Patents Represented by Attorney Bryan K. Wheelock
  • Patent number: 6164374
    Abstract: A thermostat for operating a climate control system, the thermostat comprising a base, a bi-color LED on the base capable of producing at least two distinct illuminated signals, and a cover for the base, the cover having a single signal opening which is aligned with the bi-color LED when the cover is on the base to provide at least two distinct lighted signals in a thermostat through a single signal opening in the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: William D. Rhodes, Bartholomew L. Toth
  • Patent number: 6157853
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for displaying and using a shaped field of a repositionable magnet to move, guide, and/or steer a magnetic seed or catheter in living tissue for medicinal purposes. A moveable magnet assembly and a portion of a patient's body undergoing magnetically-aided surgery are both provided with fiducial markers. The portion of the patient's body is fixed in a location in which the fiducial markers are sensed and located by a set of localizers. The positions of the fiducial markers are determined by a processor, which operates on a stored representation of the magnetic field of a magnet in the magnet assembly to provide a display of the present magnetic field of the magnet. This display may be superimposed over an MRI, X-ray or CAT image during surgery. The repositionable magnet can be an electromagnet. In some embodiments, a computer calculates orientations and currents for an external electromagnet to move the implanted magnetic object in the patient's body through a desired path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Stereotaxis, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter M. Blume, Rogers C. Ritter, Peter R. Werp, Bevil J. Hogg, Matthew A. Howard, III
  • Patent number: 6148823
    Abstract: A system for controlling a magnetic element within a selected region of a patient's body includes a magnet assembly comprising first and second mutually attracting, opposed magnet faces separated by a gap; and a magnet support for supporting the magnet assembly adjacent the selected region of the patient's body to apply a magnetic field within the selected region, and moving the gap of the magnet assembly relative to the selected region of the patient's body to change the magnetic field within the selected region. The method A method of controlling a magnetic element within a selected region of a patient's body, the method comprising the controlled application of a magnetic field to the magnetic element in the selected region with a pair of mutually attracting opposed magnets separated by a gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Stereotaxis, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger N. Hastings