# US 2014/0190960 A9 · Returned power for microwave applications

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- Number: US 2014/0190960 A9
- Document ID: US20140190960A9
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A9
- Application number: 13/854,673
- Filed: 2013-04-01
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-31
- Assignees: MicroCube, LLC
- Applicants: MicroCube, LLC
- Inventors: Chun Yiu CHU; Dinesh I. MODY; Ketan SHROFF; Amrish J. WALKE; Kirby CHIANG; Christopher Ah NEW; Christine M. TATE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190960A9

## CPC

- H05B 6/6447: {Method of operation or details of the microwave heating apparatus related to the use of detectors or sensors}
- A61B 18/1815: {using microwaves}
- H05B 1/025: {For medical applications}
- H05B 6/664: {Aspects related to the power supply of the microwave heating apparatus}
- H05B 6/705: {using microwave tuning}
- H05B 6/72: Radiators or antennas
- A61B 2018/00267: {having a basket shaped structure}
- A61B 2018/00642: {with feedback, i.e. closed loop control}
- A61B 2018/00708: {switching the power on or off}
- A61B 2018/00755: {Resistance or impedance}
- A61B 2018/00785: {Reflected power}
- A61B 2018/00875: {Resistance or impedance}
- A61B 2018/1846: {Helical antennas}
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

The present invention related to devices and methods that use returned power (RP) measurements during microwave energy delivery to perform one or more functions. For example, microwave devices and systems that comprise one or more features to measure the returned microwave power. One or more measurements of the returned microwave power may be used to obtain information about one or more of: antenna shape, system status and system performance. One or more measurements of the returned microwave power shaping elements may also be used to obtain information about one or more properties of the target material. The invention also discloses devices and methods for delivering microwave energy to a variety of target materials to achieve a variety of desired microwave effects.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of providing microwave energy by introducing an antenna comprising a flexible radiating element into or adjacent to a target material, the method comprising:
delivering microwave energy through the antenna to the target material;
obtaining a returned power measurement of the antenna;
determining a change in an electrical length of the antenna using the returned power measurement and altering delivery of the microwave energy based on the change in electrical length.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where altering delivery of the microwave energy comprises repositioning the antenna to minimize deformation of the antenna.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where obtaining the returned power measurement comprises obtaining a plurality of returned power measurements and where determining the change in the electrical length comprises determining a change in a shape of the radiating element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein delivering microwave energy comprises delivering a test microwave energy to the target material, and where the method further comprises delivering a larger dose of microwave energy based on the returned power measurements of the test microwave energy.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna is connected to a microwave generator and wherein obtaining the returned power measurement comprises measuring a magnitude of microwave energy returned to the generator and calculating the returned power measurement from the magnitude of the microwave energy returned to the generator; wherein calculating comprises dividing the returned power measured by the generator to the forward power measured by the generator.

### Claim 6

The method claim of 1, further comprising setting a returned power decision limit on a generator connected to the antenna, such that altering the delivery of the microwave energy occurs automatically if the returned power decision limit is met.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the returned power measurement occurs after changing a shape of the radiating element.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the returned power measurement is used to confirm proper deployment of the radiating element in the target material and where altering delivery of the microwave energy comprises repositioning the radiating element.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the returned power measurement is used to confirm proper deployment of the antenna in the target material and where altering delivery of the microwave energy comprises repositioning the antenna.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the returned power measurement is used to obtain feedback about a property of the target material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the returned power measurement is used to terminate microwave energy delivery.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the returned power measurement is used for impedance matching of a system comprising the antenna.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna further comprises a shaping element, and wherein the change in electrical length of is due to the change in the interaction of the microwave energy emitted by the radiating element with the shaping element.

### Claim 14

A system for delivering microwave energy, the system comprising:
a transmission line comprising a shielding element,
an antenna comprising a flexible radiating element connected to the transmission line, wherein the system comprises a linear antenna axis parallel to and emerging from the distal end of the transmission line,
a generator adapted to generate microwave energy; wherein the generator is configured to obtain a returned power measurement of the antenna to determine a change in the electrical length of the antenna due to a change in a physical configuration of the flexible radiating element relative to the antenna axis.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, where the controller is configured to determine the change in the electrical length of the antenna due to the change in an orientation, position, and/or relationship of the element to the antenna axis.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, where the controller is configured to adjust a parameter of an output of the microwave energy based on the returned power measurement.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, where the controller is configured to adjusting the parameter of the output of the microwave energy based on the returned power measurement and a returned power limit.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, where the controller is configured for impedance matching of the antenna based on the returned power measurement.

### Claim 19

A system for providing microwave energy, comprising:
an antenna comprising a flexible radiating element configured for placement into or adjacent to a target material;
a microwave energy controller configured to deliver microwave energy through the antenna to the target material;
the microwave energy controller configured to obtain a returned power measurement of the antenna and to determine a change in an electrical length of the antenna using the returned power measurement to permit altering delivery of the microwave energy based on the change in electrical length.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, where the controller signals for repositioning of the antenna to minimize deformation of the antenna based on the returned power measurement.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, where the controller is configured obtain a plurality of returned power measurements.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the microwave energy controller comprises is configured to deliver a test microwave energy to the target material for obtaining the returned power measurement.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the microwave energy controller is configured obtain the returned power measurement by measuring a magnitude of microwave energy returned to the microwave energy controller from the antenna and calculating the returned power measurement from the magnitude of the microwave energy returned to the microwave energy controller; wherein calculating comprises dividing the returned power measured by the microwave energy controller to the forward power measured by the microwave energy controller.

### Claim 24

The system claim of 19, further comprising setting a returned power decision limit on a generator connected to the antenna, such that altering the delivery of the microwave energy occurs automatically if the returned power decision limit is met.

### Claim 25 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the microwave energy controller is configured to terminate delivery of microwave energy upon obtaining a pre-determined returned power measurement.

### Claim 26 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the microwave energy controller is configured to match an impedance of the antenna.