Identifiable magnetic assemblies and communications

Abstract

A method of authorizing performance of transcranial magnetic simulation on a for a using a head mount adapted to bear one or more magnetic assembly devices having unique identifiers. The method comprises connecting the one or more magnetic assembly devices to a control device, each magnetic assembly device being installed at a location on the head mount, receiving, at the control device, the identifiers of the connected magnetic assembly devices. determining whether the installed magnetic assembly devices are authorized for the treatment based on the received identifiers and treatment configuration information in a database, and energizing the connected magnetic assembly devices based on the determination of authorization.

1 . A method of authorizing performance of transcranial magnetic simulation on a subject using a head mount adapted to bear one or more magnetic assembly devices having unique identifiers, the method comprising:
 connecting the one or more magnetic assembly devices to a control device, each magnetic assembly device being installed at a location on the head mount;   receiving, at the control device, the identifiers of the connected magnetic assembly devices;   determining whether the installed magnetic assembly devices are authorized for the treatment based on the received identifiers and treatment configuration information in a database; and   energizing the connected one or more magnetic assembly devices based on the determination of authorization.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database is hosted locally at the control device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database is hosted on a cloud platform. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising verifying the locations of the magnetic devices installed on the head mount. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the determination step includes comparing the verified locations with the treatment configuration data. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the control device, for each magnetic assembly device, licensed treatment data,   wherein the determination step further includes comparing the received licensed treatment data with the treatment configuration information.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the control device, number of use limits for authorized uses of each magnetic assembly device;   recording a use of the one or more magnetic assembly devices in a data store; and   in a subsequent use of the one or more magnetic assembly devices, determining by interrogating the data store whether a use limit has been reached for any of the one or more magnetic assembly devices.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment configuration information contains data for energizing the connected one or more magnetic assembly devices to provide treatment for one of the following improvement or other modulation of mood, attention and focus, motor and cognitive functions, anxiety such as social shyness, depression, memory and learning, smoking cessation, alcoholism and other addiction, and PTSD. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment configuration information contains data for energizing the connected one or more magnetic assembly devices to provide treatment for one of the following: a Tic Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, Parkinson's disease, Dystonia, Tremor, Ataxia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, migraine, headache, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), neuropathy, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, tinnitus, stroke, major depressive disorder, treatment resistant depression, an anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anorexia, bulimia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, visual, auditory and other hallucinations secondary to psychiatric disorders, ADHD, substance abuse and addiction, a learning disorder, dyslexia, dysgraphia, a speech disorder, a memory disorder, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, a disorder of consciousness, and urinary incontinence. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment configuration information contains data for energizing the connected one or more magnetic assembly devices to provide a medical stimulation treatment. 
     
     
         11 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method for managing a transcranial magnetic stimulation (“TMS”) apparatus having a controller and a plurality of magnetic assembly devices for providing a treatment, each of the magnetic assembly devices having a unique product ID, and being governed for a limited number permitted uses per treatment, the method comprising:
 posting the product ID and the number of permitted uses per treatment to a distributed ledger of a blockchain maintained in a peer-to-peer network for each of the plurality of magnetic assembly devices; 
 receiving, from the controller, a request to use an identified one of the plurality of magnetic assembly devices for a particular treatment; 
 determining, using a smart contract implemented on a blockchain platform, based on the particular treatment and the product ID of the magnetic assembly device, whether the device is not licensed for the particular treatment, or has no further uses left for the particular treatment; and 
 enforcing the smart contract to prevent additional uses if it is determined that the device is either not licensed for the particular treatment or has no further uses left for the particular treatment by impeding the controller from energizing the identified magnetic assembly device. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of enforcing the smart contract includes sending a notification to at least one of a user and a vendor indicating that only one permitted use of the magnetic assembly device for the requested particular treatment is left. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of enforcing the smart contract includes preventing the transcranial magnetic stimulation apparatus from activating the magnetic assembly device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 posting a new use transaction on the distributed ledger when it is determined that the device licensed for the particular treatment and has further uses left for the particular treatment; and   updating the distributed ledger to debit the number of uses the device has left after a new use transaction has been posted.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of magnetic assembly devices are employed by the transcranial magnetic stimulation apparatus in a manner governed by a protocol that is prescribed for each particular treatment. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the protocol includes a type of stimulation waveform, a magnitude of stimulation, and a duration of stimulation and a prescribed cranial position for specific ones of the plurality of the magnetic assembly devices. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the particular treatment is for one of the following: Parkinson's disease, stuttering, depression, Myotonic Dystrophy, epilepsy, aphasia, dyslexia, obsessive compulsive disorder and schizophrenia. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the TMS apparatus is controlled by a control device having a processor operative to execute code for running a blockchain interaction application and a TMS interface. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the blockchain interaction application is operative to generate commands for controlling operation of the TMS apparatus.