Patents by Inventor Christopher M. Sewell
Christopher M. Sewell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240041537Abstract: Systems and methods for introducing and driving flexible members in a patient's body are described herein. In one embodiment, a robotic method includes positioning a flexible elongated member that has a preformed configuration, wherein at least a part of the flexible elongated member has a first member disposed around it, and wherein the first member includes a first wire for bending the first member or for maintaining the first member in a bent configuration, releasing at least some tension in the first wire to relax the first member, and advancing the first member distally relative to the flexible elongated member while the first member is in a relaxed configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2023Publication date: February 8, 2024Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller, Christopher M. Sewell, Sean P. Walker
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Publication number: 20220168049Abstract: Systems and methods for introducing and driving flexible members in a patient's body are described herein. In one embodiment, a robotic method includes positioning a flexible elongated member that has a preformed configuration, wherein at least a part of the flexible elongated member has a first member disposed around it, and wherein the first member includes a first wire for bending the first member or for maintaining the first member in a bent configuration, releasing at least some tension in the first wire to relax the first member, and advancing the first member distally relative to the flexible elongated member while the first member is in a relaxed configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2021Publication date: June 2, 2022Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller, Christopher M. Sewell, Sean P. Walker
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Patent number: 11213356Abstract: Systems and methods for introducing and driving flexible members in a patient's body are described herein. In one embodiment, a robotic method includes positioning a flexible elongated member that has a preformed configuration, wherein at least a part of the flexible elongated member has a first member disposed around it, and wherein the first member includes a first wire for bending the first member or for maintaining the first member in a bent configuration, releasing at least some tension in the first wire to relax the first member, and advancing the first member distally relative to the flexible elongated member while the first member is in a relaxed configuration.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2020Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller, Christopher M. Sewell, Sean P. Walker
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Publication number: 20200163726Abstract: Systems and methods for introducing and driving flexible members in a patient's body are described herein. In one embodiment, a robotic method includes positioning a flexible elongated member that has a preformed configuration, wherein at least a part of the flexible elongated member has a first member disposed around it, and wherein the first member includes a first wire for bending the first member or for maintaining the first member in a bent configuration, releasing at least some tension in the first wire to relax the first member, and advancing the first member distally relative to the flexible elongated member while the first member is in a relaxed configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2020Publication date: May 28, 2020Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller, Christopher M. Sewell, Sean P. Walker
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Patent number: 10555780Abstract: Systems and methods for introducing and driving flexible members in a patient's body are described herein. In one embodiment, a robotic method includes positioning a flexible elongated member that has a preformed configuration, wherein at least a part of the flexible elongated member has a first member disposed around it, and wherein the first member includes a first wire for bending the first member or for maintaining the first member in a bent configuration, releasing at least some tension in the first wire to relax the first member, and advancing the first member distally relative to the flexible elongated member while the first member is in a relaxed configuration.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2018Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller, Christopher M. Sewell, Sean Paul Walker
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Publication number: 20190105110Abstract: Systems and methods for introducing and driving flexible members in a patient's body are described herein. In one embodiment, a robotic method includes positioning a flexible elongated member that has a preformed configuration, wherein at least a part of the flexible elongated member has a first member disposed around it, and wherein the first member includes a first wire for bending the first member or for maintaining the first member in a bent configuration, releasing at least some tension in the first wire to relax the first member, and advancing the first member distally relative to the flexible elongated member while the first member is in a relaxed configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller, Christopher M. Sewell, Sean Paul Walker
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Patent number: 10130427Abstract: Systems and methods for introducing and driving flexible members in a patient's body are described herein. In one embodiment, a robotic method includes positioning a flexible elongated member that has a preformed configuration, wherein at least a part of the flexible elongated member has a first member disposed around it, and wherein the first member includes a first wire for bending the first member or for maintaining the first member in a bent configuration, releasing at least some tension in the first wire to relax the first member, and advancing the first member distally relative to the flexible elongated member while the first member is in a relaxed configuration.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2015Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller, Christopher M. Sewell, Sean P. Walker
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Publication number: 20150142013Abstract: Systems and methods for introducing and driving flexible members in a patient's body are described herein. In one embodiment, a robotic method includes positioning a flexible elongated member that has a preformed configuration, wherein at least a part of the flexible elongated member has a first member disposed around it, and wherein the first member includes a first wire for bending the first member or for maintaining the first member in a bent configuration, releasing at least some tension in the first wire to relax the first member, and advancing the first member distally relative to the flexible elongated member while the first member is in a relaxed configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2015Publication date: May 21, 2015Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller, Christopher M. Sewell, Sean P. Walker
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Patent number: 8657781Abstract: Systems and method are disclosed whereby elongate medical instruments may be registered to adjacent tissue structures and other structures, and may be navigated and operated in a coordinated fashion to maximize ranges of motion, ease of use, and other factors. A method for registering an instrument relative to nearby structures may comprise moving a portion of the instrument between two in situ positions, tracking movement during this movement with both a kinematic model and also a localization sensor based configuration, determining the orientation of the tracked portion relative to both the instrument coordinate system used in the kinematic modeling and also a localization coordinate reference frame, and adjusting the orientation of the instrument coordinate reference frame to minimize the difference between determined orientations using the kinematic model and localization sensors. Methods and configurations for navigating coupled and registered instrument sets are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2012Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Hansen Medical, Inc.Inventors: Christopher M. Sewell, Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller
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Patent number: 8317746Abstract: Systems and method are disclosed whereby elongate medical instruments may be registered to adjacent tissue structures and other structures, and may be navigated and operated in a coordinated fashion to maximize ranges of motion, ease of use, and other factors. A method for registering an instrument relative to nearby structures may comprise moving a portion of the instrument between two in situ positions, tracking movement during this movement with both a kinematic model and also a localization sensor based configuration, determining the orientation of the tracked portion relative to both the instrument coordinate system used in the kinematic modeling and also a localization coordinate reference frame, and adjusting the orientation of the instrument coordinate reference frame to minimize the difference between determined orientations using the kinematic model and localization sensors. Methods and configurations for navigating coupled and registered instrument sets are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2009Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Hansen Medical, Inc.Inventors: Christopher M. Sewell, Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller
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Publication number: 20120191107Abstract: Systems and methods for introducing and driving flexible members in a patient's body are described herein. In one embodiment, a robotic method includes positioning a flexible elongated member that has a preformed configuration, wherein at least a part of the flexible elongated member has a first member disposed around it, and wherein the first member includes a first wire for bending the first member or for maintaining the first member in a bent configuration, releasing at least some tension in the first wire to relax the first member, and advancing the first member distally relative to the flexible elongated member while the first member is in a relaxed configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2011Publication date: July 26, 2012Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller, Christopher M. Sewell, Sean P. Walker
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Publication number: 20120071752Abstract: System and methods for interfacing user in the control of elongated flexible members for use inside a patient's body is described herein. In one embodiment, a system includes a processor configured for generating a virtual representation of a catheter on a viewing screen, a first control for allowing a user to rotate the virtual representation of the catheter about a first axis, until a heading direction of the virtual representation of the catheter aligns with a heading direction of the catheter as it appears in a first fluoroscopic image, and a second control for allowing the user to rotate the virtual representation of the catheter about a second axis, until a tilt angle of the virtual representation of the catheter aligns with a tilt angle of the catheter as it appears in the first fluoroscopic image or in a second fluoroscopic image.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2011Publication date: March 22, 2012Inventors: Christopher M. Sewell, Neal A. Tanner, Sean P. Walker
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Publication number: 20120071894Abstract: Systems and methods for robotically controlling flexible medical apparatus are described herein. In one embodiment, a robotic surgical system includes a flexible elongated member, a first member movably disposed around at least a portion of the flexible elongated member, a second member movably disposed around at least a portion of the first member, a drive assembly coupled to each of the flexible elongated member, the first member, and the second member, and a control interface for receiving an input command from a user, wherein the drive assembly is configured to automatically move one or both of the first member and the second member while maintaining the flexible elongated member at a fixed axial position in response to the received input command.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2011Publication date: March 22, 2012Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Christopher M. Sewell, Sean P. Walker
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Publication number: 20110295247Abstract: Systems and methods are described for automating aspects of minimally invasive therapeutic treatment of patients. In one embodiment a robotic catheter system may comprise a controller including a master input device; and an electromechanically steerable elongate instrument having a proximal interface portion and a distal portion, the proximal interface portion being configured to be operatively coupled to an electromechanical instrument driver in communication with the controller, the distal portion being configured to be interactively navigated adjacent internal tissue structures of a patient's body in response to signals from the controller; wherein the distal portion of the elongate instrument comprises an antenna operatively coupled to the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the temperature of structures adjacent to the distal portion of the elongate instrument utilizing radiometry analysis.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: Hansen Medical, Inc.Inventors: Randall L. Schlesinger, Christopher R. Carlson, Federico Barbagli, Bhaskar S. Ramamurthy, Matthew J. Roelle, Christopher M. Sewell, Daniel T. Wallace, Robert G. Younge
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Publication number: 20110295267Abstract: Systems and methods are described for automating aspects of minimally invasive therapeutic treatment of patients. A robotic tissue structure traversal system may comprise a controller including a master input device, an electromechanically controlled elongate instrument having a proximal interface portion and a distal portion, the proximal interface portion being configured to be operatively coupled to an electromechanical instrument driver in communication with the controller, the distal portion comprising a traversing tip and being configured to be interactively navigated about internal structures of a patient's body in response to signals from the controller; and a load sensor operatively coupled between the distal portion of the elongate instrument and the controller; wherein the controller is configured to automatically advance the traversing tip through a thickness of an internal structure by observing loads from the load sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: Hansen Medical, Inc.Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Federico Barbagli, Christopher R. Carlson, Alex Goldenberg, Christopher M. Sewell, Daniel T. Wallace
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Publication number: 20110015483Abstract: A robotic catheter system includes a controller with a master input device. An instrument driver is in communication with the controller and has a elongate instrument interface including a plurality of instrument drive elements responsive to control signals generated, at least in part, by the master input device. An elongate instrument has a base, distal end, and a working lumen, wherein the guide instrument base is operatively coupled to the guide instrument interface. The elongate instrument preferably comprises and/or defines other lumens to accommodate instruments such as an optics bundle, a light bundle, a laser fiber, and flush irrigation. The working lumen preferably is configured to accommodate a grasping or capturing tool, such as a collapsible basket or grasper, for use in procedures such as kidney stone interventions. The elongate instrument includes a plurality of instrument control elements operatively coupled to respective drive elements and secured to the distal end of the instrument.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2009Publication date: January 20, 2011Inventors: Federico Barbagli, Gregory J. Stahler, Christopher M. Sewell, Christopher R. Carlson
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Publication number: 20100125285Abstract: Systems and method are disclosed whereby elongate medical instruments may be registered to adjacent tissue structures and other structures, and may be navigated and operated in a coordinated fashion to maximize ranges of motion, ease of use, and other factors. A method for registering an instrument relative to nearby structures may comprise moving a portion of the instrument between two in situ positions, tracking movement during this movement with both a kinematic model and also a localization sensor based configuration, determining the orientation of the tracked portion relative to both the instrument coordinate system used in the kinematic modeling and also a localization coordinate reference frame, and adjusting the orientation of the instrument coordinate reference frame to minimize the difference between determined orientations using the kinematic model and localization sensors. Methods and configurations for navigating coupled and registered instrument sets are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2009Publication date: May 20, 2010Applicant: Hansen Medical, Inc.Inventors: Christopher M. Sewell, Neal A. Tanner, Teresa Miller
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Publication number: 20100125284Abstract: Systems and method are disclosed whereby elongate medical instruments may be registered to adjacent tissue structures and other structures, and may be navigated and operated in a coordinated fashion to maximize ranges of motion, ease of use, and other factors. A method for registering an instrument relative to nearby structures may comprise moving a portion of the instrument between two in situ positions, tracking movement during this movement with both a kinematic model and also a localization sensor based configuration, determining the orientation of the tracked portion relative to both the instrument coordinate system used in the kinematic modeling and also a localization coordinate reference frame, and adjusting the orientation of the instrument coordinate reference frame to minimize the difference between determined orientations using the kinematic model and localization sensors. Methods and configurations for navigating coupled and registered instrument sets are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2009Publication date: May 20, 2010Applicant: Hansen Medical, Inc.Inventors: Neal A. Tanner, Christopher M. Sewell
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Publication number: 20090076476Abstract: A medical instrument system includes a controller and a guide instrument coupled to an instrument driver, the instrument driver configured to manipulate a distal end portion of the guide instrument in response to control signals generated by the controller. A force sensor is associated with the guide instrument or with a working instrument carried by the guide instrument, and generates force signals responsive to a force applied to a respective distal end portion of the guide instrument or working instrument.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2008Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: Hansen Medical, Inc.Inventors: Federico Barbagli, Christopher R. Carlson, Neal A. Tanner, Christopher M. Sewell