Patents Assigned to Medtronic
  • Patent number: 9180299
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a deep brain stimulation (DBS) lead having a distal end for providing therapeutic electrical stimulation to tissue in a stimulation target area of a patient's brain, comprising an array of one or more stimulation elements and sensing elements located at the distal end of the lead; each of the one or more stimulation elements is capable of providing electrical stimulation to the brain tissue in the target area; and each of the one or more sensing elements is capable of detecting electrical signals produced by nerve cells within the brain; wherein after the first implantation of the lead into the brain along a trajectory that is pre-determined by non-surgical procedures, the array of stimulation and sensing elements is capable of facilitating the location of the target area and the determination for each of the stimulation elements of the required stimulation parameters needed to provide the therapeutic stimulation to the brain tissue in the stimulation target area, without requiri
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Bakken Research Center B. V.
    Inventors: Michel Marcel Jose Decre, Hubert Cécile François Martens
  • Patent number: 9180303
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to transmitting power source usage information regarding a power source of an implantable medical device (IMD) to a remote networking device via a network. The IMD operates on power supplied by a power source, such as a battery, within the housing of the IMD. The use of the power source may be monitored remotely in order to maintain therapy. Power source usage information may include power source recharge patterns such as frequency of recharging events, length of recharging events, period between recharging events, discharge state of the power source, and degree of coupling between primary and secondary coils during recharging. The IMD, or an external device used with the IMD, may generate, store, and transmit the power source usage information to the remote networking device. Action requests may be transmitted from the remote networking device via the network based upon the power source usage information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven M. Goetz
  • Patent number: 9179860
    Abstract: An volume of a patient can be mapped with a system operable to identify a plurality of locations and save a plurality of locations of a mapping instrument. The mapping instrument can include one or more electrodes that can sense a voltage that can be correlated to a three dimensional location of the electrode at the time of the sensing or measurement. Therefore, a map of a volume can be determined based upon the sensing of the plurality of points without the use of other imaging devices. An implantable medical device can then be navigated relative to the mapping data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: H. Toby Markowitz, Mustafa Karamanoglu, Pooja Mehta, Ioana Fleming, David A. Scanlon, Michael Kryger, Sean Campbell-Massa, Chad Giese, Steven L. Waldhauser, Shangqian Peter Zhang, Jeff Jannicke, Phillip Falkner, Don Hefner, Eduardo N. Warman, James Steeves, Rogier Receveur, Koen Michels, Olaf Eick, Vincent Larik
  • Patent number: 9185087
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and techniques for generating an encryption key using detected motion from a device. In one example, a method may include receiving movement information indicative of motion detected by a first device during a period of time in which the first device and a second device were bumped together, determining a set of values that represent at least one characteristic of the movement information, and generating, based on the set of values, an encryption key for at least one of encrypting and decrypting data communicated between the first device and the second device. In some examples, the first device may include a sensor configured to detect each time the first device is bumped with the second device during the period of time. The first and second devices may be an implantable medical device and a programmer for the implantable medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Timmothy S. Carlson, Duane L. Bourget
  • Patent number: 9183960
    Abstract: A power converter comprises a first die and a second die. Each die comprises a semiconductor substrate comprising a junction for converting nuclear radiation particles to electrical energy, the junction of each semiconductor substrate comprising a first side and a second side, a first electrode comprising a nuclear radiation-emitting radioisotope deposited on the semiconductor substrate, the first electrode being electrically connected to the first side of the junction, and a second electrode deposited on the semiconductor substrate, the second electrode being electrically connected to the second side. A bond is formed between one of the first electrode or the second electrode of the first die and one of the first electrode or the second electrode of the second die, wherein the bond forms an electrical contact between the bonded electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffrey D. Batchelder
  • Patent number: 9179974
    Abstract: Helical push wire electrodes are provided. The electrodes may create a continuous helical lesion. One or more electrodes may wind around a support section and create a set of helixes having fixed ends and hitches. Pushing or pulling an end of the electrode transforms the electrodes between a delivery configuration and a deployed configuration such that the set of helixes expand or contract axially. Different portions of the electrodes may be surrounded by sleeves. The sleeves may regulate how the wires transform and provide insulation. Various insulation configurations of the electrodes may provide creations of discrete lesions, efficient energy delivery and reduced power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Ardian Luxembourg S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Vincent W. Ku, Andrew E. Wu
  • Patent number: 9180108
    Abstract: Methods for preparing sterilized baclofen solutions include adjusting the pH to below a desired pH, and steam sterilizing the solution with adjusted pH, which results in the solution having the desired pH. Such solutions may also have low concentrations of 4-CPP. Injectable baclofen solutions having greater than 2 mg/mL baclofen include between 5 mM and 25 mM of a phosphate or sulfate species. The solution has an ionic strength equivalent of about 1.5 M NaCl. The present application also provides baclofen formulations for use in treating spasticity, brain injury, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, cervical injury, multiple sclerosis, thoracic injury, or withdrawal symptoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Schmitz, Corinne Dominguez, Thomas E. Keene, Deanna S. Lane, Lanchi T. Le, Jianwei Li, Ngoc T. Lu, Carmen E. Snaza
  • Patent number: 9180009
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for testing heart valve leaflets. The system includes a leaflet support assembly with a support post for receiving and supporting a leaflet to be tested, the post being disposed in a target region of the support assembly. The system also has a transmitter assembly that includes a light source and is configured and arranged to direct light from the light source onto the target region. The system further includes a receiver assembly that has an image sensor configured and arranged to sense an image of the target region and generate image information indicative of the sensed image, such as leaflet droop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Carolyn Majkrzak, Roger Lee, Kshitija Garde, Eric Richardson, Benjamin Wong
  • Patent number: 9179984
    Abstract: A navigation system generally determines a location of a portion of a first medical instrument relative to a patient. The navigation system generally includes a multi-configuration tracking array that extends from the first medical instrument. A plurality of tracking devices can be positioned on the multi-configuration tracking array. At least one of the tracking devices changes to define at least a first condition and a second condition. A tracking system detects the tracking devices and relates a change between the first condition and the second condition with a change between at least a first instrument configuration and a second instrument configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Navigation, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Teichman, David Mire, Jason Tipton, Steven L. Hartmann
  • Patent number: 9180300
    Abstract: A medical device and associated method classify candidate pacing electrode sites for delivering pacing pulses to a patient's heart. A first morphology template is established and stored in memory of the device. A processor is configured to determine a cardiac signal morphology in response to delivering pacing pulses at a candidate pacing site in a first heart chamber. The processor compares the determined cardiac signal morphology to the first morphology template. The pacing site in the first heart chamber is classified in response to the comparing of the determined cardiac signal morphology and the first morphology template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Aleksandre T. Sambelashvili, Robert W. Stadler
  • Publication number: 20150314127
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for monopolar neuromodulation, e.g., via a pulsed electric field. Such monopolar neuromodulation may effectuate irreversible electroporation or electrofusion, necrosis and/or inducement of apoptosis, alteration of gene expression, action potential attenuation or blockade, changes in cytokine up-regulation and other conditions in target neural fibers. In some embodiments, monopolar neuromodulation is applied to neural fibers that contribute to renal function. In some embodiments, such monopolar neuromodulation is performed bilaterally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: Medtronic Ardian Luxembourg S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Denise Zarins, Hanson Gifford, III, Mark Deem, Howard R. Levin, Mark Gelfand, Nicolas Zadno
  • Patent number: 9173609
    Abstract: A brain condition can be tracked based on identification of co-activation of two antagonistic networks of a patient's brain. Various embodiments concerns methods and devices for sensing one or more signals indicative of brain activity, detecting one or more episodes of default mode network activation based on the one or more signals, detecting one or more episodes of salience network activation based on the one or more signals, and identifying one or more episodes of temporal co-activation of the default mode network and the salience network based on the detected one or more episodes of default mode network activation and the one or more episodes of salience network activation. The brain condition can be tracked and treated based on the identification of the one or more episodes of co-activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Dwight E. Nelson
  • Patent number: 9173678
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method and tool for implanting a stimulation lead or other medical device adjacent a pudendal nerve. The tool includes a shaped needle that enters a patient and passes through an obturator foramen passage in a pelvis. A physician places a tip of the tool at the pudendal nerve and performs test stimulation to confirm an effective stimulation location. A shape memory cannula initially covering the needle remains at the pudendal nerve when the physician removes the tool. The cannula deforms to follow the curve of the pudendal nerve once the needle is removed, and a lead is inserted into the cannula and secured at the pudendal nerve placement site. This method may provide an easier and more consistent procedure for implanting the stimulation lead near the pudendal nerve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven W. Siegel, Eric H. Bonde, Martin T. Gerber
  • Patent number: 9174059
    Abstract: A system may include an active implantable medical device implantable in a body of a patient and a patient programmer for the AIMD. The patient programmer may be configured to obtain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatibility information relating to compatibility of the AIMD with an MRI modality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Gadagkar, James Zimmerman, James M. Olsen, Robyn L. Jagler, Timothy R. Abraham, Jeffrey R. Dixon
  • Patent number: 9174055
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a system that displays an indicator of patient posture state that changes according to posture state data. The posture state data may be transmitted from a medical device, for example, in or near real-time. In some examples, the disclosure relates to a method comprising receiving posture state data for a patient from a medical device; and presenting an indicator indicative of two or more of posture states based on the received posture state data, wherein each posture state of the two or more posture states is determined based on different detection criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon P. Davis, Duane L. Bourget, Mandla Shongwe, Rajeev M. Sahasrabudhe
  • Patent number: 9173736
    Abstract: A flat sheet of woven material includes warp yarns and weft yarns interlaced at substantially right angles to each other. A graft material is cut from the flat sheet of woven material such that the graft material includes a graft material longitudinal axis and the warp yarns are disposed at an angle relative to the graft material longitudinal axis. The warp yarns and weft yarns are not parallel to or perpendicular to the graft material longitudinal axis. The graft material is formed into the shape of an endoluminal prosthesis, such as by rolling opposing edges towards each other and securing the opposing edges to each other. The endoluminal prosthesis thus includes warp yarns disposed at an angle relative to the prosthesis longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Bertini
  • Patent number: 9174062
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting a cardiac event in a medical device that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes, determining a relationship between a plurality of characteristics associated with a morphology of the cardiac signals sensed during a predetermined sensing window, generating a threshold in response to the determined relationship, comparing a first characteristic of the plurality of characteristics with the threshold, and determining whether the sensed cardiac signals are associated with the cardiac event in response to the comparing of the first characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Stadler, Raja N. Ghanem, Xusheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 9174058
    Abstract: An implantable medical device (IMD) automatically determines at least a portion of the parameters and, in some instances all of the parameters, of an exposure operating mode based on stored information regarding sensed physiological events or therapy provided over a predetermined period of time. The IMD may configure itself to operate in accordance with the automatically determined parameters of the exposure operating mode in response to detecting a disruptive energy field. Alternatively, the IMD may provide the automatically determined parameters of the exposure operating mode to a physician as suggested or recommended parameters for the exposure operating mode. In other instances, the automatically determined parameters may be compared to parameters received manually via telemetry and, if differences exist or occur, a physician or patient may be notified and/or the manual parameters may be overridden by the automatically determined parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Ellingson, Hyun J. Yoon
  • Patent number: 9173737
    Abstract: A stent frame including an annular portion having first and second ends, a central longitudinal axis, and a wire portion with at least two extending posts and a generally sinusoidal series of peaks and valleys between each of the at least two extending posts; an atrial portion extending from the first end of the annular portion, wherein the atrial portion includes a plurality of flares that extend radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis of the annular portion; and a ventricular portion extending from the second end of the annular portion, wherein the ventricular portion includes at least one flare that extends radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis of the annular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander J. Hill, Mark J. Capps, Carol E. Eberhardt, Morgan M. House, Stuart R. MacDonald, Joseph C. Morrow, Jerald Redmond, Janice L. Shay, Timothy R. Ryan
  • Patent number: D742527
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin T. Gerber, David B. Lura, Bryant J. Pudil, Thomas E. Meyer, Brian Mullins