Patents Assigned to Medtronics, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10702213
    Abstract: A method and device for differentiating heart failure risk scores that includes determining receipt of a current data transmission and acquiring patient metrics from a remote monitoring device, determining a daily heart failure risk score for each day occurring during a time period from a previous received data transmission to the current received data transmission based on the acquired patient metrics, and determining a maximum daily heart failure risk score of the determined daily heart failure risk scores during a lookback window prior to the current received data transmission. A heart failure risk score is determined for the received data transmission based on the determined maximum daily heart failure risk score, and a heart failure risk score alert is determined for the received data transmission based on the proximity of the determined maximum heart failure risk score and the current received data transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinod Sharma, Joel R. Lauer, Holly S. Norman
  • Patent number: 10449354
    Abstract: An elongated implantable medical device for delivering electrical stimulation pulses to a patient includes a housing having a housing proximal end and a housing distal end and an electrical conductor having a conductor proximal end and a conductor distal end. The conductor distal end extends from the housing proximal end. The housing has a first fixation force at a first implant site after being implanted in a patient's body, and the conductor proximal end has a second fixation force at a second implant site after being implanted in a patient's body. The second fixation force is different than the first fixation force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Wade M Demmer, Matthew D Bonner, Vladimir Grubac
  • Patent number: 10182729
    Abstract: The exemplary systems and methods may monitor one or more signals to be used to assess the hemodynamic status of a patient. The one or more signals may be used to calculate, or determine, a plurality of pulse transit times. The plurality of pulse transit times may be used to determine hemodynamic status values that may be indicative of a patient's aggregate hemodynamic status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd M. Zielinski, David A. Anderson, Tom D. Bennett, James K. Carney, Can Cinbis, Yong K. Cho, Jonathan L. Kuhn, Brian B. Lee, Richard J. O'Brien, Eduardo N. Warman, Vinod Sharma
  • Patent number: 10099384
    Abstract: An industrial wedge-type gripper mechanism for gripping or releasing objects that has a housing with a piston of a pneumatic cylinder moveable in the housing in longitudinal direction of the housing and a plurality of gripper jaw holders that slide in the housing in a radial or transverse direction and that support the gripper jaws. The gripper jaw holders have inclined slots, and the piston of the pneumatic cylinder is associated with a member that supports rolling bearings rolling and sliding in the inclined slots so that with reciprocations of the piston the rolling bearings exert a camming or wedging action on the walls of the inclined slots and thus cause the gripper jaw holders and thus the gripper jaws to perform gripping or releasing action on the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Quartet Medtronics Inc
    Inventors: Boris Kesil, Elik Gershenzon
  • Patent number: 10076659
    Abstract: Implantable medical leads include a shield that is guarded at a termination by having a first portion and a second portion of the shield, where the first portion is between a termination of the shield at the second portion and an inner insulation layer that surrounds the filars. The first portion may reduce the coupling of RF energy from the termination of the shield at the second portion to the filars. The first and second portions may be part of a continuous shield, where the first and second portions are separated by an inversion of the shield. The first and second portions may instead be separate pieces. The first portion may be noninverted and reside between the termination at the second portion and the inner layers, or the first portion may be inverted to create first and second sub-portions. The shield termination at the second portion is between the first and second sub-portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: MEDTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Richard T. Stone, Mark J. Conroy, Wanzhan Liu, Gary W. Salminen
  • Patent number: 9949831
    Abstract: A method for determining whether a medical device is appropriate for implanting into a cardiovascular conduit of a patient is disclosed comprising imaging a first section of the conduit of the patient into which the medical device is to be implanted during a first expanded state occurring at a first portion of a heart rhythm; reimaging the first section of the conduit of the patient during a first contracted state occurring at a second portion of the heart rhythm; deriving, from the imaging and the reimaging, dimensional characteristics of the first section of the conduit; and determining whether the medical device is appropriate for implantation in the first section of conduit based on the derived dimensional characteristics. The first section of the conduit includes a sizing device providing a selected radial force on the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Keogh, Timothy R. Ryan, Carol E. Eberhardt, Mark T. Stewart, James R. Skarda, Timothy G. Laske, Alexander J. Hill, Jack D. Lemmon, David E. Francischelli
  • Patent number: 9629998
    Abstract: Implantable medical leads and implantable lead extensions include a shield. The implantable medical lead is coupled to the implantable lead extension. Stimulation electrodes of the implantable medical lead contact stimulation connectors within a housing of the implantable extension to establish a conductive pathway for stimulation signals from filars of the implantable extension to filars of the implantable medical lead. Continuity is established between the shield of the implantable medical lead and the implantable extension by providing a radio frequency conductive pathway within the housing. The radio frequency conductive pathway extends from a shield of the implantable extension to a shield connector that contacts a shield electrode of the implantable medical lead. The radio frequency conductive pathway may have various forms such as a jumper wire or an extension of the shield within the implantable extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: MEDTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: James M. Olsen, Bruce R. Mehdizadeh, Michael J. Kern
  • Patent number: 9610450
    Abstract: An antenna structure, for use in an implantable medical device, may include an inner portion that is magnetically coupled to an outer portion. In one example, the inner and outer portions include conductive loops. In accordance with the techniques of this disclosure, a capacitive sensor is electrically coupled to one of the conductive loops of the antenna of the implantable medical device. As the capacitance of the capacitive sensor changes as a function of the sensed parameter, an impedance of the antenna varies with the output of the capacitive sensor. This variation in impedance of the antenna modulates a carrier signal with the measured parameter. In other words, the measured parameter is modulated onto the carrier signal as a change in amplitude caused by variation in impedance of antenna during radiation/transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Yanzhu Zhao
  • Patent number: 9449501
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a chopper mixer telemetry circuit for use in a wireless receiver. The receiver may be located in an implantable medical device (IMD) or external programmer. The chopper mixer telemetry circuit may include a mixer amplifier that operates as a synchronous demodulator to provide selective extraction of wireless signals received from a transmitter while suppressing out-of-band noise that can undermine the reliability of the telemetry link between an IMD or programmer and another device. The mixer amplifier may utilize parallel signal paths to convert the received telemetry signal into an in-phase (I) signal component and a quadrature (Q) signal component and recombine the I and Q signal components to reconstruct the total signal independently of the phase mismatch between the transmitter and receiver. Each signal path may include a chopper-stabilized mixer amplifier that amplifies telemetry signals within a desired band while suppressing out-of-band noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Grevious, Timothy J. Denison
  • Patent number: 9220913
    Abstract: Techniques and methods for determining the number and type of leads that are connected to an implantable medical device (IMD) system are disclosed. The IMD system is configured having at least two modes of operation, the modes of operation corresponding to the number and type of leads that are coupled to the IMD system. In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, one of the at least two modes may be selected based on the determination of the number and type of leads that are connected to the IMD system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Melissa G. T. Christie, Amy E. Thompson-Nauman, Becky L. Dolan, Paul J. DeGroot, Rick D. McVenes
  • Patent number: 9133517
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and sequences to preferentially suppress the expression of the mutated huntingtin (“htt”) protein over expression of the normal htt protein. Also disclosed are methods comprising screening an individual for the heterozygous presence of one or more single nucleotide polymorphisms within the individual's Huntington's genes; administering nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleotide sequences that preferentially suppress the expression of amino acid sequences encoding for mutated huntingtin (“htt”) over suppressing the expression of amino acid sequences encoding for normal htt by targeting an area of a Huntington's disease gene that is heterozygous for the presence of one or more single nucleotide polymorphisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul H. J. Van Bilsen, Leonie Jaspers
  • Patent number: 8744585
    Abstract: In general, the disclosure is directed to an implantable neurostimulator and system capable of providing adaptive neurostimulation therapy to alleviate incontinence. The neurostimulator operates according to a set of stimulation parameters stored in memory. During operation, information is obtained from the patient, the implanted neurostimulator, one or more implanted sensors, or some combination thereof. A processor analyzes the information to automatically generate proposed adjustments to the stimulation parameters applied by the neurostimulator. The adjustments provide an adaptive neurostimulation therapy that supports or enhances therapeutic efficacy based on the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin T. Gerber, John C. Rondoni
  • Patent number: 8685077
    Abstract: A delivery system with sequential release mechanism and method of delivering and deploying an implantable stented device into a body lumen including a tabular body, a plurality of activation members extending from the distal end of the tubular body, and a plurality of disks. Each disk includes a proximal and distal surface, at least one stent engagement element attached to the distal surface of the disk and at least one aperture. At least one activation member attaches to the proximal surface of a first disk and at least one activation member passes through an aperture of the first disk and attaches to the proximal surface of a second disk. At least one stent engagement element attached to the distal surface of the first disk passes through an aperture of the second disk. Axially movement of the activation members causes sequential release of the stent engagement elements from a stented device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy G. Laske, Timothy R. Ryan, Carolyn C. Majkrzak, Eliot Bloom, Charles Tabor
  • Patent number: 8654574
    Abstract: An SRAM having two capacitors connected in series between respective bit storage nodes of each memory cell. The two inverters of the memory cell are powered by a positive voltage and a low voltage. The two capacitors are connected to each other at a common node. A leakage current generator is coupled to the common node. The leakage current generator supplies to the common node a leakage current to maintain a voltage which is approximately halfway between the voltages of the high and low SRAM supplies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics, Inc., STMicroelectronics S/A, Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin K. Walsh, Paul F. Gerrish, Larry E. Tyler, Mark A. Lysinger, David C. McClure, François Jacquet
  • Patent number: 8577457
    Abstract: Techniques are described for detecting lead-related conditions for implantable electrical leads. In some of the described embodiments, an implantable electrical lead assembly is provided with a coupling member for connecting a conductor and associated insulator(s) to an electrode/sensing element. The implantable medical device controls and performs a measurement of an electrical property of the electrical lead during periods when the conductor is decoupled from the electrode/sensing element. An indication of a lead-related condition is derived based on the measured electrical property. The lead-related condition may be associated with an insulator of a lead body of the electrical lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick D. Miller, Thomas H. Spear, Nancy M. Germanson
  • Patent number: 8433424
    Abstract: An implantable anchor for anchoring a lead or catheter relative to biological tissue, implantable system including such an anchor and a lead or catheter, and a method of use of such anchor. The anchor comprises a body having a channel adapted to receive a catheter or lead, and a cover mounted on the body for pivoting motion along a lateral axis, that is an axis that extends generally in the lateral direction perpendicular to the catheter or lead, between an open position in which the anchor is adapted to allow a lead or catheter to be placed in or moved along the channel, and a locked position in which the anchor is adapted to retain a lead or catheter within the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Olson
  • Publication number: 20130006332
    Abstract: A medical system comprises a plurality of electrodes; at least one sensor configured to output at least one signal based on at least one physiological parameter of a patient; and a processor. The processor is configured to control delivery of stimulation to the patient using a plurality of electrode configurations. Each of the electrode configurations comprises at least one of the plurality of electrodes. For each of the electrode configurations, the processor is configured to determine a first response of target tissue to the stimulation based on the signals, and a second response of non-target tissue to the stimulation based on the signals. The processor is also configured to select at least one of the electrode configurations for delivery of stimulation to the patient based on the first and second responses for the electrode configurations. As examples, the target tissue may be a left ventricle or vagus nerve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Sommer, David Wayne Bourn, Mark T. Marshall, Michael D. Eggen, Gabriela C. Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 8306618
    Abstract: A method of detecting a cardiac event that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes, determining rates of change of the sensed cardiac signals, and determining a range of the sensed cardiac signals. The sensed cardiac signals are detected as being associated with the cardiac event in response to the determined rates of change and the determined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Raja N. Ghanem, Robert W. Stadler, Xusheng Zhang
  • Publication number: 20120277736
    Abstract: A method for ablation in which a portion of atrial tissue around the pulmonary veins of the heart is ablated by a first elongated ablation component and a second elongated ablation component movable relative to the first ablation component and having means for magnetically attracting the first and second components toward one another. The magnetic means draw the first and second components toward one another to compress the atrial tissue therebetween, along the length of the first and second components and thereby position the device for ablation of the tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Medtronics, Inc.
    Inventor: David E. Francischelli
  • Patent number: D738932
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: MEDTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Jordan M. Mahaffey