Patents by Inventor Kirk Watson

Kirk Watson 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: 11760905
    Abstract: Brain motion monitoring systems and methods are disclosed that can detect interpret and/or display normal and abnormal brain motions. The devices and methods can detect Cerebrovascular Stenosis and provide for Noninvasive Intracranial Pressure Measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kirk Watson Beach, Mitsuhiro Oura
  • Patent number: 10806357
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter related to methods and apparatus for determining brain swelling in a patient as well as predicting an increase in intracranial pressure in the patient. The apparatus can include a transducer such as an ultrasound transducer communicatively connected to a controller via wires or via wireless communications device(s). A monitor and/or alarm device can be provided to notify a practitioner when the controller has determined brain swelling is occurring and/or when an imminent increase in intracranial pressure is likely to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kirk Watson Beach
  • Publication number: 20190282108
    Abstract: Brain motion monitoring systems and methods are disclosed that can detect interpret and/or display normal and abnormal brain motions. The devices and methods can detect Cerebrovascular Stenosis and provide for Noninvasive Intracranial Pressure Measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kirk Watson BEACH, Mitsuhiro OURA
  • Publication number: 20180344182
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter related to methods and apparatus for determining brain swelling in a patient as well as predicting an increase in intracranial pressure in the patient. The apparatus can include a transducer such as an ultrasound transducer communicatively connected to a controller via wires or via wireless communications device(s). A monitor and/or alarm device can be provided to notify a practitioner when the controller has determined brain swelling is occurring and/or when an imminent increase in intracranial pressure is likely to occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Kirk Watson Beach
  • Patent number: 10064563
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter related to methods and apparatus for determining brain swelling in a patient as well as predicting an increase in intracranial pressure in the patient. The apparatus can include a transducer such as an ultrasound transducer communicatively connected to a controller via wires or via wireless communications device(s). A monitor and/or alarm device can be provided to notify a practitioner when the controller has determined brain swelling is occurring and/or when an imminent increase in intracranial pressure is likely to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kirk Watson Beach
  • Publication number: 20150359448
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter related to methods and apparatus for determining brain swelling in a patient as well as predicting an increase in intracranial pressure in the patient. The apparatus can include a transducer such as an ultrasound transducer communicatively connected to a controller via wires or via wireless communications device(s). A monitor and/or alarm device can be provided to notify a practitioner when the controller has determined brain swelling is occurring and/or when an imminent increase in intracranial pressure is likely to occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventor: Kirk Watson Beach
  • Patent number: 7098888
    Abstract: The present invention provides a virtual-haptic environment that can be used to advantage to simulate and teach surgical procedures. Computer haptics simulates human sense of touch is provides with visual stereoscopy that simulates our natural depth perception and feeling of touch. Integration of these two senses enhances sense of realism. Thus by coupling force-feedback (or haptic) devices with a stereoscopic display, results in the illusion of being “inside” a virtual world, by being able to “see” and “touch and feel” 3D virtual environment. The computer based (on a PC using NT operating system) present invention provides an inexpensive, easy-to-use technique for generating a stereoscopic-haptic environment that provides a realistic virtual touch and see environment and dynamically adding haptic characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Tech University System
    Inventors: Bharti Temkin, Kirk Watson, Eric Acosta
  • Publication number: 20050114129
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for sequential insertion processing of speech recognition results and, more particularly, server-based automated processing of speech recognition results. In addition, the use of formed document templates to facilitate the server-based automated sequential insertion of speech recognition results is disclosed. The formed document templates can include embedded dictionaries with related processing rules, including processing rules including positioning information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventors: Kirk Watson, Carol Kutryb, Joseph Forbes
  • Publication number: 20050096910
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for generating formed document templates and, more particularly, for generating such formed document templates to facilitate the automated sequential insertion of speech recognition results into document template files. The formed document templates can include data dictionaries and related processing rules that can be utilized to analyze speech recognition results as they are sequentially inserted into document templates to generate resultant data files.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Kirk Watson, Carol Kutryb, Joseph Forbes
  • Publication number: 20020084996
    Abstract: The present invention provides a virtual-haptic environment that can be used to advantage to simulate and teach surgical procedures. Computer haptics simulates human sense of touch is provides with visual stereoscopy that simulates our natural depth perception and feeling of touch. Integration of these two senses enhances sense of realism. Thus by coupling force-feedback (or haptic) devices with a stereoscopic display, results in the illusion of being “inside” a virtual world, by being able to “see” and “touch and feel” 3D virtual environment. The computer based (on a PC using NT operating system) present invention provides an inexpensive, easy-to-use technique for generating a stereoscopic-haptic environment that provides a realistic virtual touch and see environment and dynamically adding haptic characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Applicant: Texas Tech University
    Inventors: Bharti Temkin, Kirk Watson, Eric Acosta
  • Patent number: 5951476
    Abstract: Continued bleeding into a pocket or hematoma in the cranium could exert pressure on the brain which would move it relative to the cranium to force the brain stem into the medulla oblongata to arrest breathing. Such brain micromovement is detected by projecting bursts of ultrasound into one or both of the temple areas of the cranium or into the medulla oblongata, and the readout of echoes received from different depths is displayed on a screen. The readout of the echoes indicates continued microshifts of the brain relative to the cranium. To differentiate microshifts of the brain relative to the cranium caused by continued intracranial bleeding as distinguished from pulsations of the brain relative to the cranium caused by supply of blood to the brain from the heart and return of blood from the brain to the heart, the timing of the bursts of ultrasound into the cranium is synchronized with the pulse indicated by a heart pulse monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Inventor: Kirk Watson Beach
  • Patent number: 5823493
    Abstract: A straw holder formed from a unitary strip having a center body and first and second wing members that extend laterally from the body. The wing members include a distal tip portion that are flexed towards each other and a slot in each tip portion receives an engagement segment of the other tip portion to lock the tip portions together and form the straw holder. A straw is inserted through an opening in the body into the container and the wing members engage the exterior surface of the beverage container to mount the straw to the container. One laterally extending edge defines a shoulder which engages the rim of the container to position the straw holder and straw. The material and thickness of the strip are selected such that the strip is semi-flexible, wherein the strip may be easily flexed while resiliently resisting such flexure. Such semi-flexible property causes the strip to bow laterally outward between the tip portions and the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Inventors: James J. Eastland, Jr., H. Kirk Watson
  • Patent number: 5219163
    Abstract: A rubber or plastic foam bat for recreational and/or therapeutic use. The bat includes a solid, generally cylindrical handle and a long, flexible tubular impact barrel longitudinally connected to the handle. The impact portion has a blind coaxial bore which closes momentarily when the bat strikes an object and subsequently reopens, thereby generating a loud noise. The bat preferably is formed from a thermoplastic or thermosetting material such as polyethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Inventor: H. Kirk Watson