Patents by Inventor Francis M. Charbonnier

Francis M. Charbonnier 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).

  • Defibrillation employing an impedance-corrected delivered energy
    Patent number: 5111813
    Abstract: Impedance-normalized delivered energy is used as a control parameter in a defibrillation methodolgy and can be selected to yield the highest probability of successful defibrillation while minimizing the risk of damage to the myocardium and nerve system. This control parameter is essentially independent of patient transthoracic impedance and of discharge pulse waveform and duration, thereby making it advantageous as a standard on which a universal defibrillation protocol may be based.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Francis M. Charbonnier, Martin G. Rockwell
  • Current-based defibrillator
    Patent number: 4840177
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing to the body of a patient a defibrillation pulse having a magnitude calculated to induce in that particular patient a desired defibrillation current. The patient's response to a defibrillation pulse is characterized in advance of defibrillation by repeatedly sampling the patient's transthoracic impedance to a small alternating current excitation signal. The sample having the lowest magnitude is taken to represent the patient's true transthoracic impedance. This lowest sampled impedance value is normalized to take into account the shape of the expected waveform and is then multiplied by the desired current to yield the target charge level to which an energy storage device must be charged to induce the desired current to flow in the patient on discharge. Charging of the energy storage device desirably begins before measurement of transthoracic impedance is completed and continues until the target charge is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Francis M. Charbonnier, Martin G. Rockwell, Carl E. Benvegar
  • Defibrillator with means for determining patient impedance and delivered energy
    Patent number: 4328808
    Abstract: A defibrillator apparatus applies defibrillation a shock pulse to a patient at a selected energy level. The peak current magnitude of the pulse is sensed and processed to produce an indication of the value of transthoracic load resistance presented by the patient during the pulse. Also produced is an indication of the energy actually delivered to the patient by the defibrillation pulse. An alarm is activated when patient transthoracic resistance exceeds a predetermined value, thereby to warn the operator to take corrective action before again attempting defibrillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1982
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Francis M. Charbonnier, Paul V. Long