Patents by Inventor Norbert Johnson

Norbert Johnson 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: 11918304
    Abstract: A registration fixture for use with a surgical navigation system for registration of medical images to a three-dimensional tracking space includes a base frame adapted to be mounted over a flat panel detector of an x-ray medical imaging device, and a side frame having optical tracking markers mounted to the base frame. The base frame includes a first set of radiopaque markers embedded therein in a first predetermined pattern and arranged on a plane, and a second set of radiopaque markers embedded therein in a second predetermined pattern also arranged on another plane, which is spaced from the first set of radiopaque markers. The side frame has a plurality of optical tracking markers and is configured to detachably mount to the base frame without piercing a sterilizing drape to be interposed between the base frame and the side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc
    Inventors: Alexander Krull, Thomas Calloway, Rand Kmiec, Neil Crawford, Norbert Johnson, Gary Pinard
  • Publication number: 20240065707
    Abstract: A system of robotic surgery includes components capable of drilling a bore in the cranium of a patient in connection with craniotomy and other cranial surgeries. A perforator associated with such system is controlled by suitable computer-implemented instructions to maintain the perforator tip along a desired trajectory line while moving the perforator bit at locations proximal to such perforator tip in a circular motion, thereby imparting a conical oscillation to the perforator bit relative to the trajectory line. The angle at which the perforator bit is oscillated relative to such trajectory line results in the bore formed in the cranium having a diameter larger than the bit diameter, and the larger diameter and related conical oscillation is selected so as to reduce frictional force opposing withdrawal of the bit from the situs of the bore, thereby reducing the risk of jamming of the bit during its associated operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Hayden Cameron, Spiros Mantzavinos, Neil R. Crawford, Sanjay Joshi, Norbert Johnson
  • Patent number: 11911225
    Abstract: A method for registration of digital medical images is provided. The method includes the step of storing a 3D digital medical image having a 3D anatomical feature and a first coordinate system and storing a 2D digital medical image having a 2D anatomical feature and a second coordinate system. The method further includes the steps of storing a placement of a digital medical object on the 3D digital medical image and the 2D digital medical image and generating a simulated 2D digital medical image from the 3D digital medical image, wherein the simulated 2D digital medical image comprises a simulated 2D anatomical feature corresponding to the 3D anatomical feature. The 2D anatomical feature is compared with the simulated 2D anatomical feature until a match is reached and a registration of the first coordinate system with the second coordinate system based on the match is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Globus Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Norbert Johnson, Neil Crawford, Jeffrey Forsyth, Yuan Cheng, Jawad Mokhtar
  • Patent number: 11911115
    Abstract: A registration fixture for use with a surgical navigation system for registration of medical images to a three-dimensional tracking space includes a base frame adapted to be mounted over a flat panel detector of an x-ray medical imaging device, and a side frame having optical tracking markers mounted to the base frame. The base frame includes a first set of radiopaque markers embedded therein in a first predetermined pattern and arranged on a plane, and a second set of radiopaque markers embedded therein in a second predetermined pattern also arranged on another plane, which is spaced from the first set of radiopaque markers. The side frame has a plurality of optical tracking markers and is configured to detachably mount to the base frame without piercing a sterilizing drape to be interposed between the base frame and the side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Globus Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Krull, Thomas Calloway, Rand Kmiec, Neil Crawford, Norbert Johnson, Gary Pinard
  • Patent number: 11911112
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for a robot-assisted surgery. Navigable instrumentation, which are capable of being navigated by a surgeon using the surgical robot system, and navigation software allow for the navigated placement of interbody fusion devices or other surgical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil R. Crawford, Norbert Johnson, Thomas Calloway, Dana Wisniewski
  • Publication number: 20240049985
    Abstract: Methods may be provided to identify a medical implant from a plurality of medical implants to be fixed to an anatomical surface. Dimensional parameters for each of the plurality of medical implants may be provided, and dimensional parameters corresponding to the anatomical surface may be provided. The dimensional parameters for each of the plurality of medical implants may be compared with the dimensional parameters corresponding to the anatomical surface, and one of the medical implants may be selected from the plurality of medical implants based on comparing the dimensional parameters for each of the plurality of medical implants with the dimensional parameters corresponding to the anatomical surface. An identification of the medical implant selected from the plurality of medical implants may be provided through a user interface. Related devices and computer program products are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Neil Crawford, Andrew Davison, David Demski, Peter Govey, Norbert Johnson, Stephanie Wolfe
  • Patent number: 11896446
    Abstract: Devices, Systems, and Methods for detecting a 3-dimensional position of an object, and surgical automation involving the same. The surgical robot system may include a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm. The end-effector, surgical instruments, the patient, and/or other objects to be tracked include active and/or passive tracking markers. Cameras, such as stereophotogrammetric infrared cameras, are able to detect the tracking markers, and the robot determines a 3-dimensional position of the object from the tracking markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc
    Inventors: Neil R. Crawford, Stephen Cicchini, Norbert Johnson
  • Patent number: 11890122
    Abstract: A medical imaging system includes a movable station having a C-arm, a collector, an X-ray beam emitter, and a controller. The collector is attached to a first end of the C-arm. The X-ray beam emitter faces the collector to emit an X-ray beam in a direction of the collector and is attached to a second end of the C-arm. The controller moves one of the X-ray beam emitter and the collector to a first offset position along a lateral axis orthogonal to the arc, and obtains a first set of images by rotating the collector and the X-ray beam emitter along the arc about a scanned volume. The controller moves the one of the X-ray beam emitter and the collector to a second offset position along the lateral axis, and obtains a second set of images. The controller combines the first and second set of images to generate a three-dimensional image of the scanned volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil R. Crawford, Norbert Johnson
  • Patent number: 11883217
    Abstract: A portable medical imaging system and method, of which the system includes a movable station having a movable C-arm, an imaging signal transmitter attached to the movable C-arm, and an imaging sensor positioned generally opposite to the imaging signal transmitter and attached to the movable c-arm. The imaging sensor is configured to rotate relative to a point approximately on a center axis of the movable C-arm independently of the imaging signal transmitter, so as to change an angle of incidence for a signal transmitted from the imaging signal transmitter to the imaging sensor, and provide a field-of-view that is larger than the field-of-view of the imaging sensor at a single position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Norbert Johnson, Robert Stevens, Hisham Salem, Yuan Cheng, David Cleary
  • Publication number: 20240016549
    Abstract: System and method of registering a medical image of a patient in an imaging space to the patient in a physical space preferably without the use of any embedded radiopaque fiducials in medical images is provided. In one way, intra-op 2D medical images are used to register a pre-op unregistered 3D medical image. The 2D medical images are registered based on simultaneous tracking of the tracking markers on the imaging device and on the patient by a tracking device at the time of image capture. The 2D images are matched to corresponding simulated 2D images generated from the pre-op 3D image volume. Thus, registration of a pre-op 3D image to the patient is accomplished without performing another 3D scan of the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Norbert Johnson, Paden Troxell, Caroline Conrad, Mert Erad, Nicholas Maritato, Michael Brauckmann, Neil R. Crawford
  • Publication number: 20240020840
    Abstract: System and method of registering a medical image of a patient in an imaging space to the patient in a physical space preferably without the use of any embedded radiopaque fiducials in medical images is provided. In one way, intra-op 2D medical images are used to register a pre-op unregistered 3D medical image. The 2D medical images are registered based on simultaneous tracking of the tracking markers on the imaging device and on the patient by a tracking device at the time of image capture. The 2D images are matched to corresponding simulated 2D images generated from the pre-op 3D image volume. Thus, registration of a pre-op 3D image to the patient is accomplished without performing another 3D scan of the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Norbert Johnson, Paden Troxell, Caroline Conrad, Mert Erad, Nicholas Maritato, Michael Brauckmann, Neil R. Crawford
  • Publication number: 20240020831
    Abstract: System and method of registering a medical image of a patient in an imaging space to the patient in a physical space preferably without the use of any embedded radiopaque fiducials in medical images is provided. In one way, intra-op 2D medical images are used to register a pre-op unregistered 3D medical image. The 2D medical images are registered based on simultaneous tracking of the tracking markers on the imaging device and on the patient by a tracking device at the time of image capture. The 2D images are matched to corresponding simulated 2D images generated from the pre-op 3D image volume. Thus, registration of a pre-op 3D image to the patient is accomplished without performing another 3D scan of the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Norbert Johnson, Paden Troxell, Caroline Conrad, Mert Erad, Nicholas Maritato, Michael Brauckmann, Neil R. Crawford
  • Publication number: 20240020862
    Abstract: System and method of registering a medical image of a patient in an imaging space to the patient in a physical space preferably without the use of any embedded radiopaque fiducials in medical images is provided. In one way, intra-op 2D medical images are used to register a pre-op unregistered 3D medical image. The 2D medical images are registered based on simultaneous tracking of the tracking markers on the imaging device and on the patient by a tracking device at the time of image capture. The 2D images are matched to corresponding simulated 2D images generated from the pre-op 3D image volume. Thus, registration of a pre-op 3D image to the patient is accomplished without performing another 3D scan of the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Norbert Johnson, Paden Troxell, Caroline Conrad, Mert Erad, Nicholas Maritato, Michael Brauckmann, Neil R. Crawford
  • Patent number: 11872001
    Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for detecting a position of an object with a robot surgical system having an articulable, separable camera stand. The surgical robot system may include a robot having a robot base with a robot arm and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm. The end-effector, surgical instruments, the patient, other objects, or any combination thereof, may be tracked via active and/or passive tracking markers. A camera, such as an infrared camera, a bifocal camera or a stereophotogrammetric infrared camera, is mounted on a separable camera stand and is able to detect the tracking markers when in use. Using the camera, the robot determines a position of the object from the tracking markers, which may be a three-dimensional position of the object or the markers. When convenient, the camera base may be assembled into the robot base, e.g., by sliding the camera base into the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: David Cleary, Norbert Johnson, Kevin Zhang
  • Publication number: 20240008945
    Abstract: A drape covers robotic equipment in a medical environment to maintain sterility. The robotic equipment has an arm with an end surface which attaches to a tool, such as an active end effector. The drape has an extended drape portion that covers the arm, and a shaped drape portion that covers the end of the arm where the arm is clamped to the tool. The drape is clamped inside the clamp, and where the clamping occurs, the drape has a band of material that is reinforced by being thickened or by including a different material. The shape of the band corresponds to the portion of the arm that is clamped by the clamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin Zhang, Norbert Johnson, Mir Hussain, James Cascarano, Justin Larson, James Yau, Robert LeBoeuf, II, Michael Norcia
  • Patent number: 11864839
    Abstract: Methods may be provided to operate an image-guided surgical system using imaging information for a 3-dimensional anatomical volume. A pose of a probe that defines a longitudinal axis may be detected based on information received from a tracking system. A placement of a virtual implant for the 3-dimensional anatomical volume may be determined based on the pose of the probe and based on an offset from an end of the probe along the longitudinal axis, such that a trajectory of the virtual implant is in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the probe in the pose. After determining the placement of the virtual implant, the virtual implant may be adjusted in response to movement of the probe while maintaining the trajectory of the virtual implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Globus Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Decker, Jeffrey Forsyth, Neil Crawford, Norbert Johnson, Mir Hussain, Andrew Berkowitz, Michael Brauckmann
  • Patent number: 11866428
    Abstract: The invention relates to bicyclic heterocycle compounds of formula (I): or tautomeric or stereochemically isomeric forms, N-oxides, pharmaceutically acceptable salts or the solvates thereof; wherein R1, R2a, R2b, R3a, R3b, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, p and E are as defined herein; to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds and to the use of said compounds in the treatment of diseases, e.g. cancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: ASTEX THERAPEUTICS LIMITED
    Inventors: Alison Jo-Anne Woolford, Steven Howard, Ildiko Maria Buck, Gianni Chessari, Christopher Norbert Johnson, Emiliano Tamanini, James Edward Harvey Day, Elisabetta Chiarparin, Thomas Daniel Heightman, Martyn Frederickson, Charlotte Mary Griffiths-Jones
  • Patent number: 11864745
    Abstract: A surgical robot system includes a robot having a robot base and a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and a surgical retractor. The surgical retractor includes a retractor frame, a coupler, blades, a force and/or torque sensor, and a force and/or torque feedback determination unit. The retractor frame includes arms that are translatably and/or pivotably connected to the retractor frame. The coupler releasably attaches the retractor frame to the robot arm. The blades are each coupled to and extend away from a distal end of one of the arms. The force and/or torque sensor is connected to the blades and indicates an amount of force and/or torque being applied to the blades from contact with material of a surgical site. The force and/or torque feedback determination unit determines the amount of force and/or torque being applied to the blades based on the indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Friedrich, Neil R. Crawford, Kevin Zhang, Sanjay Joshi, Norbert Johnson, Weston Healy
  • Patent number: 11850012
    Abstract: A system for robotic surgery makes use of an end-effector which has been configured so that any selected one of a group of surgical tools may be selectively connected to such end-effector. The end-effector makes use of a tool-insert locking mechanism which secures a selected one of the surgical tools at not only a respective, predetermined height and angle of orientation, but also at a rotational position relative to an anatomical feature of the patient. The tool-insert locking mechanism may include interchangeable inserts to interconnect multiple tools to the same end-effector. In this way, different robotic operations may be accomplished with less reconfiguration of the end-effector. The end-effector may also include a tool stop which has a sensor associated with a moveable stop mechanism which may be positioned to selectively inhibit tool insertion or end-effector movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventors: Hayden Cameron, Spiros Mantzavinos, Neil R. Crawford, Sanjay Joshi, Norbert Johnson, James Cascarano, Justin Larson
  • Publication number: 20230397956
    Abstract: A surgical implant planning computer is connectable to a fluoroscopy imager, a marker tracking camera, and a robot having a robot base coupled to a robot arm that is movable by motors relative to the robot base. Operations include performing a registration setup mode that determines occurrence of a first condition indicating the marker tracking camera can observe to track reflective markers that are on a fluoroscopy registration fixture of the fluoroscopy imager, and determines occurrence of a second condition indicating the marker tracking camera can observe to track dynamic reference base markers attached to the robot arm and/or an end-effector connected to the robot arm. While both of the first and second conditions occur, operations are allowed to be performed to obtain a first intra-operative fluoroscopic image of a patient along a first plane and to obtain a second intra-operative fluoroscopic image of the patient along a second plane that is orthogonal to the first plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Neil R. Crawford, Norbert Johnson