Patents Examined by Alyssa M. Alter
  • Patent number: 11198001
    Abstract: Methods for automatically programming a signal generator in a patient therapy system and associated systems are disclosed. A representative method comprises retrieving data including therapy program parameters, level of efficacy, and medication use corresponding to a plurality of time periods; identifying from the data a target time period having a corresponding level of efficacy; determining from the data if medication was used during the target time period; determining from the data if medication was used during a prior time period immediately before the target time period; calculating a lead position confidence factor; and programming the signal generator to repeat therapy with the therapy program parameters corresponding to the target time period if the confidence factor is greater than a threshold value and medication was used during the prior time period and not during the target time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Nevro Corp.
    Inventors: James R. Thacker, Jon Parker
  • Patent number: 11197996
    Abstract: A medical delivery device for delivering a medical device includes a navigable elongated member, a deployment bay, and a compression mechanism. The deployment bay may be configured to house the medical device as the medical device is navigated to the target site. The deployment bay may be at a distal end of the delivery device and may include a distal opening through which the medical device may be deployed. The compression mechanism is configured to longitudinally compress in response to a predetermined force such that the elongated member and deployment bay are relatively closer together along a longitudinal axis of the delivery device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth C. Gardeski, Ronald A. Drake, Xin Chen, Michael R. Leners, Lonnie D. Ronning, Lester O. Stener, Matthew D. Bonner, Jean M. Carver, Brian P. Colin, Alexander R. Mattson, Kathryn Hilpisch, Vladimir Grubac
  • Patent number: 11185696
    Abstract: A method to provide non-invasive neurostimulation to enhance a subject's attention span, concentration, multitasking ability, or alertness includes (a) engaging a subject in a brain exercise requiring use of the subject's attention span, concentration, multitasking ability, or alertness; (b) providing intraoral cutaneous stimulation of at least one of the subject's trigeminal nerve, facial nerve or lingual nerve by delivering electrical pulses to one or more stimulators situated within the subject's oral cavity, the delivery of electrical pulses occurring contemporaneously with the subject's engagement in the brain exercise; and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) on a periodic basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Inventors: Yuri P. Danilov, Mitchell E. Tyler, Kurt A. Kaczmarek
  • Patent number: 11168705
    Abstract: The subject matter of the present invention is a pump arrangement (1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50), in particular for use in the body's own vessels, having a pump (11, 41, 51) and a sheath (12, 42, 52) receiving the pump, bounding a flow passage (S) and having a distal intake opening (13, 43, 53) and a proximal outflow opening (14, 29, 39, 44, 54) for producing a driving flow by means of the pump, wherein the pump is arranged in a first fluid-tight section (12a, 42a, 52a) having the distal intake opening and a second fluid-tight section (12b, 42b, 52b) includes the proximal outflow opening. In accordance with the invention, a further inlet opening (15) is present between the first section and the second section and is arranged between the intake opening and the outflow opening, with the first section and the second section being arranged with respect to one another such that the inlet opening opens into the flow proximal to the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: ECP ENTWICKLUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH
    Inventor: Reiner Liebing
  • Patent number: 11160971
    Abstract: A tremor suppression device includes a garment wearable on an anatomical region and including electrodes contacting the anatomical region when the garment is worn on the anatomical region, and an electronic controller configured to: detect electromyography (EMG) signals as a function of anatomical location and time using the electrodes; identify tremors as a function of anatomical location and time based on the EMG signals; and apply neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) at one or more anatomical locations as a function of time using the electrodes to suppress the identified tremors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventors: Gaurav Sharma, Patrick Ganzer
  • Patent number: 11160985
    Abstract: Techniques are described in this disclosure for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to a patient over multiple channels, with independent rate control for each channel, using a single stimulation generator. In one example, the disclosure describes a method for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to a patient that includes delivering first electrical stimulation pulses at a first programmed rate on a first channel using a stimulation generator, and delivering second electrical stimulation pulses at a second programmed rate on a second channel using the stimulation generator, the second programmed rate being different than the first programmed rate, and the second programmed rate being independent of the first programmed rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Todd A. Kallmyer
  • Patent number: 11160978
    Abstract: A sinus treatment device and methods of operating the sinus treatment device that includes a conductive tip and at least one return electrode are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TIVIC HEALTH SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: John Claude, Christopher A. Wiklof
  • Patent number: 11160991
    Abstract: A medical device for caring for a patient includes a patient utility for measuring a patient parameter or administering a therapy to the patient and an alarm system that has a receiver to accept status information about the medical device. A use detector of the alarm system is structured to determine when the medical device is being prepared for use and a status detector of the alarm system is adapted to determine from the status information that the medical device is in a ready state. The alarm system further includes an alarm that is activated when the medical device is both being prepared for use and not in the ready state. This description also includes methods of generating an alarm when the medical device is both being prepared for use and not in the ready state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Physio-Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Angela D. Barnes, Matthew Lawrence Bielstein
  • Patent number: 11147980
    Abstract: A method and system for managing an implantable medical device (IMD) based on left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) are provided. The method collects cardiac activity (CA) signals from one or more implantable electrodes at corresponding sensing sites. The method utilizes one or more processors to perform identifying a characteristic of interest from the CA signals, analyzing the characteristic of interest from the CA signals to identify an LVH state indicative of at least one of an occurrence or degree of LVH experienced by the patient, calculating a DFT expectation based on the LVH state and determining, based on the DFT expectation, at least one of i) a defibrillation shock parameter or ii) a maximum energy capacity of the IMD for implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Xiaoyi Min
  • Patent number: 11141600
    Abstract: A wearable medical device includes a water-resistant harness, and a plurality of ECG sensing electrodes and a plurality of therapy electrodes disposed on the harness. The plurality of therapy electrodes are configured to provide at least one defibrillating biphasic shock. The device includes a control unit comprised within a waterproof case. The control unit is configured to monitor ECG information of the patient based on a sensed ECG signal, and responsive to detection of a cardiac arrhythmia, provide the at least one defibrillating biphasic shock. The device includes a water-resistant or waterproof connection pod configured to electrically couple to the plurality of ECG sensing electrodes, the plurality of therapy electrodes, and the control unit, and to provide the sensed ECG signal from the plurality of ECG sensing electrodes to the control unit and the at least one defibrillating biphasic shock from the control unit to the plurality of therapy electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: ZOLL Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E Kaib, Shane S Volpe, John G Clark
  • Patent number: 11123565
    Abstract: Systems and methods for treating neurodegenerative disorders with high frequency stimulation are disclosed. A representative method for treating a patient includes applying an electrical signal to the patient via a treatment system that includes a signal delivery element positioned at or within a white matter of the patient's brain, spinal cord, or both, the electrical signal having a frequency of from about 1.5 kHz to about 100 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Nevro Corp.
    Inventors: James R. Thacker, Kerry Bradley, Dongchul Lee
  • Patent number: 11123566
    Abstract: In some examples, a system can be used for delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The system may include a pacing device configured to be implanted within a patient. The pacing device can include a plurality of electrodes, signal generation circuitry configured to deliver ventricular pacing via the plurality of electrodes, and a sensor configured to produce a signal that indicates mechanical activity of the heart. Processing circuitry can be configured to identify one or more features of a cardiac contraction within the signal, and determine whether the contraction was a fusion beat based on the one or more features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Stadler, Richard Cornelussen, Berthold Stegemann
  • Patent number: 11123015
    Abstract: A stand-on physiological sensor (e.g. floormat) measures vital signs and various hemodynamic parameters, including blood pressure and ECG waveforms. The sensor is similar in configuration to a common bathroom scale and includes electrodes that take electrical measurements from a patient's feet to generate bioimpedance waveforms, which are analyzed digitally to extract various other parameters, as well as a cuff-type blood pressure system that takes physical blood pressure measurements at one of the patient's feet. Blood pressure can also be calculated/derived from the bioimpedance waveforms. Measured parameters are transmitted wirelessly to facilitate remote monitoring of the patient for heart failure, chronic heart failure, end-stage renal disease, cardiac arrhythmias, and other degenerative diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignees: BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC., BAXTER HEALTHCARE SA
    Inventors: Matthew Banet, Marshal Singh Dhillon, Susan Meeks Pede, Lauren Nicole Miller Hayward, Arthur Deptala, Jonas Dean Cochran
  • Patent number: 11116572
    Abstract: Catheter apparatuses, systems, and methods for achieving renal neuromodulation by intravascular access are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present technology, for example, is directed to a treatment device having a multi-electrode array configured to be delivered to a renal blood vessel. The array is selectively transformable between a delivery or low-profile state (e.g., a generally straight shape) and a deployed state (e.g., a radially expanded, generally helical shape). The multi-electrode array is sized and shaped so that the electrodes or energy delivery elements contact an interior wall of the renal blood vessel when the array is in the deployed (e.g., helical) state. The electrodes or energy delivery elements are configured for direct and/or indirect application of thermal and/or electrical energy to heat or otherwise electrically modulate neural fibers that contribute to renal function or of vascular structures that feed or perfuse the neural fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: MEDTRONIC ARDIAN LUXEMBOURG S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Vincent Ku, Robert Beetel, Andrew Wu, Denise Zarins, Maria Aboytes
  • Patent number: 11110270
    Abstract: Fitting a brain neurostimulator electrode array comprises positioning at least a first electrode in a desired target structure in a first cerebral hemisphere, and positioning at least a second electrode in a corresponding target structure in a contralateral cerebral hemisphere. Electrical stimuli are applied from the first electrode to the desired target structure. Neural responses observed at the second electrode in response to the electrical stimuli are recorded. The fitting of at least one of the first electrode and second electrode is assessed by reference to the recorded neural responses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Closed Loop Medical Pty Ltd
    Inventors: John Louis Parker, Gerrit Eduard Gmel
  • Patent number: 11110273
    Abstract: An electrical stimulation device is provided. The electrical stimulation device according to one embodiment of the present inventive concept is worn on the head so as to apply electrical stimulation to the brain, and comprises: a frame to be worn on the head; an electrode structure including an electrode part formed of a conductive member and a cover unit formed of an insulating member covering at least a part of the electrode part, and of which one end is connected to the frame; and a patch detachable from the electrode structure and making contact with the head when attached to the electrode structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Y-BRAIN INC.
    Inventor: Kiwon Lee
  • Patent number: 11097118
    Abstract: A defibrillation system for synchronized cardioversion of a patient includes a first housing that includes a measurement circuit configured to receive electrocardiogram (ECG) signals and measure ECG parameters based on the ECG signals, and a first processor configured to analyze the ECG parameters, and initiate communication of a synchronization signal for a second processor for delivery of one or more defibrillation pulses and further includes a second housing that is separate from and external to the first housing and that includes a shock delivery circuit, and the second processor which is configured to receive the communication of the synchronization signal from the first processor, and control the shock delivery circuit to deliver the one or more defibrillation pulses in response to the synchronization signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: ZOLL Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Gary A Freeman, James E Brewer, Michael L Lopin
  • Patent number: 11097132
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and devices for selectively applying either fluids (e.g., anesthetics, nerve-blockers, etc.) or energy, such as radiofrequency or ultrasound energy, to a target tissue from within a blood vessel while minimizing the amount of fluid or energy applied to non-target tissue. The catheters described herein may include an elongate body, a directional injector, and one or more holdfasts for securing the catheter. In addition, catheters can include energy applying features for delivering energy to the target tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Silk Road Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Michi E. Garrison, Richard M. Ruedy
  • Patent number: 11089997
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods for managing pain in a patient. A system may include sensors to sense physiological or functional signals, and a pain analyzer that generates a pain score using the sensed physiological or functional signals and a fusion model. The system includes a calibration module that calibrates the fusion model based on measurements from the sensed physiological or functional signals and a reference pain quantification corresponding to multiple pain intensities. A pain score may be generated using the calibrated fusion model. The system can additionally include a neurostimulator that controls the delivery of pain therapy by adjusting one or more stimulation parameters based on the pain score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventors: Elizabeth Mary Annoni, Jianwen Gu, Pramodsingh Hirasingh Thakur, Bryan Allen Clark, Kyle Harish Srivastava
  • Patent number: 11071855
    Abstract: Nerve stimulation devices and methods for performing non-invasive nerve stimulation are provided that are particularly well suited for performing non-invasive stimulation of one or both of the great auricular nerve and auricular branch of the vagus nerve through a target nerve junction in the neck of the subject. The nerve stimulation devices use dry electrolyte electrodes that (1) are comfortable to use, (2) suitable for long-term use, (3) avoid delivering painful shocks to the subject, (4) do not require soaking of the electrodes in saline solutions or covering them in sticky or wet gels, (5) do not require skin preparation, and (6) avoid causing muscle contraction in areas outside of the target nerve junction containing the great auricular nerve and the auricular branch of the vagus nerve during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: HOOLEST PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Nicholas D. Hool