Patents by Inventor Joseph H. Meier

Joseph H. Meier 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).

  • Publication number: 20190200951
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing real-time monitoring of a probe within a target zone. An apparatus for tracking the probe comprises a transducer assembly comprising a two-dimensional array of transducer elements. The two-dimensional array comprises a plurality of transverse arrays and a plurality of longitudinal arrays. The monitoring system further comprises a processor configured to activate and receive data from at least one transverse array extending along a transverse axis that is transverse to the target zone and to a direction of travel of the probe, and two or more longitudinal arrays extending along longitudinal axes that are transverse to the transverse axis. The two or more longitudinal arrays may be activated sequentially in a programmed sequence. Based on the data, the processor can determine the position of the probe within the target zone, and display the probe on a transverse cross-section view of the target zone via a software-generated special effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventor: Joseph H. MEIER
  • Publication number: 20190142377
    Abstract: A monitoring device can be configured to facilitate intra-tissue inspection of a probe at a target region, the monitoring device comprising a housing and a transducer coupled to and at least partially located within the housing. The transducer comprises a longitudinal transducer array aligned to scan a longitudinal cross-section of the target region and a transverse transducer array aligned to scan a transverse cross-section of the target region. The longitudinal transducer array is configured to detect a probe point depth of a probe point of the probe along the longitudinal cross-section. The longitudinal transducer array is also configured to send to a processor longitudinal data about the scan of the longitudinal cross-section to track movement of the probe point based upon at least the longitudinal data and determine the probe point depth based upon at least the longitudinal data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventor: Joseph H. Meier
  • Patent number: 10206657
    Abstract: A monitoring device can be configured to facilitate intra-tissue inspection of a probe at a target region, the monitoring device comprising a housing and a transducer coupled to and at least partially located within the housing. The transducer comprises a longitudinal transducer array aligned to scan a longitudinal cross-section of the target region and a transverse transducer array aligned to scan a transverse cross-section of the target region. The longitudinal transducer array is configured to detect a probe point depth of a probe point of the probe along the longitudinal cross-section. The longitudinal transducer array is also configured to send to a processor longitudinal data about the scan of the longitudinal cross-section to track movement of the probe point based upon at least the longitudinal data and determine the probe point depth based upon at least the longitudinal data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Glo-Tip, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph H. Meier
  • Publication number: 20150230776
    Abstract: A monitoring device can be configured to facilitate intra-tissue inspection of a probe at a target region, the monitoring device comprising a housing and a transducer coupled to and at least partially located within the housing. The transducer comprises a longitudinal transducer array aligned to scan a longitudinal cross-section of the target region and a transverse transducer array aligned to scan a transverse cross-section of the target region. The longitudinal transducer array is configured to detect a probe point depth of a probe point of the probe along the longitudinal cross-section. The longitudinal transducer array is also configured to send to a processor longitudinal data about the scan of the longitudinal cross-section to track movement of the probe point based upon at least the longitudinal data and determine the probe point depth based upon at least the longitudinal data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventor: Joseph H. Meier
  • Patent number: 9022940
    Abstract: A monitoring device can be configured to facilitate intra-tissue inspection of a probe at a target region, the monitoring device comprising a housing, a transducer coupled to the housing, and a display coupled to the transducer and to the housing. The transducer can comprise a first transducer array aligned to scan a longitudinal plane of the target region, and a second transducer array aligned to scan a transverse plane of the target region. The display can be configured to receive information derived from the first and second transducers to present an image of at least one of the longitudinal plane or the transverse plane, and to present at the image a probe point highlight of a probe point of the probe. Other examples, embodiments, and related methods are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Inventor: Joseph H. Meier
  • Publication number: 20100312120
    Abstract: A monitoring device can be configured to facilitate intra-tissue inspection of a probe at a target region, the monitoring device comprising a housing, a transducer coupled to the housing, and a display coupled to the transducer and to the housing. The transducer can comprise a first transducer array aligned to scan a longitudinal plane of the target region, and a second transducer array aligned to scan a transverse plane of the target region. The display can be configured to receive information derived from the first and second transducers to present an image of at least one of the longitudinal plane or the transverse plane, and to present at the image a probe point highlight of a probe point of the probe. Other examples, embodiments, and related methods are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventor: Joseph H. Meier
  • Publication number: 20100016726
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging device is configured to facilitate sub-dermal monitoring. The ultrasound imaging device comprises a handheld housing, a processor within the handheld housing, a beamformer coupled to the processor, a transducer assembly coupled to the handheld housing and to at least one of the beamformer and the processor, a scan converter coupled to the transducer assembly, a display coupled to the handheld housing and coupled to at least one of the scan converter and the processor, a switch mechanism coupled to the processor, a rechargeable power source coupled to the handheld housing, a communications port coupled to the processor, a central pointer aligned with a center of the display, and a needle guide coupled to the handheld housing proximate to the transducer assembly. Other examples and embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventor: Joseph H. Meier
  • Patent number: 5888328
    Abstract: A kit for testing the integrity of sterile tubing welds made by a sterile tubing welding machine employing welding wafers includes a plurality of tubing samples, and a container having a series of receptacles for holding the tubing samples and the wafers used in the sterile tubing welding machine. A set of instructions is provided for making the sterile tubing welds with the tubing samples in the container, and a data sheet is included for recording particulars of the kit and reporting a weld analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Terumo Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Miripol, Joseph H. Meier, Jr., Randall L. Graybeal, Benjamin A. Hill