Patents by Inventor Douglas K. Bottom

Douglas K. Bottom 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).

  • Patent number: 9586020
    Abstract: The present application includes an independent and redundant measurement of anesthetic concentration, based on acoustic time-of-flight measurements, added to an anesthetic vaporizer. The redundant anesthetic concentration measurement is used to make the vaporizer inherently safe by design and monitor true vaporizer empty. Further, using an acoustic wave splitting technique and the time-of-flight measurements, the flows at the vaporizer inlet and outlet are computed. The flow measurements are used to monitor carrier gas loss, anesthetic consumption, and anesthetic delivery time remaining and provide such information to the vaporizer operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Douglas K. Bottom
  • Publication number: 20140238393
    Abstract: The present application includes an independent and redundant measurement of anesthetic concentration, based on acoustic time-of-flight measurements, added to an anesthetic vaporizer. The redundant anesthetic concentration measurement is used to make the vaporizer inherently safe by design and monitor true vaporizer empty. Further, using an acoustic wave splitting technique and the time-of-flight measurements, the flows at the vaporizer inlet and outlet are computed. The flow measurements are used to monitor carrier gas loss, anesthetic consumption, and anesthetic delivery time remaining and provide such information to the vaporizer operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Douglas K. Bottom
  • Patent number: 8752544
    Abstract: The present application includes an independent and redundant measurement of anesthetic concentration, based on acoustic time-of-flight measurements, added to an anesthetic vaporizer. The redundant anesthetic concentration measurement is used to make the vaporizer inherently safe by design and monitor true vaporizer empty. Further, using an acoustic wave splitting technique and the time-of-flight measurements, the flows at the vaporizer inlet and outlet are computed. The flow measurements are used to monitor carrier gas loss, anesthetic consumption, and anesthetic delivery time remaining and provide such information to the vaporizer operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Douglas K. Bottom
  • Patent number: 8365724
    Abstract: An anesthetic vaporizer and a method of control thereof includes measuring a composition of the carrier gas with a first sensor and measuring a composition of a combined gas with a second sensor, and using these values with a controller to operate a flow valve for the regulation of the flow of an anesthetic agent into the combined gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Douglas K. Bottom
  • Publication number: 20120240928
    Abstract: The present application includes an independent and redundant measurement of anesthetic concentration, based on acoustic time-of-flight measurements, added to an anesthetic vaporizer. The redundant anesthetic concentration measurement is used to make the vaporizer inherently safe by design and monitor true vaporizer empty. Further, using an acoustic wave splitting technique and the time-of-flight measurements, the flows at the vaporizer inlet and outlet are computed. The flow measurements are used to monitor carrier gas loss, anesthetic consumption, and anesthetic delivery time remaining and provide such information to the vaporizer operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Douglas K. Bottom
  • Publication number: 20110155131
    Abstract: An anesthetic vaporizer and a method of control thereof includes measuring a composition of the carrier gas with a first sensor and measuring a composition of a combined gas with a second sensor, and using these values with a controller to operate a flow valve for the regulation of the flow of an anesthetic agent into the combined gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Douglas K. Bottom
  • Patent number: 7490607
    Abstract: A cassette for vaporization of anesthetic agent for delivery to a patient is arranged to be received by an anesthesia machine which has control mechanisms for controlling vaporization of the agent. In a preferred arrangement, the cassette includes a housing for receiving, containing and emitting anesthetic agent. A sensor, such as a pressure sensor or a temperature sensor is embedded in the housing for obtaining a value of the agent contained in the reservoir. The sensor is operatively connected to the reservoir to obtain an accurate value of the agent. A communication link is provided between the sensor and the control mechanisms of the anesthesia machine when the cassette is received by the anesthesia machine. The cassette thus provides a simplified arrangement that efficiently and accurately provides values of the anesthetic agent being vaporized in the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: The General Electric Company
    Inventors: Douglas K. Bottom, Clifford G. Kersey, Steven A. Jandl, John E. Klaus