US 12,011,587 B2
System and method for providing iontophoresis at tympanic membrane
Mahyar Z. Kermani, San Ramon, CA (US); Bernard H. Andreas, Redwood City, CA (US); Rohit Girotra, San Francisco, CA (US); Mansour A. Saleki, San Jose, CA (US); and Nikhil D. Bhat, Fremont, CA (US)
Assigned to Tusker Medical, Inc., Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed by TUSKER MEDICAL, INC., Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/190,630.
Application 16/194,853 is a division of application No. 13/804,491, filed on Mar. 14, 2013, granted, now 10,130,808, issued on Nov. 20, 2018.
Application 17/190,630 is a continuation of application No. 16/194,853, filed on Nov. 19, 2018, granted, now 10,987,512.
Prior Publication US 2021/0268273 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61N 1/30 (2006.01); A61F 11/00 (2022.01); A61F 11/20 (2022.01); A61N 1/04 (2006.01); A61N 1/32 (2006.01); A61N 1/05 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 1/30 (2013.01) [A61F 11/00 (2013.01); A61F 11/202 (2022.01); A61N 1/0428 (2013.01); A61N 1/0472 (2013.01); A61N 1/303 (2013.01); A61N 1/325 (2013.01); A61N 1/0526 (2013.01); A61N 1/306 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of detecting air bubbles during iontophoresis, the method comprising:
performing iontophoresis within a first ear canal by driving, by a control unit, a direct current (DC) signal to an electrode of a first iontophoresis device positioned within the first ear canal, the electrode at least partially submerged within an iontophoresis fluid within the first ear canal;
measuring, by the control unit, a mixed capacitance associated with the electrode by driving a first alternating current (AC) signal having a first frequency to the electrode; and
determining, based on a change in the mixed capacitance, that an air bubble is present in the iontophoresis fluid.