Patents Examined by Etsub Berhanu
  • Patent number: 8777865
    Abstract: A blood pressure information measurement device includes a servo control unit for performing a servo control of a pressure adjustment unit so that a value of an arterial volume signal matches a control target value and a fluctuation detection unit for detecting rapid fluctuation of the arterial volume signal at an initial stage during a period of the servo control. The fluctuation detection unit determines that the rapid fluctuation occurred when a control deviation representing a level of the arterial volume signal having the control target value as a reference becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined magnification of a reference deviation. The blood pressure information measurement device further includes an adjustment processing unit for adjusting a control amount of the pressure adjustment unit by the servo control unit so that an excessive response is not made when the rapid fluctuation is detected by the fluctuation detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Tokko, Yukiya Sawanoi
  • Patent number: 8777874
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to the detection of coughs and coughing episodes using acoustic signals. In various examples, an implantable medical device processes an acoustic signal obtained from an acoustic sensor to determine whether a patient has coughed. In some examples, the implantable medical device also performs a cough severity assessment. In some examples, the cough severity assessment may include a determination of the depth of the cough, the duration of the coughing episode, or whether the cough was wet or dry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Xusheng Zhang, Vinod Sharma, Eduardo N. Warman
  • Patent number: 8764670
    Abstract: During a period of servo control, an artery volume of a peripheral site is detected by an artery volume sensor arranged at a peripheral site (site on the peripheral side than a measurement site) of a person to be measured. If an amount of change in the artery volume of the peripheral site or a value of the artery volume is greater than or equal to a predetermined ratio of a reference value at the beginning of the measurement, the servo control and a blood pressure determination process are continued. When detected thereafter that the amount of change in the artery volume of the peripheral site or the value of the artery volume is smaller than the predetermined ratio of the reference value at the beginning of the measurement, the measurement is stopped at the relevant time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukiya Sawanoi, Yoshihide Tokko
  • Patent number: 8768449
    Abstract: Prosthetic devices, methods and systems are disclosed. Eye position and/or neural activity of a primate are recorded and combined. The combination signal is compared with a predetermined signal. The result of the comparison step is used to actuate the prosthetic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Bijan Pesaran, Richard A. Andersen
  • Patent number: 8768448
    Abstract: A method of measuring electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses of a patient or animal body is provided. The method includes surgically implanting an auditory prosthesis having an electrode array, the electrode array positioned either intracochlear or substantially proximate a brainstem of the body. At least one electrode is stimulated in the electrode array. Electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses resulting from said stimulation are recorded using, at least in part, an electrode in the electrode array as a negative electrode, and a positive electrode positioned substantially proximate the vertex of the head of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
    Inventor: Marek Polak
  • Patent number: 8764667
    Abstract: A method of monitoring sleep of a sleeping subject is disclosed. The method comprises determining a phase shift of input radiofrequency signals received from the subject during sleep relative to output radiofrequency signals transmitted to the subject during sleep, calculating cardiac output based on the phase shift, and using the cardiac output for identifying sleep apnea events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Cheetah Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoav Avidor, Daniel Burkhoff, Pierre Squara, Hanan Keren
  • Patent number: 8764669
    Abstract: A blood pressure information display device for calculating a blood pressure value based on a pulse wave amplitude through the oscillometric method and the like, and displaying the calculated blood pressure value as blood pressure information performs a process of changing a magnitude of a specified pulse wave amplitude of a plurality of extracted pulse wave amplitudes according to the operation by a user (medical staff) when a predetermined instruction is input. A predetermined algorithm is applied to the plurality of pulse wave amplitudes reflecting the change to calculate a reference blood pressure value, and the calculated reference blood pressure value is displayed as the blood pressure information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomonori Inoue
  • Patent number: 8761869
    Abstract: A method for identifying a functional area of a brain. The functional area is associated with a neurological function. The method includes applying a plurality of electrodes to a surface of the brain. A slow cortical potential is determined based on one or more electrical signals produced by the plurality of electrodes. A covariance pattern is computed based on the slow cortical potential, and the configuration of co-varying electrodes is used to identify one or more areas of the brain associated with the neurological function. These co-varying patterns may be used in conjunction with other electrical and/or physiological stimulation paradigms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Washington University
    Inventors: Eric Claude Leuthardt, Jonathan Dean Breshears
  • Patent number: 8758239
    Abstract: A biological information detector includes a light-emitting part subjected to emit a first light directed at a detection site of a test subject and a second light directed in a direction other than a direction of the detection site, a first reflecting part subjected to reflect the second light and directing the second light towards the detection site, a light-receiving part subjected to receive light having biological information, where the light produced by the first light and the second light is reflected at the detection site, and a second reflecting part subjected to reflect the light having biological information from the detection site and directing the light having biological information towards the light-receiving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideto Yamashita, Yoshitaka Iijima, Shigemi Sato
  • Patent number: 8758242
    Abstract: At least one of a medical device, such as an implantable medical device, and a programming device determines values for one or more metrics that indicate the quality of a patient's sleep. Sleep efficiency, sleep latency, and time spent in deeper sleep states are example sleep quality metrics for which values may be determined. In some embodiments, determined sleep quality metric values are associated with a current therapy parameter set. In some embodiments, a programming device presents sleep quality information to a user based on determined sleep quality metric values. A clinician, for example, may use the sleep quality information presented by the programming device to evaluate the effectiveness of therapy delivered to the patient by the medical device, to adjust the therapy delivered by the medical device, or to prescribe a therapy not delivered by the medical device in order to improve the quality of the patient's sleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. Miesel, Kenneth T. Heruth
  • Patent number: 8755879
    Abstract: Analog electrical and pressure data obtained by an EEG/pressure sensor matrix from the subject are sent to a signal processing module that derives digital EEG data from the electrical signal and pressure data without using sensors attached to a subject's head. The pressure data are used as a secondary signal to measure the physical orientation of the subject's head. The physical orientation is used to transform the derived EEG signal to a known coordinate axis (the orientation of the subject's head) to obtain useful, consistent, and accurate EEG data. The EEG may be used to determine a sleep state of a subject and to awaken the subject while in a particular state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Forty Winks, LLC
    Inventors: Zimin Hang, James Nolan Tin Ahad, Xiaoyang Ye, Daniel Alexander Corin
  • Patent number: 8747316
    Abstract: An in vivo component measurement method allowing how long a high concentration state of a measurement target component continues in an organism to be grasped is provided. In this in vivo component measurement method, a value relating to an amount of a measurement target component in tissue fluid extracted for 60 minutes or more from an organism on which a treatment for enhancing extraction of tissue fluid has been made is acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
    Inventor: Seiki Okada
  • Patent number: 8744563
    Abstract: A mental disorder analysis apparatus includes a storage portion in which sleep electroencephalogram information, which is information on electroencephalograms during sleep of a test subject, is stored, an analyzing portion that performs analysis regarding presence or absence of a mental disorder using the sleep electroencephalogram information stored in the storage portion, and an output portion that outputs a result of the analysis performed by the analyzing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Sleepwell Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8740791
    Abstract: A biological information detector includes a first sensor unit for detecting composite information including biological information of a test subject and first noise information originating in external light, having a first light-emitting part for emitting toward there, a first light-receiving part for receiving it including the biological information, reflected there, and the light including the first noise information obtained from the external light, transmitted through there, and a first reflecting and leading part for reflecting the light including the biological and the first noise information, leading it to the first light-receiving part, and a second sensor unit for detecting second noise information originating in the external light, having a second light-receiving part for receiving the light including the second noise information, obtained from the external light and transmitted through there, and a second reflecting, leading part for reflecting the external light and leading it to the second light
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigemi Sato, Yoshitaka Iijima, Hideto Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8734360
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for use with a subject who is undergoing respiration. A motion sensor senses motion of a subject. A breathing pattern analysis unit analyzes components of the sensed motion that result from the subject's respiration. The breathing pattern analysis unit includes double-movement-respiration-cycle-pattern-identification functionality that designates respiration cycles as being double-movement-respiration-cycles (DMRC's) by determining that the cycles define two subcycles. Double-movement-respiration-cycle-event-identification functionality of the breathing pattern analysis unit identifies a DMRC event by detecting that the subject has undergone a plurality of DMRC's. An output is generated that is indicative of the subject having used accessory muscles in breathing, in response to identification of the double-movement-respiration-cycle event. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Earlysense Ltd.
    Inventors: Tal Klap, Shiraz Levkovich, Zvika Shinar, Guy Meger
  • Patent number: 8728001
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method for detecting a response of a patient to an external stimulus. An exemplary method comprises the acts of generating at least one time series of at least one physiologic parameter, detecting the external stimulus, detecting at least one response associated with the stimulus, the response comprising at least one of a pattern and a value, and outputting an indication of the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Inventor: Lawrence A. Lynn
  • Patent number: 8721541
    Abstract: A patient monitor has multiple sensors adapted to attach to tissue sites of a living subject. The sensors generate sensor signals that are responsive to at least two wavelengths of optical radiation after attenuation by pulsatile blood within the tissue sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Ammar Al-Ali, Mohamed K. Diab, Massi E. Kiani, Robert James Kopotic, David Tobler
  • Patent number: 8715200
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for determining the blood flow in an individual coronary artery of a patient, wherein the method comprises the steps of positioning a temperature sensor mounted at a distal portion of a guide wire at a distal position in the coronary artery, positioning an infusion catheter in the coronary artery such that the distal end of the infusion catheter is proximally of the temperature sensor, measuring the blood temperature with the temperature sensor, infusing cold indicator fluid with a known infusion rate and known or measurable temperature into the coronary artery by the infusion catheter, measuring the temperature of the mixture of blood and indicator fluid by the temperature sensor, and calculating the coronary blood flow by a formula based on the known and measured quantities. In an extended version, the method comprises steps for relating the calculated coronary flow value to related normal flow values, or related FFR values, or a related flow resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Radi Medical Systems AB
    Inventor: Nico H. J. Pijls
  • Patent number: 8715197
    Abstract: A blood pressure information measurement device instantaneously changes cuff pressure in a specified pressure section in order to detect a control target value in artery volume constant control. An artery volume signal is detected in that period, and an inflection point of the detected artery volume signal is detected by performing differentiation processing or the like. The inflection point of the detected artery volume signal is fixed as the control target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukiya Sawanoi, Kenji Fujii, Naomi Matsumura, Reiji Fujita
  • Patent number: 8712549
    Abstract: A multiplexed medical carrier provides for sensing one or more patient parameters and/or delivering energy via separately identifiable effectors. The carrier includes a body and at least two electrical conductors coupled with at least two effectors. Effectors may be any combination of sensors, actuators or both. Sensors may measure such parameters as pressure, oxygen content, volume, conductivity, fluid flow rate, or any other chemical or physical parameters. Actuators may be used, for example, to pace a heart, stimulate muscle or neural tissue, broadcast ultrasonic energy, emit light, heat or other forms of radiation, or deliver any form of energy or substance. A method for collecting medical data from a patient includes interrogating a network of multiplexed sensors residing on parallel conductors in the patient, including addressing a first addressable sensor in the network to obtain data and addressing a second addressable sensor in the network to obtain data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Zdeblick, George M. Savage