Automatic firing apparatus and methods for laser skin treatment over large areas

A method of treating an area of skin with a laser by delivering a series of laser-radiation pulses to the skin, each of the laser pulses treating a sub-area of the area to be treated, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a laser which, on being fired, generates a pulse of laser-radiation;
• (b) providing a handpiece for delivering a pulse of laser-radiation from said laser to the skin being treated;
• (c) while moving the handpiece over the skin being treated, electronically determining the location of said handpiece in the area of skin being treated wherein said location determining further comprises the steps of (i) providing a plurality of regularly spaced indicia on or adjacent the area of skin being treated (ii) providing at least one sensor on the handpiece said sensor arranged to detect passage of the handpiece by one or more of said indicia as the handpiece is moved over the skin being treated;
• (d) automatically firing the laser when said electronically determined location corresponds to a sub-area to be treated wherein said automatic firing is triggered by the passage of the handpiece by one or more of said indicia.

A method of treating an area of skin with a laser by delivering a series of laser-radiation pulses to the skin, each of the laser pulses treating a sub-area of the area to be treated, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a laser which, on being fired, generates a pulse of laser-radiation;
• (b) providing a handpiece for delivering a pulse of laser-radiation from said laser to the skin being treated;
• (c) while moving the handpiece over the skin being treated, electronically determining the location of said handpiece in the area of skin being treated, wherein said location determining further compromises the steps of (i) providing a roller on the handpiece, said roller arranged to contact the skin being treated and rotate in response to the handpiece being moved over the skin being treated, and said roller having a plurality of regularly spaced indicia thereon (ii) providing at least one sensor on the handpiece said sensor arranged to detect passage by said sensor of one or more of said indicia as said roller rotates;
• and
• (d) automatically firing the laser when said electronically determined location corresponds to a sub-area to be treated, wherein said automatic firing is triggered by the passage by said sensor of one or more of said indicia.

A method of treating an area of skin with a laser by delivering a series of laser-radiation pulses to the skin, each of the laser pulses treating a sub-area of the area to be treated, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a laser which, on being fired, generates a pulse of laser-radiation;
• (b) providing a handpiece for delivering a pulse of laser-radiation from said laser to the skin being treated;
• (c) while moving the handpiece over the skin being treated, electronically determining the location of said handpiece in the area of skin being treated, wherein said location determining further comprising the step of providing a roller on the handpiece, said roller arranged to contact the skin being treated and rotate in response to the handpiece being moved over the skin being treated said roller being axially connected to a shaft encoder said shaft encoder providing signals used for said electronic location determining;
• and
• (d) automatically firing the laser when said electronically determined location corresponds to a sub-area to be treated.

A method of treating an area of skin with a laser by delivering a series of laser-radiation pulses to the skin, each of the laser pulses treating a sub-area of the area to be treated, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a laser which, on being fired, generates a pulse of laser-radiation;
• (b) providing a handpiece for delivering a pulse of laser-radiation from said laser to the skin being treated;
• (c) while moving the handpiece over the skin being treated, electronically determining the location of said handpiece in the area of skin being treated wherein said location determining further comprises the steps of (i) providing a screen adjacent the skin being treated (ii) providing a transponder on the handpiece, said transponder arranged to emit a regular train of signal-pulses toward said screen such that said signal-pulses are incident thereon and a return-pulse corresponding to each of said incident signal-pulses returns to the handpiece (iii) providing a receiver on said handpiece for receiving said return pulses (iv) determining an elapsed time between emitting a said signal-pulse and receiving a said corresponding return-pulse, said elapsed time being representative of said location of said handpiece;
• and
• (d) automatically firing the laser when said electronically determined location corresponds to a sub-area to be treated.

A method of treating an area of skin with a laser by delivering a series of laser-radiation pulses to the skin, each of the laser pulses treating a sub-area of the area to be treated, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a laser which, on being fired, generates a pulse of laser-radiation;
• (b) providing a handpiece for delivering a pulse of laser-radiation from said laser to the skin being treated;
• (c) while moving the handpiece over the skin being treated, electronically determining the location of said handpiece in the area of skin being treated wherein said location determining further comprises the steps of (i) providing a transponder on the handpiece, said transponder arranged to emit a regular train of signal-pulses each thereof in diverging beam (ii) providing at least two spaced-apart receivers located in a position remote from said handpiece, within the divergence of said beam, for receiving said signal pulses (iii) based on the spacing of said receivers and an arrival time of said signal pulses at said receivers determining said location of said handpiece in at least length and width dimensions of said area of skin to be treated;
• and
• (d) automatically firing the laser when said electronically determined location corresponds to a sub-area to be treated.

A method of treating an area of skin with a laser by delivering a series of laser-radiation pulses to the skin, each of the laser pulses treating a sub-area of the area to be treated, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a laser which, on being fired, generates a pulse of laser-radiation;
• (b) providing a handpiece for delivering a pulse of laser-radiation from said laser to the skin being treated;
• (c) while moving the handpiece over the skin being treated, electronically determining s location of said handpiece in the area of skin being treated said location determining including (i) providing a plurality of regularly spaced indicia on or adjacent the area of skin being treated, and (ii) providing at least one sensor on the handpiece said sensor arranged to detect passage of the handpiece by one or more of said indicia as the handpiece is moved over the skin being treated;
• and
• (d) automatically firing the laser on detection of passage of the handpiece by one or more of said indicia.

A method of treating an area of skin with a laser by delivering a series of laser-radiation pulses to the skin, each of the laser pulses treating a sub-area of the area to be treated, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a laser which, on being fired, generates a pulse of laser-radiation;
• (b) providing a handpiece for delivering a pulse of laser-radiation from said laser to the skin being treated;
• (c) while moving the handpiece over the skin being treated, electronically determining a location of said handpiece in the area of skin being treated said location determining including (i) providing a roller on the handpiece, said roller arranged to contact the skin being treated and rotate in response to the handpiece being moved over the skin being treated, and said roller having a plurality of regularly spaced indicia thereon and (ii) providing at least one sensor on the handpiece, said sensor arranged to detect passage by said sensor of one or more of said indicia as said roller rotates;
• and
• (d) automatically firing the laser on detection of passage by the sensor of one of more of said indicia.

A method of treating an area of skin with a laser by delivering a series of laser-radiation pulses to the skin, each of the laser pulses treating a sub-area of the area to be treated, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a laser which, on being fired, generates a pulse of laser-radiation;
• (b) providing a handpiece for delivering a pulse of lasr-radiation from said laser to the skin being treated;
• (c) while moving the handpiece over the skin being treated, electronically determining a location of said handpiece in the area of skin being treated said location determining including (i) providing a screen adjacent the skin being treated, (ii) providing a transponder on the handpiece, said transponder arranged to emit a regular train of signal-pulses toward said screen such that said signal-pulses are incident thereon and a return-pulse corresponding to each of said incident signal-pulses returns to the handpiece, (iii) providing a receiver on said handpiece for receiving said return pulses, and (iv) determining an elapsed time between emitting a said signal-pulse and receiving a said corresponding return-pulse, said elapsed time being representative of said location of said handpiece;
• and
• (d) automatically firing the laser when said electronically determined location corresponds to a sub-area to be treated.

A method of treating an area of skin with a laser by delivering a series of laser-radiation pulses to the skin, each of the laser pulses treating a sub-area of the area to be treated, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a laser which, on being fired, generates a pulse of laser-radiation;
• (b) providing a handpiece for delivering a pulse of laser-radiation from said laser to the skin being treated;
• (c) while moving the handpiece over the skin being treated, electronically determining a location of said handpiece in the area of skin being treated said location determining including (i) providing a transponder on the handpiece, said transponder arranged to emit a regular train of signal-pulses each thereof in diverging beam, (ii) providing at least two spaced-apart receivers located in a position remote from said handpiece, within the divergence of said beam, for receiving said signal pulses, and (iii) based on the spacing of said receivers and an arrival time of said signal pulses at said receivers determining said location of said handpiece in at least length and width dimensions of said area of skin to be treated;
• and
• (d) automatically firing the laser when said electronically determined location corresponds to a sub-area to be treated.

A laser system for treating tissue comprising:

• a laser for generating laser light;
• a delivery device including a manually movable handpiece for delivering the laser light to the tissue;
• a ruled indicia spatially associated with the tissue to be treated;
• a sensor associated with said handpiece, said sensor being adapted to detect said indicia as said handpiece is moved, thereby monitoring the movement of said handpiece with respect to the tissue, said sensor generating output signals;
• and
• a processor for controlling the triggering of said laser in response to the receipt of said output signals in a manner to facilitate uniform treatment of said tissue over an area with said laser light.

A laser system for treating tissue comprising:

• a laser for generating laser light;
• a delivery device including a manually movable handpiece for delivering the laser light to the tissue;
• a sensor associated with the handpiece wherein said sensor includes a wheel rotatably mounted to the handpiece, said wheel being adapted to rotate in response to the movement of said handpiece across the tissue, and said sensor adapted to monitor the rotation of the wheel, said sensor being further adapted to generate output signals;
• and
• a processor for controlling the triggering of said laser in response to the receipt of said output signals in a manner to facilitate uniform treatment of said tissue over an area with said laser light.