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EP-4739242-A1 - LASER GENERATOR WITH ENHANCED FREQUENCY RATE

EP4739242A1EP 4739242 A1EP4739242 A1EP 4739242A1EP-4739242-A1

Abstract

The disclosure provides a laser generator comprising several laser sources where each laser source is arranged to generate a series of laser pulses offset in time from the other series of laser pulses generated by the other laser sources. The offset series of pulses are combined to provide a composite series of laser pulses with a higher frequency than each of the series of pulses have individually. Further, the present disclosure provides that the pulses of the composite series of laser pulses are non-equidistant from each other.

Inventors

  • KHACHATUROV, ARKADY
  • WAISMAN, TAL

Assignees

  • Lumenis Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240705

Claims (15)

  1. 1. A method for a laser generator, comprising: sending, from a processor to a first laser source of the laser generator, a first control signal comprising an indication to generate a first repeating series of two laser pulses; sending, from the processor to a second laser source of the laser generator, a second control signal comprising an indication to generate a second repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses temporally offset from the first repeating series of two laser pulses; and combining the first repeating series of two laser pulses and the second repeating series of two laser pulses to form a composite series of laser pulses.
  2. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, from the processor to a third laser source of the laser generator, a third control signal comprising an indication to generate a third repeating series of two laser pulses, the third repeating series of two laser pulses temporally offset from both the first repeating series of two laser pulses and the second repeating series of two laser pulses; and combining the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, and the third repeating series of two laser pulses to form the composite series of laser pulses.
  3. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: sending, from the processor to a fourth laser source of the laser generator, a fourth control signal comprising an indication to generate a fourth repeating series of two laser pulses, the fourth repeating series of two laser pulses temporally offset from the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, and the third repeating series of two laser pulses; and combining the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, the third repeating series of two laser pulses, and the 20 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) fourth repeating series of two laser pulses to form the composite series of laser pulses.
  4. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein a delay between each series of two laser pulses in the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, the third repeating series of two laser pulses, and the fourth repeating series of two laser pulses equals approximately 66.68 milliseconds (ms).
  5. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein a delay between each laser pulse of each series of two laser pulses in the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, the third repeating series of two laser pulses, and the fourth repeating series of two laser pulses is less than or equal to 8 ms.
  6. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second repeating series of two laser pulses is delayed from the first repeating series of two laser pulses by approximately 16.67 ms, wherein the third repeating series of two laser pulses is delayed from the second repeating series of two laser pulses by approximately 16.67 ms, and wherein the fourth repeating series of two laser pulses is delayed from the third repeating series of two laser pulses by approximately 16.67 ms.
  7. 7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a delay between each series of two laser pulses in the first repeating series of two laser pulses and the second repeating series of two laser pulses is greater than or equal to 50 milliseconds (ms).
  8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein a delay between each laser pulse of each series of two laser pulses in the first repeating series of two laser pulses and the second repeating series of two laser pulses is less than or equal to 10 ms.
  9. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second repeating series of two laser pulses is delayed from the first repeating series of two laser pulses by greater than or equal to 12.5 ms.
  10. 10. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of laser sources, each arranged to output a pulsed laser beam; 21 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) a beam combiner apparatus arranged to combine the pulsed laser beams output from the plurality of laser sources into a composite pulsed laser beam; and a laser controller coupled to the plurality of laser sources and the beam combiner, the controller configured to: send to a first laser source of the plurality of laser sources, a first control signal comprising an indication to generate the pulsed laser beam comprising a first repeating series of two laser pulses; and send to a second laser source of the plurality of laser sources, a second control signal comprising an indication to generate the pulsed laser beam comprising a second repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses temporally offset from the first repeating series of two laser pulses such that the composite pulsed laser beam comprises the first repeating series of two laser pulses and the second repeating series of two laser pulses.
  11. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a delay between each series of two laser pulses in the first repeating series of two laser pulses and the second repeating series of two laser pulses is greater than or equal to 50 milliseconds (ms).
  12. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a delay between each laser pulse of each series of two laser pulses in the first repeating series of two laser pulses and the second repeating series of two laser pulses is less than or equal to 10 ms.
  13. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second repeating series of two laser pulses is delayed from the first repeating series of two laser pulses by greater than or equal to 12.5 ms.
  14. 14. The apparatus of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the controller is configured to: send to a third laser source of the plurality of laser sources, a third control signal comprising an indication to generate the pulsed laser beam comprising a third repeating series of two laser pulses, the third repeating series of two laser pulses 22 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) temporally offset from both the first repeating series of two laser pulses and the second repeating series of two laser pulses; and send to a fourth laser source of the plurality of laser sources, a fourth control signal comprising an indication to generate the pulsed laser beam comprising a fourth repeating series of two laser pulses, the fourth repeating series of two laser pulses temporally offset from the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, and the third repeating series of two laser pulses such that the composite pulsed laser beam comprises the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, the third repeating series of two laser pulses, and the fourth repeating series of two laser pulses.
  15. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a delay between each series of two laser pulses in the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, the third repeating series of two laser pulses, and the fourth repeating series of two laser pulses equals approximately 66.68 milliseconds (ms), wherein a delay between each laser pulse of each series of two laser pulses in the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, the third repeating series of two laser pulses, and the fourth repeating series of two laser pulses is less than or equal to 8 ms, wherein the second repeating series of two laser pulses is delayed from the first repeating series of two laser pulses by approximately 16.67 ms, wherein the third repeating series of two laser pulses is delayed from the second repeating series of two laser pulses by approximately 16.67 ms, and wherein the fourth repeating series of two laser pulses is delayed from the third repeating series of two laser pulses by approximately 16.67 ms. 23 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Description

LASER GENERATOR WITH ENHANCED FREQUENCY RATE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/525,251 filed on July 6, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present disclosure generally relates to medical laser systems and particularly, but not exclusively, to increasing the frequency of generated laser pulses. BACKGROUND [0003] Medical lasers are used in a variety of procedures to provide laser energy, which laser energy is directed towards a target, often using a fiber as a conduit for the laser energy. One such procedure, to address renal calculi (e.g., kidney stones) is ureteral endoscopy, or lithotripsy. An endoscopic probe, with a camera or other sensor, is inserted into the patient’ s urinary tract to locate the calculi for removal. In endoscopic lithotripsy, the probe also includes an optical fiber, which conducts a laser beam to disintegrate the calculi as they are found. [0004] Holmium :yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) lasers have been favored for the treatment of urinary calculus since shortly after their introduction in the 1990s as the generated laser energy can fragment all calculus compositions and often produces less calculus migration (retropulsion) during treatment than the short-pulsed lasers. However, conventional Ho:YAG laser generators have a practical limit to the frequency with which they can generate laser pulses. For example, as the frequency increases, the effectiveness of the laser resonator decreases. Further, increasing the frequency requires a corresponding increase in the cooling apparatus and mechanism for the resonator. 1 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) BRIEF SUMMARY [0005] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to necessarily identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. [0006] The disclosure provides a laser generator comprising several laser sources where each laser source is arranged to generate a series of laser pulses offset in time from the other series of laser pulses generated by the other laser sources. The offset series of pulses are combined, for example, with a rotating mirror to provide a composite series of laser pulses with a higher frequency than each of the series of pulses have individually. [0007] Further, of note, the present disclosure provides that each laser source can be configured to generate equidistant pulses, or rather, the series of laser pulses generated by each source comprises a repeating series of two pulses where the delay between the pulses in the repeating series of two pules is less than the delay between each series of two pulses. This is described in greater detail below. [0008] In some embodiments, the disclosure can be implemented as a method for a laser generator. The method can comprise sending, from a processor to a first laser source of the laser generator, a first control signal comprising an indication to generate a first repeating series of two laser pulses; sending, from the processor to a second laser source of the laser generator, a second control signal comprising an indication to generate a second repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses temporally offset from the first repeating series of two laser pulses; and combining the first repeating series of two laser pulses and the second repeating series of two laser pulses to form a composite series of laser pulses. [0009] With further embodiments, the method can comprise sending, from the processor to a third laser source of the laser generator, a third control signal comprising an indication to generate a third repeating series of two laser pulses, the 2 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) third repeating series of two laser pulses temporally offset from both the first repeating series of two laser pulses and the second repeating series of two laser pulses; and combining the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, and the third repeating series of two laser pulses to form the composite series of laser pulses. [0010] With further embodiments, the method can comprise sending, from the processor to a fourth laser source of the laser generator, a fourth control signal comprising an indication to generate a fourth repeating series of two laser pulses, the fourth repeating series of two laser pulses temporally offset from the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, and the third repeating series of two laser pulses; and combining the first repeating series of two laser pulses, the second repeating series of two laser pulses, the third repeating series of t