US Patent 7942872 Blended monopolar and bipolar application of RF energy

A system including at least two target electrodes and at least one return electrode, at least two RF power sources in electrical communication with the electrodes and operative to generate RF energy waveforms to the at least two target electrodes, one of the at least two target electrodes cooperating with the at least one return electrode to define a monopolar RF energy delivery channel and another of the at least two target electrodes cooperating with the at least one return electrode to define another monopolar RF energy delivery channel, the at least one return electrode being common to both channels, wherein the at least two target electrodes being operable in a bipolar mode of RF energy delivery, and a waveform manipulator operable to control and manipulate the waveforms to the at least two target electrodes so as to selectively provide pure monopolar, pure bipolar and a blend of monopolar and bipolar modes of RF energy delivery.