Patents Assigned to Sonometrics Corporation
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Patent number: 6540699Abstract: A biomedical apparatus is disclosed including an implantable biomedical device for providing biomedical assistance to the body structure and a device controller for regulating the operation of the biomedical device. A sonomicrometer arrangement is provided, in contact with the body structure and in communication with the device controller. The sonomicrometer arrangement ultrasonically measures at least one physical parameter of the body structure and provides feedback information to the device controller. The device controller then regulates the operation of the biomedical device in response to the feedback information.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2001Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: Sonometrics CorporationInventor: Wayne L. Smith
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Patent number: 6246898Abstract: A method for carrying out a medical procedure using a 3-D tracking and imaging system (1600). A surgical instrument, such as a catheter, probe, sensor, pacemaker lead, needle, or the like is inserted into a living being, and the position of the surgical instrument is tracked as it moves through a medium in a bodily structure. The location of the surgical instrument relative to its immediate surroundings is displayed to improve a physician's ability to precisely position the surgical instrument. The medical procedures including targeted drug delivery, sewing sutures, removal of an obstruction from the circulatory system, a biopsy, amniocentesis, brain surgery, measurement of cervical dilation, evaluation of knee stability, assessment of myocardial contractibility, eye surgery, prostate surgery, trans-myocardial revascularization (TMR), robotic surgery, and evaluation of RF transmissions.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 1998Date of Patent: June 12, 2001Assignee: Sonometrics CorporationInventors: Ivan Vesely, Wayne Smith, George Klein, Daniel Burkhoff
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Patent number: 6019725Abstract: A 3-D tracking and imaging system (1600) for tracking the position of a surgical instrument (e.g., a catheter, probe, a sensor, needle or the like) inserted into a body, and displaying a 3-D image showing the position of the surgical instrument in reference to a 3-D image of the environment surrounding the surgical instrument. The 3-D tracking and imaging system (1600) aiding a physician in the guidance of the surgical instrument inside the body.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 1997Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: Sonometrics CorporationInventors: Ivan Vesely, Wayne L. Smith
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Patent number: 5868673Abstract: A system for carrying out surgery on a bodily structure (e.g., breast and liver) with greater precision, accuracy, comfort and minimal invasiveness. A 3-dimensional tracking and imaging system (1000) is used to obtain an accurate position of an instrument as it is maneuvered by an operator, and to mark a location on the subject bodily structure. The system is particularly advantageous for surgical procedures for biopsying and destroying tumors in bodily structures which are easily deformable.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1997Date of Patent: February 9, 1999Assignee: Sonometrics CorporationInventor: Ivan Vesely
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Patent number: 5817022Abstract: A system for displaying a 2-D ultrasound image in a 3-D viewing environment. Within the same 3-D viewing environment, various surgical instruments can be tracked and displayed, thus correlating 3-D virtual surgery with ultrasound imaging for verification. A detachable housing (220) containing position transducers (222) is attached to a conventional 2-D ultrasound imaging head (200) to provide position data of an imaging plane generated by an image transducer (204).Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1997Date of Patent: October 6, 1998Assignee: Sonometrics CorporationInventor: Ivan Vesely
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Patent number: 5797849Abstract: A method for carrying out a medical procedure using a 3-D tracking and imaging system (1600). A surgical instrument, such as a catheter, probe, sensor, needle or the like is inserted into a living being, and the position of the surgical instrument is tracked as it moves through a medium in a bodily structure. The location of the surgical instrument relative to its immediate surroundings is displayed to improve a physician's ability to precisely position the surgical instrument. The medical procedures including removal of an obstruction from the circulatory system, a biopsy, amniocentesis, brain surgery, measurement of cervical dilation, evaluation of knee stability, assessment of myocardial contractibility, eye surgery, prostate surgery and transmyocardial myocardial revascularization (TMR). In addition, the method of the present invention also finds use in connection with the generation of 2-D echo planes.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 1997Date of Patent: August 25, 1998Assignee: Sonometrics CorporationInventors: Ivan Vesely, Wayne Smith
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Patent number: 5795298Abstract: A device having a combined electrode (20) and position tracking transducer (30) mounted to a surgical instrument, such as a catheter (10). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the electrode (20) serves dual functions, namely as a standard ECG electrode for communicating an ECG voltage, and as an electrode transducer, such as a conductor for a transducer. The combined ECG electrode and position tracking transducer minimizes the amount of space needed on the surgical instrument and the number of required components.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 1997Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Assignee: Sonometrics CorporationInventors: Ivan Vesely, Marshall Edge
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Patent number: 5779638Abstract: A system for determining a time delay of a signal propagating through a medium. The time delay is used to determine the distance between transducers arrangable within a body. One or more Digital Signal Processors (DSP) are programmed to recognize various waveform patterns by matching a received waveform to a template waveform.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 1997Date of Patent: July 14, 1998Assignee: Sonometrics CorporationInventors: Ivan Vesely, Wayne L. Smith
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Patent number: 5515853Abstract: A method and apparatus for simultaneous measurement of multiple distances by means of networked piezoelectric transducers. Through the use of high frequency digital counters, the propagation delay between the activation of an ultrasonic transducer and the reception by similar transducers is quickly and accurately defined. By alternating the duty cycle between transmit and receive modes, the system can track and triangulate the three-dimensional positions for each transducer.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 1995Date of Patent: May 14, 1996Assignee: Sonometrics CorporationInventors: Wayne L. Smith, Ivan Vesely, Andrew W. Gubbels