Patents Examined by Etsub Berhanu
  • Patent number: 9366652
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the coagulation time of a sample fluid containing blood components by means of a resonator whose vibration parameters are measured and then used as a basis for determining the sample fluid viscosity change, which resonator has an at least partially adhesive surface contacting said sample fluid. The invention is characterized by preincubation of said surface with a preincubation fluid containing blood components, which preincubation fluid has a known way of interacting with the coagulation system, thus resulting in anchoring sites to be formed on the adhesive areas of said surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: ANDREAS HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Frank K. Gehring
  • Patent number: 9357967
    Abstract: An introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly that is insertable into a blood vessel of a human or veterinary patent to measure the temperature of blood flowing through that blood vessel. The introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly may be used in conjunction with an indwelling heat exchange catheter system to warm or cool all or a portion of the patient's body to a desired target temperature and to maintain such target temperature for a desired period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ZOLL Circulation, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Callister, Michael W. Dae, Amy L. Hammack
  • Patent number: 9357938
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a motor imagery detection module and a system for motor rehabilitation are provided. The method comprises acquiring Electroencephalography (EEG) data from a subject; selecting classification features from the EEG data; wherein the feature selection comprises modelling an idle state ?n of the subject by M sub-classes ?j, j=1, . . . , M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignees: Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Tan Tock Seng Hospital Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Kai Keng Ang, Cuntai Guan, Sui Geok Karen Chua, Chuanchu Wang, Hock Guan Adrian Tan, Kok Soon Phua, Haihong Zhang, Zheng Yang Chin
  • Patent number: 9360447
    Abstract: A sensor system includes a sensor and a sensor electronics device. The sensor includes a plurality of electrodes. The sensor electronics device includes a connection detection device, a power source, and a delay circuit. The connection detection device determines if the sensor electronics device is connected to the sensor and transmits a connection signal. The delay circuit receives the connection signal, waits a preset hydration time, and couples the regulated voltage from the power source to an electrode in the sensor after the preset hydration time has elapsed. Alternatively, the sensor electronics device may include an electrical detection circuit and a microcontroller. The electrical detection circuit determines if the plurality of electrodes are hydrated and generates an interrupt if the electrodes are hydrated. A microcontroller receives the interrupt and transmits a signal representative of a voltage to an electrode of the plurality of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: MEDTRONIC MINIMED, INC.
    Inventors: Rajiv Shah, Wayne A. Morgan, David Y. Choy, James L. Henke, Bahar Reghabi, Gopikrishnan Soundararajan, Peter Schultz, Udo Hoss
  • Patent number: 9339217
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of processing data provided by a transcutaneous or subcutaneous analyte sensor utilizing different algorithms to strike a balance between signal responsiveness accompanied by signal noise and the introduction of error associated with that noise. The methods utilize the strengths of a lag correction algorithm and a smoothing algorithm to optimize the quality and value of the resulting data (glucose concentrations and the rates of change in glucose concentrations) to a continuous glucose monitoring system. Also provided are systems and kits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Scott Harper, Erwin Satrya Budiman, Kenneth J. Doniger, Gary Alan Hayter
  • Patent number: 9339348
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are configured to assess the severity of a blockage in a vessel and, in particular, a stenosis in a blood vessel. In some particular embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are configured to assess the severity of a stenosis in the coronary arteries without the administration of a hyperemic agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignees: Imperial Colege of Science, Technology and Medicine, Volcano Corporation, Medsolve Limited
    Inventors: Justin Davies, Joseph Burnett, Neil Hattangadi, David Anderson, Helen Catherine Stuart Davies
  • Patent number: 9336535
    Abstract: An example system includes a headset to gather first data comprising first neuro-response data and second neuro-response data from a user while the user is exposed to stimulus material. In the example system, the headset comprises a first sensor to gather the first neuro-response data, the first neuro-response data comprising at least one of electroencephalographic data or magnetoencephalographic data, and a second sensor to gather the second neuro-response data, the second neuro-response data comprising facial emotion encoding data. The headset also comprises a processor to synchronize the first neuro-response data, the second neuro-response data and the stimulus material to generate synchronized data and determine an effectiveness of a portion of the stimulus material based on the synchronized data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Anantha K. Pradeep, Robert T. Knight, Ramachandran Gurumoorthy
  • Patent number: 9332914
    Abstract: A coaxial dual lumen pigtail catheter utilizes coaxial construction incorporating a thin wall guiding catheter technology for the outer lumen and using a strong braided diagnostic technology for the central lumen to accommodate high-pressure injections. The catheter includes a manifold body to provide for connection to each of the dual lumens. The distal end of the coaxial dual lumen pigtail catheter tapers to a more flexible portion that is perforated by spiral side holes to provide for more undistorted pressure readings in the left ventricle. The coaxial dual lumen pigtail catheter also utilizes proximal straight sideholes at the end of the dual lumen portion and a taper between the dual lumen portion and the single lumen portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Inventor: Phil Langston
  • Patent number: 9326710
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods employing contact lenses having electrochemical sensors that have adjustable analyte-sensing sensitivity are provided. In some aspects, level of the analyte or biological substance is detected and a number of sub-electrodes of the sensor are turned on or off based on the level of the analyte or biological substance. The sensitivity of the sensor is adjusted based on the number of sub-electrodes that are turned on or off. In some aspects, the current level from the sensor is employed in determining the number of sub-electrodes to turn on or off. In one aspect, a contact lens includes: a substrate; a power component; a circuit and an adjustment circuit. The circuit can include a potentiostat; and a sensor electrically coupled to the potentiostat, and configured to sense a level of an analyte. The sensitivity of the sensor can be adjustable by the adjustment circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC
    Inventors: Zenghe Liu, Brian Otis
  • Patent number: 9326725
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing human algometry are disclosed. They include a stimulator configured to apply electrical stimulation of variable intensity to an area of a patient's body, a monitoring device configured to measure a level of cortical activity in one or more regions of the patient's brain, and a microprocessor connected to the stimulator and the monitoring device that is configured to correlate the intensity of the electrical stimulation with the level of activity in the one or more regions of the patient's brain and to determine at least one of a measurement of pain intensity, a measurement of a sensory detection threshold (SDT), a measurement of a drug's analgesic impact, an indication of an onset of tolerance to a drug, an indication of an onset of analgesic-induced hyperalgesia, an indication of conditions of allodynia, a measurement of dose-response characteristics of pain management drugs, and a characterization of a pain condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Children's National Medical Center
    Inventors: Julia C. Finkel, Zenaide M. N. Quezado
  • Patent number: 9320449
    Abstract: A method for on-line decision making support, which includes sensing biological signals of a subject upon detection of a decision making process during a performance of a task, and recording biological activity of the subject. Upon completing the decision making process, the recorded biological activity is released to a data processing system for analysis, which compares the recorded biological activity with a profile model for the subject and calculates a confident value for the recorded biological activity against the profile model for the subject. If the confident value does not meet a predefined threshold, a post-processing procedure is performed, wherein the predefined threshold represents a desired performance of the subject on the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA LABORATORY U.S.A., INC.
    Inventor: Haisong Gu
  • Patent number: 9307928
    Abstract: A plethysmographic respiration processor is responsive to respiratory effects appearing on a blood volume waveform and the corresponding detected intensity waveform measured with an optical sensor at a blood perfused peripheral tissue site so as to provide a measurement of respiration rate. A preprocessor identifies a windowed pleth corresponding to a physiologically acceptable series of plethysmograph waveform pulses. Multiple processors derive different parameters responsive to particular respiratory effects on the windowed pleth. Decision logic determines a respiration rate based upon at least a portion of these parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: MASIMO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ammar Al-Ali, Anmol Majmudar
  • Patent number: 9301702
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for use with a pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) monitor having an implantable PAP sensor. In one example, a PAP signal is sensed that is representative of beat-by-beat variations in PAP occurring during individual cardiac cycles of the patient. The PAP monitor detects intervals within the signal corresponding to the durations of cardiac cycles, then detects cardiac rhythm irregularities based on the intervals. For example, the PAP monitor can detect and distinguish atrial fibrillation, ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia based on the stability of the intervals of the PAP signal along with other information such as ventricular rate. The PAP monitor can also detect and distinguish premature contractions based on durations of the intervals. Examples where the PAP monitor is a component of an implantable cardiac rhythm management device (CRMD) are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: PACESETTER, INC.
    Inventors: Thao Ngo, Kathleen Kresge, Michael Kane, Scott Patrick Simon
  • Patent number: 9301700
    Abstract: A method of determining a value indicative of a hemodynamic parameter of a patient includes performing a plurality of value determinations. Performing the plurality of value determinations includes determining a first value indicative of the hemodynamic parameter, determining, with a controller, a difference between the first value and a baseline associated with the first value, and replacing the baseline with the first value, in a memory of the controller, if the difference is outside of a predetermined range. The method also includes determining an estimate of the hemodynamic parameter based on acceptable values determined during the plurality of value determinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: WELCH ALLYN, INC.
    Inventors: Shawn C. St. Pierre, John A. Lane, David E. Quinn
  • Patent number: 9282934
    Abstract: A method of displaying the activity of a brain, the method including the steps of: (i) obtaining an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal from the brain; (ii) segmenting said EEG signal into either contiguous or overlapping segments comprised of a sequential number of samples of said EEG signal; (iii) representing said EEG segments as a fixed order autoregressive moving average (ARMA) signal representation with an autoregressive order between 8 and 13 and a moving average order between 5 and 11; (iv) rewriting in z-domain notation said fixed order ARMA signal representation to obtain a z-domain representation; (v) generating AR coefficient data and MA coefficient data for said segments of said EEG signal for said fixed order ARMA signal representation: (vi) determining the poles and zeros of said z-domain representation for said segments of said EEG signal by substituting said coefficient data for said segments of said EEG signal into said z-domain representation; (vii) calculating the sum of the number of poles
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Cortical Dynamics Limited
    Inventors: David Tibor Julian Liley, Nicholas Campbell Sinclair
  • Patent number: 9277873
    Abstract: A method of identifying an epileptogenic zone of a subject's brain includes receiving a plurality of electrical signals from a corresponding plurality of surgically implanted electrodes, calculating a first plurality of connectivities between each pair of electrodes based on a portion of each of the plurality of electrical signals corresponding to a first time period, assigning a rank corresponding to each electrode for the first period of time based on the first plurality of connectivities to provide a first plurality of ranks, calculating a second plurality of connectivities between each pair of electrodes based on a portion of each of the plurality of electrical signals corresponding to a second time period, assigning a rank corresponding to each electrode for the second period of time based on the second plurality of connectivities to provide a second plurality of ranks, identifying a cluster of electrodes among the plurality of electrodes based on relative changes between the first plurality of ranks fro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Sridevi V. Sarma, Sandya Subramanian, Stephanie Hao
  • Patent number: 9272108
    Abstract: An anatomical shaped oxygen face mask with ports allows medical procedures to take place while the mask remains affixed to patient's face covering both mouth and nose. The mask is specially designed to allow the patient to ventilate spontaneously while at the same time allowing access for instruments by means of ports located at the front of the mask. One port may be used for procedures while another port can be used for suctioning of secretion and blood or for providing oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Inventor: Henry Hu
  • Patent number: 9269046
    Abstract: A method of building classifiers for neurological assessment is described. The method comprises the steps of extracting quantitative features from a plurality of clinical features, and selecting a subset of features from the extracted pool of features to construct binary classifiers. A device for performing point-of-care neurological assessment using clinical features is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Brainscope Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Rothman, Arnaud Jacquin, Samanwoy Ghosh Dastidar, Thomas Radman, Jonathan Miller, William Koppes, Leslie Prichep
  • Patent number: 9265480
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cerebrovascular analysis system which enables early diagnosis of various incurable cerebrovascular diseases such as cerebral thrombosis by measuring an elastic coefficient, blood vessel compliance, blood flow resistance, and blood flow in each cerebrovascular branch. The measurement is achieved by biomechanically analyzing blood vessels in the brain using an electrocardiogram, phonocardiogram, electroencephalogram, pulse wave, and ultrasonic doppler signal as basic data in order to measure biomechanical properties and blood flow properties of blood vessels in the brain for the diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Inventor: Kwang Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 9259161
    Abstract: Methods and systems for calculating a corrected Fractional Flow Reserve. Methods include delivering a pressure sensing device including a pressure sensor to a location in an artery having a stenosis, positioning the pressure sensor distal to the stenosis, measuring the distal pressure, measuring the proximal pressure, and calculating a corrected Fractional Flow Reserve using the measured proximal and distal pressures and applying a correction factor or correction equation. The correction factor or correction equation corrects for changes in the measured distal pressure caused by a presence of the pressure sensing device. A data set of correction factors or correction equations may be stored in a memory component of the system. The corrected Fractional Flow reserve may approximate the Fractional Flow Reserve that would be obtained if a different sized device was used to measure the distal pressure, such as a pressure sensing guidewire having a 0.014 inch outer diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ACIST Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd M. Suchecki, Alan K. Evans