subject interface, e.g. a medical monitor, such as a pulse oximeter, a set of measuring applicators configured to measure the skin impedance, wherein the at least one subject interface and/or medical monitor is configured to obtain the corresponding physiological parameter from the subject. The measurement signal may then be provided to the controller, which may adjust the output of the corresponding electrical driver. For example, the controller may e.g. generate a correction factor or the like to adjust the driver signal, optionally during its generation, based on the measurement signal.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in the following with reference to the drawings.

Fig 1 shows a medical treatment device according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 shows an exemplary part of a control program of a medical treatment device according to an embodiment.

Fig. 3 shows in a schematic block diagram a type of electrical driver in the form of an electric current driver, according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4 shows in a schematic block diagram a type of electrical driver in the form of a magnetic field driver, according to an embodiment.

Fig. 5 shows schematically an exemplary coil assembly included in a type of electrical driver in the form of a magnetic field driver, according to an embodiment.

Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the coil assembly of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of an arrangement, according to a 1-axis Helmholtz coil configuration, of several coil assemblies included in a type of electrical driver in the form of a magnetic field driver, according to an embodiment.

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of an arrangement, according to a 2-axes Helmholtz coil configuration, of several coil assemblies included in a magnetic field generator according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows a medical treatment device 100 for providing electrically induced treatment to a subject. The method of treatment applicable by the medical treatment device 100 is freely configurable by a user, as will be described below.

The medical treatment device 100 comprises a housing 110, a controller 120, which may also be referred to as a main controller, a number of electrical drivers 130, and a number of applicators 140. Further, optionally, the medical treatment device 100 may comprise a console 150, which may also be referred to as an operator console. Further optionally, the medical treatment device 100 may further comprise a service console.

Thereby, an individual one of the number of electrical drivers 130 corresponds to at least one channel of the medical treatment device 100. It is noted that one individual of the number of electrical drivers 130 itself may comprise one or more channels, so that even with a single electrical driver 130 two or more separately controllable channels may be provided. That is, generally, the medical treatment device 100 may be configured to comprise a plurality of channels, each of which is operable in parallel or simultaneously with the other channels on the same subject. Thereby, individual channels may comprise or utilize different types of electrical drivers, wherein one or more of each type may be configured freely based on the treatment intended.

The housing 110 is, for example, formed as e.g. a rack and comprises a number of compartments. Optionally, some or all of the number of compartments is of same size, i.e. of same dimension, and of a same shape, so as to provide a modular platform. Further, each of the compartments is configured to accommodate a computing board or card, i.e. an individual one of the number of electrical drivers 130. Further, the housing may accommodate the controller 120, as indicated by the corresponding reference sign in Fig. 1.

Each of the number of electrical drivers 130 is provided as a computing board or card, which may be selectively inserted into one of the number of compartments. When inserted into the corresponding compartment, the respective electrical driver 130 is operatively connected to the controller 120, i.e. the main controller, so that the controller has the overall control. Further, the number of electrical drivers 130 is configured to provide the electrically induced treatment, the method of which is provided in accordance with a type of the electrical driver 130. The type of electrical driver 130 may be selected from an electric current driver, a current-controlled magnetic field driver, a voltage-controlled magnetic field driver, a led light driver, a halogen light driver, and an ultrasonic driver. Accordingly, the medical treatment device 100 may be freely configured, by utilizing, i.e. operating, one or more of these types of electrical driver 130 within the same medical treatment device 100. For example, the plurality of channels comprises at least a first type of electrical driver 130 and a second type of electrical driver 130, wherein the first type and the second type of electrical driver 130 are different to each other. By way of example, the medical treatment device 100 may be configured to comprise a selection or combination of at least one electric current driver, at least one current-controlled magnetic field driver, at least one voltage-controlled magnetic field driver, at least one led light driver, at least one halogen light driver, and at least one ultrasonic driver, wherein the configuration of the electrical drivers 130 is not limited to this. Alternatively or additionally, the medical treatment device 100 may comprise at least two channels comprising a same type of electrical driver 130. For example, the medical treatment device 100 may be configured to comprise at least two electrical drivers 130 of the same type, e.g. at least two electric current drivers, at least two current-controlled magnetic field drivers, at least two voltage-controlled magnetic field drivers, at least two led light drivers, at least two halogen light drivers, and/or at least two ultrasonic drivers. It is noted that the medical treatment device 100 does not necessarily have to comprise different types of electrical drivers 130, but can be limited to one type, wherein two or more of the same type may be configured.

The controller 120, i.e. the main controller, is configured to control, via the corresponding channel, the number of electrical drivers 130 based on a control program, which is only illustratively represented in Fig. 1 within the console 150, particularly within a graphical user interface. It is noted that the control program may alternatively or additionally be created and/or edited by using a separate software application that may be run on a separate computing device, such as workstation or the like. The control program comprises a number of channel-specific driver signal description modules 160 (see also Fig. 2). The control program and/or the channel-specific driver signal description module 160 may comprise one or more signal parameters that comprise one or more of a signal shape or waveform, amplitude, frequency, and signal duration. These signal parameters may define a specific signal shape or waveform, which may also comprise one or more sequences of specific signal shapes or waveforms and/or one or more combinations of signal shapes or waveforms. For example, the specific signal shape or waveform may be sine, half sine, saw tooth, triangle, line, DC, square, pulse, sine-segment, trapezoidal segment, Gaussian distribution, ECG, an arbitrary waveform, or the like. Optionally, the medical device may be configured to vary one or more parameters of the specific signal shape or waveform, such as duration, frequency, phase, duty cycle, pulse and/or amplitude. It is noted that the driver signal description module 160 of a first one of the number of channels may differ in some or all signal parameters from a second one of the number of channels, etc. Further, the controller 120 is configured to synchronize, e.g. by alignment, in a periodic time, the channel-specific driver signal description modules 160 of each of the number of channels with each other, as will be described in more detail below.

With respect to the number of applicators 140, it is noted that Fig. 1 illustrates for reasons of clarity two applicators, but this is not limited herein as described below. The number of applicators 140 is operatively connected to the number of electrical drivers 130, wherein the number of applicators 140 is equal or greater than the number of electric drivers 130. In other words, each channel may comprise one or more applicators 140, optionally comprising at least one pair of applicators 140 per channel. The number of applicators 140 is configured to e.g. be brought into contact with the subject, to apply a specific electric current to the subject, e.g. by using one or more electrodes etc., to apply a specific magnetic field to the subject, to emit a specific light spectrum, to apply ultrasound, etc. The type of applicator 140 may be selected in accordance with the selected type of electric driver 130 for the corresponding channel. For example, the number of applicators 140 may be provided as a skin electrode, a head electrode, which can optionally be arranged in a kind of helmet, a coil, a needle, which may be used on the skin and/or dermis, epidermis or hypodermis, a lighting device, and/or an ultrasonic probe. The number of applicators 140 may be configured to provide the method of treatment corresponding to the type of electrical driver 130 of the corresponding channel. For example, an electric current driver may be operated by using one or more electrodes, a magnetic field driver may be operated by using one or more coils , a led light driver, a halogen light driver, and an ultrasonic driver.

The operator console 150 is operatively connected to the controller 120 and comprises a user interface, e.g. a display, monitor, etc., input means, such as a keyboard, touchscreen, etc., configured to provide control of the controller 120 to a user. In general, the console 150 is configured to select, edit, and execute the control program. Further, the console 150 and/or the user interface may be connected to a database having stored the control program, wherein the database is accessible via the console 150 and/or user interface.

Thereby, the accessed control program is, via the user interface, executable to operate the medical treatment device 100.. Further, the console 150 may be configured to set, adjust and/or monitor one or more system parameters and/or functions of the medical treatment device 130, wherein these may comprise measurements, such as temperature, etc., firmware information, or the like.

Fig. 2 shows a part of the control program, thereby illustrating the concept of aligning or synchronizing the number of channels and/or the number of channel-specific driver signal description modules 160 with each other in more detail. For example, the medical treatment device 100 may be configured to comprise at least two channels A and B, wherein the dashed lines in Fig. 2 indicate that these two channels A and B are individually controllable by the controller 120. Further, the control program is configured to comprise the driver signal description, i.e. one or more channel-specific driver signal description modules 160, for each of the configured channels A and B. Accordingly, the control program according to Fig. 2 comprises a first driver signal description module 160A and a second driver signal description module 160B. The driver signal description modules 160 A, 160B each comprise one or more time slots 161A and 161B, which are shown in more detail in Fig. 2 with the designation "TSx" for time slot or "empty" to fill up the driver signal description module 160 A, 160B, of which only some are provided with corresponding reference signs in Fig. 2 for the sake of clarity. Each time slot 161 A, 161B comprises the above-mentioned signal parameters used to define the corresponding driver signal.

Further, as indicated in Fig. 2 by vertical lines, the channels are periodically aligned or synchronized over the duration of the control program. For example, the alignment or synchronization may be performed whenever a corresponding system time has advanced by a certain system time value, as indicated by the vertical lines in Fig. 2, wherein the system time value is preferably in the microsecond (ps) range, e.g. between 10 and 20 ps. That is, every few time units given by the system resolution, which determines the system time value, the channels A and B and/or the driver signal description modules 160A and 160B are aligned with each other to achieve the same time sequence for each execution of the control program. For example, two or more channels may be synchronized or aligned with reference to time with each other based on a time-longest driver signal description module contained in the control program and assigned to one channel, wherein further driver signal description modules assigned to another channel and having a shorter length of time wait until the time- longest driver signal description module has been completed. As described above, this synchronization or alignment may be periodically performed based on the minimum system resolution that determines the above system time value.

Fig. 3 shows in a schematic block diagram the type of electrical driver 130 in the form of an electric current driver, which is therefore designated by reference sign 130’ for clarification. It is noted that the medical treatment device 100 may be freely configured, based on the treatment to be provided, to optionally comprise more than one electrical driver 130’ of the electric current driver, also in any combination with one or more other types of electric driver 130 as described herein. Further, it is noted that the electrical driver 130’ forms or is assigned to one channel, as described herein, of the medical treatment device 100. As described above, the electrical driver 130’ is provided as a computing board or card and is configured to be accommodated in the housing 110 and to be connected to the controller 120, i.e. the main controller. The electrical driver 130’ comprises a channel-specific sub-controller 130’-110 that, in turn, comprises at least a signal source 130’ -110-10 configured to generate an analog signal Sx, and particularly a first analog signal output with a first phase and, simultaneously, a second analog signal with a second phase phase-shifted to the first phase. The first and second analog signal, which may be designated as Sxl and Sx2, may be equal to each other (and may therefore be summarized under designation Sx, i.e. it may be a common signal that is picked up phase-shifted), but may be generated or provided with a phase-shift to each other. For example, the first and second analog signal Sxl, Sx2 may be composite to each other, i.e. having a 180° phase-shift to each other. For example, the analog signal Sx,

Sxl, Sx2 may be generated based on the above control program.

The electrical driver 130’ according to Fig. 3 further comprises a first voltage- controlled current source 130’-120, connected to the signal source 130’-110-10 to receive the first analog signal Sxl and to generate, based on the received first analog signal Sxl, an electric current signal, and configured to provide a first output impedance. Thereby, by varying the first analog signal Sxl, the electric current signal at the output side of the first current source 130’-120 may be controlled. The first current source 130’-120 may be of a Howland type. Further, electrical driver 130’ according to Fig. 3 comprises a second voltage- controlled current source 130’-130, connected to the signal source 130’-110-10 to receive the second analog signal Sx2 and to generate, based on the received second analog signal, an electric current, and configured to provide a second output impedance different to the first output impedance. Thereby, by varying the second analog signal Sx2, the electric current signal at the output side of the second current source 130’-130 may be controlled. The second current source 130’-130 may be of a Howland type configured to have a specified and/or variable output impedance, e.g. by varying one or more capacitors. Further, for example, the second output impedance may be lower than the first output impedance. This may result in the electrical driver 130’ obtaining control of the output potential at the second current source 130’- 130. Thereby, the second output impedance of the second current source 130’- 130 may be variable or adjustable within the second current source 130’-130. As can be seen in Fig. 1 (and also in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3), the first current source 130’-120 and the second current source 130’-130 are connected in series with the subject S. This may result in the output voltage capability of the medical treatment device 100 to be increased, and particularly in case of at least two current sources to be at least doubled. In this exemplary embodiment, the applicator 140, namely that one assigned to this channel, i.e. assigned to electrical driver 120’, comprises a first applicator 130’-140 that is configured to be brought into contact with the subject S and connected to the first current source 130’-120 and a second applicator 130’-140- 1 that is configured to be brought into contact with the subject S and connected to the first current source 130’ -130-1.

Still referring to Fig. 3, the first current source 130’-120 and the second current source 130’-130 each comprise an operational amplifier, OP AMP 130’-120-1, 130’-130-1, connected to the signal source 130’-110-10 and a resistor bridge 130’-120-2, 130’ 130-2 connected to the corresponding OP AMP 130’-120-1, 130’-130-1. An input side of the OP AMP 130’-120-1 of the first current source 130’-120 is connected to the signal source 130’-110-1 to receive the analog signal Sx with the first phase (Sxl as shown in Fig. 3), and an input side of the OP AMP 130’-130-1 of the second current source 130’-130 is connected to the signal source 130’-110-1 to receive the analog differential signal Sx with the second phase (Sx2 as shown in Fig. 3). As the analog signal Sx, Sxl, Sx2 may be a differential signal, it, and particularly the first and second analog signal Sxl, Sx2 may also be designated as +Sxl and -Sx2, as indicated in Fig. 3. The resistor bridge 130’-120-2, 130’-130-2 of the first current source 130’-120 and second current source 130’-130 each comprise resistors Rl, R2, R4 and R5, connected as shown in Fig. 3 as an example. It is noted that at least one of the resistors Rl, R2, R4 and R5 of the resistor bridge 130’-120-2 of the second current source 130’-130 is configured to be adjustable in terms of its resistance value. Further, the sub controller 130’-110 is configured to vary and/or adjust the resistance value of the resistor bridge 130’-130-2 of the second current source 130’-130, thereby causing the resistor bridge 130’-120-2 to be unbalanced. It is noted that the resistor bridge 130’ 130-2 is unbalanced in terms of a corresponding resistor matching condition that may be expressed by R ₁ [(R ₄ + DL) + 1? ₅ ] ¹ R ₂ R^, wherein the variable and/or adjustable resistance value is indicated by AR. In contrast thereto, the resistance bridge 130’ 120-2 of the first current source 130’-120 is balanced, which may be expressed by (R ₁ (R ₄ + R ₅ ) = R ₁ R ₃ , deriveable from

Fig. 4 shows in a schematic block diagram the type of electrical driver 130 in the form or type of a magnetic field driver, which is therefore designated by reference sign 130” for clarification. It is noted that the medical treatment device 100 may be freely configured, based on the treatment to be provided, to optionally comprise more than one electrical driver 130” of the magnetic field driver type, also in any combination with one or more other types of electric driver 130 as described herein. Further, it is noted that the electrical driver 130” forms or is assigned to one channel, as described herein, of the medical treatment device 100. As described above, the electrical driver 130” is provided as a computing board or card and is configured to be accommodated in the housing 110 and to be connected to the controller 120, i.e. the main controller. The electrical driver 130” according to Fig. 4 comprises a channel- specific sub-controller 130”-110, connectable to the controller 120, that, in turn, comprises a pulse-width modulation (PWM) generator 130”-110-10 that is configured to generate a number of PWM signals corresponding to the control program comprising information on the one or more specific magnetic waveforms and/or magnetic intensities to be provided. Optionally, the channel-specific sub-controller 130”-110 may further comprise a signal generator 130”-110-20, which is arranged upstream to and connected to the PWM generator 130”-110-10. It is configured to generate, based on the control program, a source signal, corresponding to specific magnetic waveforms and/or magnetic intensities to be provided in accordance with the control program, to be used by the PWM generator 130”-110-20 to generate the number of PWM signals. Further, the electrical driver 130” according to Fig. 4 comprises an electronic switching circuit 130”-120, which is preferably formed as an Id- bridge, comprising a number of switches which are connected to channel-specific sub controller 130”-110, e.g. the PWM generator 130”-110-10, to receive the number of PWM signals. Thereby, the number of switches is configured to be selectively switched on and off by the PWM generator 130”-110-10 to generate an electric current, which are caused by the number of PWM signals, through the electronic switching circuit 130”-120. Further, the electrical driver 130” according to Fig. 4 comprises a coil assembly 130”-130, which is optionally arranged within the electronic switching circuit 130”-120, in particular in terms of a circuitry structure, and connected to the number of switches, and configured to be driven by the electric current and to generate, in response to the electric current, the one or more specific magnetic waveforms and/or magnetic intensities to be provided. It is noted that the coil assembly 130”-130 according to this embodiment may be a part of the number of applicators 140, or may form the number of applicators 140 assigned to this channel.

Fig. 5 shows a top view of an example of the coil assembly 130”-130 which is to be driven with the above magnetic field driver 130”. The coil assembly 130”-130 is fixedly mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) 130”-134. In the example of Fig. 5, the coil assembly 130”-130 includes a conductive coil 130”-130-10 which is spirally wound in a plane which is parallel to the plane defined by the PCB 130-2-134. The coil assembly 130”- 130 of Fig. 5 is for this reason of the spiral-type. However, other geometries are conceivable. For example, the conductive coil 130”-130-10 may have a shape, such as a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, a polygon or, as in Fig. 5, a spiral. The radial distance between adjacent coil windings, and thus the number of coil windings given a certain size of printed circuit board is selected depending upon the desired magnetic field density.

As shown in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 6, there is a number of conductive coils 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, 130”-130-n which are stacked in a layer-by-layer fashion and deposited or mounted on the PCB 134. In other words, one layer includes one coil 130”- 130-10 and the next layer includes another coil 130”-130-20, upon which another layer follows with yet another coil 130”-130-30. Each coil 130”-130-10, 130”-130-20, 130”-

130-n thus extends in a two-dimensional plane. It goes without saying that the thickness of each coil 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n may be argued to extend in a direction perpendicular to this two-dimensional plane. However, the general structure of each coil 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n remains planar or flat.

As the plurality of conductive coils 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n are stacked in a layer-by-layer fashion and are preferably arranged exactly on top of each other on the PCB 130”-134, they can be said to be arranged co-linearly on the PCB 130”-134. However, any off-set arrangements of the coils 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n in which the coils 130’ ’-10, 130”-20, ..., 130”-130-n have no common axis are also conceivable.

Each coil 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”- 130-n is separated from an adjacent coil 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n by an intermediate insulating layer 130-132. The plurality of coils 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n are connected in parallel to the switches of the electronic switching circuit 130”- 120, as a result of which the same PWM voltage is applied to each coil 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n of the coil assembly 130-130.

The number of conductive coils 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n is in a range of 2 to 15, preferably in a range of 5 to 13, and most preferably amounts to 8. The thickness of each conductive coil is in a range of 0.030 mm to 0.120 mm, preferably in a range of 0.060 mm to 0.090 mm, and most preferably amounts to 0.070 mm. The thickness of each insulating layer is in a range of 0.200 mm to 0.800 mm, preferably in a range of 0.300 mm to 0.600 mm, and most preferably amounts to 0.406 mm. The conductive coils 130’ ’-130- 10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”- 130-n are preferably made of copper, or gold-plated copper to reduce the coil resistivity and allow high skin-effect currents, if needed. A preferred material for the insulating layer 130’ ’-130-132 is a fiberglass-reinforced epoxy.

The coil assembly 130”-130 may preferably have a time constant ts in the range of 5 ps to 15 ps, preferably in a range of 8 ps to 12 ps, further preferably in a range of 10 ps to 11 ps, and most preferably of 10,8 ps.

Optionally, the coil assembly 130”-130 may have an inductivity L in the range of 20 pH to 90 pH, preferably in the range of 40 pH to 80 pH, further preferably of 65 pH. This means a relatively low inductivity of the coil assembly 130”-130. The inductivity of the coil assembly 130-130 ought to be such that it matches the period of the PWM generator 130”- 110 10

Preferably, the coil assembly 130”-130 may have a self-resonance frequency fir in the range of 4 MHz to 8 MHz, preferably in the range of 6 MHz to 7 MHz, further preferably of about 6,5 MHz, and most preferably of 6,525 MHz.

Optionally, the coil assembly 130”-130 may have a resistivity R in the range of 2 W to 10 W, preferably in the range of 4 W to 8 W, further preferably in range of 5 W to 7 W, and most preferably of 6 W.

In order for the coil assembly 130”-130 to be used in a final product, such as in a medical therapy and/or treatment device, the coil assembly 130”-130 is preferably embedded in a material that has a relative magnetic permeability close to 1, or an absolute permeability close to pO. Such materials have the effect that any magnetic field lines created by the coil assembly will not be disturbed.

As shown in Fig. 7, in another preferred embodiment, a number of electrical drivers 130” of the magnetic field driver type having a number of coil assemblies 130”-130A, 130”- 130B, 130”-130C, 130”-130D, 130”-130E may be provided. The coil assemblies 130”- 130A, 130”-130B, 130”-130C, 130”-130D, 130”-130E are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction, thus generating a so-called Helmholtz coil configuration. In such a configuration, the conductive coils 130’ ’-10, 130”-20, ..., 130”-n are circular with a radius R that corresponds to the longitudinal spacing between two adjacent coil assemblies 130”-130A, 130”-130B, 130”C, 130”D, 130”E. The longitudinal spacing may, however, vary along the longitudinal axis. Other arrangements are conceivable having a number of coil assemblies 130”-130A, 130”B, 130”C, 130”D, 130”E which differs from the number of coil assemblies 130” A, 130”B, 130”C, 130”D, 130”E shown in Fig. 5, such as two, three or four.

In addition, and as shown in Fig. 8, a two-axes Helmholtz coil concept can be realized in which a pair of coil assemblies 130”-130A, 130”-130B are arranged on a first longitudinal axis, and a second pair of Helmholtz coil assemblies 130”-130C, 130”-130D are arranged on a second longitudinal axis, whereby the first and the second longitudinal axes intersect at a right angle. The conductive coils 130”-10, 130”-20, ..., 130-n of each coil assembly 130- 130” A, 130”-130B of the first pair have a radius R1 which is smaller than the radius R2 of the conductive coils 130”-10, 130”-20, ..., 130”-n of each coil assembly 130”C, 130”D of the second pair.

Generally, each coil assembly 130”-130A, 130”-130B, 130”-130C, 130”-130D, 130”-130E is connected to the switches of an electronic switching circuit, as a result of which each coil assembly 130”- 130A, 130”-130B, 130”-130C, 130”-130D, 130”-130E can be controlled independently from any other coil assembly 130”-130A, 130”-130B, 130”-130C, 130”-130D, 130”-130E. However, it may also be conceivable that each conductive coil 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n of a given coil assembly 130”-130A is connected to the switches of an electronic switching circuit, as a result of which each conductive coil 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n of a given coil assembly 130”A can be controlled independently from any other conductive coil 130’ ’-130-10, 130”-130-20, ..., 130”-130-n of the same coil assembly 130”-130A.

It should be noted that the electrical driver 130 of a type configured for light treatment is also implemented as a board or card and is configured to be accommodated in the housing 110, wherein the applicator 140 and/or a corresponding sub-applicator is a lighting device (not shown).

Further, it should be noted that the electrical driver 130 of a type configured for ultrasonic treatment is also implemented as a board or card and is configured to be accommodated in the housing 110, wherein the applicator 140 and/or a corresponding sub applicator is an ultrasonic device, e.g. an ultrasonic emitter (not shown).

Optionally, the medical treatment device 100, e.g. the controller 120, may comprise a measuring unit, connected or selectively connectable to the subject. Further optionally, the controller may be configured to receive one or more measurement signals assigned to one or more physiological parameters of the subject. The one or more physiological parameters may comprise and/or may associated with one or more of a skin impedance, a heart rate variability (HRV), Electroencephalography (EEG), an electrocardiogram (ECG), Electromyography (EMG), pulse oximetry (SP02), etc., wherein this is not limited herein. Thereby, the controller 120 is configured to control driver signal generation for the number of electrical drivers 130 based on the measured one or more physiological parameters. Therefore, measurement of the measuring unit may also be referred to as bio- and/or medical feedback. Further, the medical treatment device 100 may comprise, for example, at least one subject interface, e.g. a medical monitor, such as a pulse oximeter, set of measuring applicators, wherein the at least one subject interface and/or the medical monitor is configured to obtain the corresponding physiological parameter from the subject. The measurement signal may then be provided to the controller 130, which may adjust the output of the corresponding electrical driver, e.g. generates a correction factor or the like to adjust the driver signal, optionally during its generation, based on the measurement signal.

Further, the medical treatment device 100 may further comprise a service console, operatively connected to the controller 120, and configured to display, via a user interface, e.g. a display, monitor, etc., a configuration of one or more of the number of channels and/or compartments. For example, the user or operator may an view the configuration of each compartment or channel.