Patents by Inventor Mark E. Hulen

Mark E. Hulen 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).

  • System and method for tracking surgical assets
    Patent number: 7518502
    Abstract: A system and method for identifying, locating, and managing inventory of sterilized medical devices located within a sealed sterilization case in preparation for a surgical procedure. Communication tags, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) and/or Global Positioning System (GPS) tags, are connected to the medical device and communicate information wirelessly. Information is obtained from the communication tags and sent to the database where it is compared with the information in the database. The results may be displayed on the interface thereby providing the user with information about the medical instruments contained in the sealed sterilization case without breaking the seal of the sealed sterilization case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
    Inventors: Gene Edward Austin, Ralph W. Donati, Jr., Nicholas W. Granville, Mark E. Hulen, Sied W. Janna, Robert L. Morgan, James K. Rains, Randall Troutman, Darren J. Wilson