1. A dermatological system, comprising:
an optical waveguide for transmitting radiation received at a first end thereof to a second end adapted to contact a subject’s skin surface so as to irradiate a portion of the skin,
a reflecting plate adapted to contact a portion of the skin surface and surrounding at least a portion of said second end of said waveguide,
said reflecting plate returning at least a portion of radiation backscattered from the irradiated skin portion to the subject’s skin, wherein said reflecting plate is formed of a thermally conductive material, and
a heating element in thermal contact with said reflecting plate for heating thereof.
2. A dermatological system according to claim 1, wherein said plate comprises an aperture sized and shaped for receiving at least a portion of said second end of the waveguide.
3. A dermatological system according to claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises a thermoelectric element.
4. A dermatological system according to claim 1, wherein said reflective plate comprises an angle-dependent reflective coating.
5. A dermatological system according to claim 1, wherein said reflective plate provides specular reflection of radiation.
6. A dermatological system according to claim 1, wherein said reflective plate provides diffuse reflection of radiation.
7. A dermatological system according to claim 1, wherein said second end of the waveguide comprises reflecting side walls for returning at least a portion of radiation applied to the patient’s skin that is retroreflected into the waveguide back to the patient’s skin.
8. A dermatological system according to claim 7, wherein said waveguide further comprises a chamber optically coupled to the second end for internally reflecting at least a portion of backscattered radiation extending through the second end into said chamber back to the patient’s skin.
9. A dermatological system, comprising:
an optical waveguide for transmitting radiation received at a first end thereof to a second end adapted to contact a subject’s skin surface so as to irradiate a portion of the skin, and
a reflecting plate adapted to contact a portion of the skin surface and surrounding at least a portion of said second end of said waveguide, said reflecting plate returning at least a portion of radiation backscattered from the irradiated skin portion to the subject’s skin, wherein said reflecting plate has a concave shape.
10. A system for treating a dermatological condition located in a volume of a patient’s skin, comprising:
an optical waveguide having a first end for receiving radiation generated by a radiation source and a second end for contacting a patient’s skin, said waveguide transmitting said received radiation from the first end to the second end for application to the patient’s skin, and
a reflector disposed within said waveguide for returning at least a portion of backscattered radiation entering the waveguide back to the patient’s skin, wherein said reflector comprises at least a portion of said second end of the waveguide formed as a reflection plate and wherein said reflection plate has a concave shape.
11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said reflector comprises reflecting side walls of said second end of the waveguide, said reflecting walls returning at least a portion of radiation applied to the patient’s skin that is retroreflected into the waveguide back to the patient’s skin.
12. A system according to claim 10, wherein said waveguide further comprises a chamber optically coupled to the second end for internally reflecting at least a portion of backscattered radiation extending through the second end into said chamber back to the patient’s skin.
13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said chamber reflects backscattered radiation more strongly at angles nearly perpendicular to the skin surface than at angles nearly parallel to the skin surface.
14. A system according to claim 10, wherein said second end of the waveguide has an aperture at least substantially as large as a backscatter aperture of radiation backscattered from the patient’s skin.
15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said reflector has a reflection aperture D at least substantially as great as said backscatter aperture.
16. A system according to claim 10, wherein said reflector comprises at least a portion of said second end of the waveguide formed as a reflection plate.
17. A system according to claim 10, wherein said reflector is disposed along at least a portion of a sidewall of said waveguide.
18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said reflector has a coefficient of reflection for reflecting backscattered radiation more strongly at angles nearly perpendicular to the skin surface than at angles nearly parallel to the skin surface.
19. A system according to claim 10, wherein said second end of the waveguide includes reflective side walls having an angle dependent coating for reflecting backscattered radiation more strongly at angles nearly perpendicular to the skin surface than at angles nearly parallel to the skin surface.
20. A system according to claim 10, further comprising a head in which said waveguide is incorporated.
21. A system for treating a dermatological condition located in a volume of a patient’s skin, comprising:
an optical waveguide having a first end for receiving radiation generated by a radiation source and a second end for contacting a patient’s skin, said waveguide transmitting said received radiation from the first end to the second end for application to the patient’s skin, and
a reflector disposed within said waveguide for returning at least a portion of backscattered radiation entering the waveguide back to the patient’s skin,
wherein said waveguide further comprises a chamber optically coupled to the second end for internally reflecting at least a portion of backscattered radiation extending through the second end into said chamber back to the patient’s skin and said chamber reflects backscattered radiation more strongly at angles nearly perpendicular to the skin surface than at angles nearly parallel to the skin surface, and wherein said chamber includes side walls and a back wall coated with an angle dependent coating for reflecting the backscattered radiation more strongly at angles nearly perpendicular to the skin surface than at angles nearly parallel to the skin surface.
22. A system for treating a dermatological condition located in a volume of a patient’s skin, comprising:
an optical waveguide having a first end for receiving radiation generated by a radiation source and a second end for contacting a patient’s skin, said waveguide transmitting said received radiation from the first end to the second end for application to the patient’s skin, and
a reflector disposed within said waveguide for returning at least a portion of backscattered radiation entering the waveguide back to the patient’s skin, and
a standoff secured to the second end of the waveguide to form a substantially air-tight seal therewith.
23. A system according to claim 22, wherein said standoff comprises reflective walls for returning backscattered radiation to the patient’s skin.
24. A system according to claim 22, wherein said standoff includes walls in the form of a bellows.
25. A system according to claim 22, wherein said standoff includes walls in the form of a ring.
26. A system according to claim 22, wherein said standoff extends from a first en forming a substantially air-tight seal with the second end of the waveguide to a second end for contacting the patient’s skin, said standoff forming a chamber between the second end of the waveguide and the patient’s skin.
27. A system according to claim 26, further comprising means for generating negative pressure coupled to said standoff.
28. A system according to claim 27, wherein said means for generating negative pressure comprises a vacuum line mounted at one end of the standoff so as to couple to said chamber and connected at its other end to a source of negative pressure.
29. A system according to claim 27, wherein said means for generating negative pressure comprises deformable walls of said standoff, said walls deforming in response to application of pressure to the waveguide so as to force air out of said chamber and returning to unformed state upon release of said applied pressure to generate a negative pressure in said chamber.
30. A dermatological treatment system capable of retroreflecting backscattered radiation that is substantially perpendicular to a subject’s skin surface and attenuating radiation backscattered at sharper angles, the system comprising:
an optical waveguide having a first end for receiving radiation generated by a radiation source and a second end for contacting a patient’s skin, said waveguide transmitting said received radiation from the first end to the second end for application to the patient’s skin,
wherein said waveguide comprises at least one reflective surface having varying coefficients of reflection, such that the waveguide is more retroreflective of backscattered radiation that is reflected from the skin at angles that are substantially perpendicular to a subject’s skin surface.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein the system further comprises an angle dependent coating disposed on at least of portion of the reflective surface, such that back scattered radiation at angles substantially perpendicular to the subject’s skin is retroreflected more than back-scattered radiation at angles substantially parallel to the skin surface.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
a file IO unit which inputs and outputs a file;
a file storage unit which stores a file;
a processing unit which stores the file input from the file IO unit into the file storage unit in conformity with a predefined processing rule; and
an additional processing instruction unit which forces the processing unit to execute a predefined additional processing corresponding to a file type when an instruction of the additional processing is determined.
2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the file IO unit inputs a file from a medium connected directly or via an adaptor to a medium connection port of the apparatus.
3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the file IO unit inputs an image file or a music file.
4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the processing unit stores the input file in a domain of the file storage unit corresponding to each file type.
5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the processing unit generates a file name for each of the input files and stores the input files with file names imparted to domains of the file storage unit corresponding to the file types.
6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the processing unit divides inside of the domains of the file storage unit corresponding to the file types into dated domains based on date information of the input files to store the input files.
7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the processing unit generates a file name for each of the input files, divides inside of the domains of the file storage unit corresponding to file types into dated domains based on date information of the input files, sorts and stores the input files by date with the file names imparted thereto.
8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
the processing unit generates file names with serial numbers added to the date information of the input files, divides inside of the domains of the file storage unit corresponding to file types into dated domains, sorts and stores the input files by date with the file names imparted thereto.
9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
the electronic apparatus is a server, and wherein
the additional processing instruction unit recognizes and handles an instruction of additional processing from manipulation of a switch disposed on the apparatus.
10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electronic apparatus is a server, and wherein
the additional processing instruction unit recognizes and handles an instruction of additional processing from the client.
11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electronic apparatus is a server, and wherein
when the input file is an image file, the additional processing instruction unit forces the processing unit to print out by the printer.
12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
the electronic apparatus is a server, and wherein
when the input file is a music file, the additional processing instruction unit forces the processing unit to play back music by the client.
13. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electronic apparatus is a server, and wherein
when the input file is a music file, the additional processing instruction unit forces the processing unit to generate a play list and send it with the music file to a music electronic apparatus.
14. A processing method comprising:
a file input step of inputting a file;
a file storage step of storing the input file into the file storage unit in conformity with a predefined processing rule corresponding to a file type; and
an additional processing step of, when the instruction of the additional processing is determined, effecting on the input file predefined additional processing corresponding to the file type.
15. The processing method according to claim 14, wherein
the file storage step includes generating a file name for each of the input files, dividing inside of domains of the file storage unit corresponding to file types into dated domains based on date information of the input files, and sorting and storing the input files by date with the file names imparted thereto.
16. The processing method according to claim 14, wherein
the electronic apparatus is a server, and wherein
the additional processing step includes, when the input file is an image file, forcing a printer connected to the server to print out, and wherein
the additional processing step includes, when the input file is a music file, forcing a client connected to the server to play back music.
17. A program operable to cause a computer to ececute:
a file input step of inputting a file;
a file storage step of storing the input file into the file storage unit in conformity with a predefined processing rule corresponding to a file type; and
an additional processing step of, when the instruction of the additional processing is determined, effecting on the input file predefined additional processing corresponding to the file type.
18. The program according to claim 17, wherein
the file storage step includes generating a file name for each of the input files, dividing inside of domains of the file storage unit corresponding to file types into dated domains based on date information of the input files, and sorting and storing the input files by date with the file names imparted thereto.
19. The program according to claim 17, wherein
the additional processing step includes, when the input file is an image file, forcing a printer connected to the server to print out, and wherein
the additional processing step includes, when the input file is a music file, forcing a client connected to the server to play back music.