Patents Examined by Mitchell E Alter
  • Patent number: 10251588
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, apparatuses, etc. for glucose sensor signal reliability analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronic Minimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Liang, Kenneth W. Cooper, Raghavendhar Gautham, Rajiv Shah
  • Patent number: 10238302
    Abstract: Intravascular devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the intravascular devices include at least one pressure sensing component within a distal portion of the device. In that regard, one or more electrical, electronic, optical, and/or electro-optical pressure-sensing components is secured to an elongated substrate such that the pressure-sensing component is mounted perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of the device. In some implementations, the elongated substrate has a cylindrical profile. Methods of making, assembling, and/or using such intravascular devices and associated systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: VOLCANO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bret C. Millett, David H. Burkett, Paul Douglas Corl
  • Patent number: 10235756
    Abstract: According to some aspects, a method of identifying a boundary of a portion of a vasculature is provided, the vasculature comprising a geometric representation of a plurality of vessels. The method comprises logically dividing the geometric representation into a plurality of regions, determining at least one feature within each of the plurality of regions, and defining the boundary of the portion of the vasculature based, at least in part, on the at least one feature determined within each of the plurality of regions, wherein the boundary forms a volume defining a separation between inside and outside of the portion of the vasculature. According to some aspects, a method of performing vascular analysis using a geometric representation of a plurality of vessels of the vasculature is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Bio-Tree Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Raul A. Brauner, Kongbin Kang, Yanchun Wu, Joao Cruz
  • Patent number: 10213116
    Abstract: The application relates to an apparatus and a method for estimating a central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) of a subject, in which a peripheral blood pressure waveform of the subject's pulse and at least two peripheral blood pressure measurements within the cardiac cycle of the subject are determined and the peripheral blood pressure waveform is manipulated with a transfer function to provide an estimate of the central blood pressure waveform of the subject's pulse. The at least two peripheral blood pressure measurements within the cardiac cycle of the subject and the peripheral blood pressure waveform of the subject's pulse are determined at substantially the same point on a peripheral artery of the subject. The estimate of the central blood pressure waveform of the subject's pulse provides an estimate of the central systolic blood pressure of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SunTech Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Jan Chowienczyk, Sally Emma Brett, Antoine Yves Marie Guilcher
  • Patent number: 10188352
    Abstract: There is provided a acne-affected skin determination method including: setting an upper region and a lower region so as to vertically divide the face of a subject into two regions; acquiring a measurement value of the amount of moisture in the lower region; acquiring a measurement value of the amount of moisture in the upper region; calculating a target moisture value indicating the level of the amounts of moisture distributed in one of the upper region or the lower region and a reference moisture value indicating the level of the amounts of moisture distributed in a reference region including the other of the upper region and the lower region, based on the measurement values of the amounts of moisture in the upper region and the lower region; obtaining the degree of change in moisture of the target moisture value with respect to the reference moisture value; and determining the ease of generation of acne in the face of the subject based on the obtained degree of change in moisture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Naoko Yoshida, Noriko Ohira
  • Patent number: 10175247
    Abstract: The invention provides a physical change evaluation device, method, and program capable of easily evaluating physical change from the past to the present, and from the present into the future. A physical change evaluation device 10 acquires a ketone concentration measurement measuring ketone excreted from a user, acquires physical data relating to the body of the user, evaluates physical change in the user based on the acquired ketone concentration measurement and the physical data, and outputs an evaluation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Tanita Corporation
    Inventors: Miyuki Kodama, Ayumi Sano, Yasuhiro Kasahara, Naotaka Minagawa, Moe Watabe
  • Patent number: 10165966
    Abstract: Methods for non-invasively and accurately estimating and monitoring resistance and work of breathing parameters from airway pressure and flow sensors attached to the ventilator-dependent patient using an adaptive mathematical model are provided. These methods are based on calculations using multiple parameters derived from the above-mentioned sensors. The resistance and work of breathing parameters are important for: assessing patient status and diagnosis, appropriately selecting treatment, assessing efficacy of treatment, and properly adjusting ventilatory support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignees: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated, Convergent Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Banner, Neil Russell Euliano, Andrea Gabrielli, Nawar Nazar Yousif Al-Rawas
  • Patent number: 10137265
    Abstract: Systems and methods regarding ventilation of a patient, such as a victim at the scene of an emergency are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: ZOLL MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary A. Freeman, Annemarie Silver, Ulrich Herken, Jon P. Cloutier
  • Patent number: 10130270
    Abstract: An electronic blood pressure monitor retrieves a pulsewave signal that is superimposed on a cuff pressure signal and indicates a pulsewave at a measurement site, and acquires a string of pulsewave amplitudes indicated by the pulsewave signal. A first envelope connects the amplitudes created for the acquired string of pulsewave amplitudes. Local maxima and minima in the first envelope are detected. With respect to the strings of amplitudes corresponding respectively to the local maxima and minima, a local-maximum envelope and a local-minimum envelope connecting the amplitudes are created. Two pressure values at points at which portions on the high-pressure-side and low-pressure-side with respect to the maximum peaks of the local-maximum envelope and the local-minimum envelope respectively cross first and second threshold levels are obtained, and the average values of each pair of pressure values are calculated as the systolic blood pressure and the diastolic blood pressure respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: OMRON HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kinoshita, Hironori Sato, Toshihiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 10130300
    Abstract: An apparatus for estimating an anaerobic threshold may include a heart rate detector configured to detect a heart rate from a signal sensed from a user, and an anaerobic threshold estimator configured to estimate an anaerobic threshold of the user based on a change in the detected heart rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youn Ho Kim, Sang Kon Bae, Kun Soo Shin, Chang Mok Choi
  • Patent number: 10092247
    Abstract: Embodiments include a system for determining cardiovascular information for a patient with coronary artery disease. The system may include at least one computer system configured to receive patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart and create a model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to create, for a given level of physical activity, a physics-based model of blood flow through the patient's heart simulated during a selected level of physical activity; determine and normalize one or more values of at least one blood flow characteristic within the patient's heart during the simulated level of physical activity; and compare the one or more normalized values of the at least one blood flow characteristic to a threshold to determine whether the level of physical activity exceeds an acceptable level of risk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: HeartFlow, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles A. Taylor
  • Patent number: 10070803
    Abstract: Spirometer apparatus comprising main inhale-exhale tube having first end, main interior, and second open end, a plurality of smaller tubes intersecting said main-inhale exhale tube at first and second respective locations and having a plurality of smaller interiors respectively, the first location being closer to the first end than is the second location, wherein each of the smaller interiors are in fluid communication with the main interior solely via at least one aperture formed in each of the intersecting tubes at locations facing said second end, the intersecting tubes having first and second external cross-sections, the main tube having first and second internal cross-sections, wherein said first external cross-section is smaller than said first internal cross-section, said second external cross-section is smaller than said second internal cross-section, and wherein said second external cross-section is smaller than said first external cross-section, and a differential pressure sensor sensing the pressur
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: LUNGTEK LTD.
    Inventor: Nir Shavit
  • Patent number: 10065034
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling neural activity in the brain, including performing a source localization procedure and a neurostimulation procedure, and using the former as a monitor to provide for feedback control of the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Electrical Geodesics, Inc.
    Inventor: Don M. Tucker
  • Patent number: 10045713
    Abstract: Systems and methods described herein use near field communications to locate a radiating transponder, such as a pill swallowed by a patient. The system can be triggered to turn on and transmit a waveform to a set of antennas attached to, coupled with, or near the patient. The magnetic field emitted by the transponder can be measured by the receiving antennas, for example, using principles of mutual inductance. The differential phase and/or time shifts between the antennas can contain sufficient information to find the location of the transponder and optionally its orientation relative to body coordinates. The system can display the location and/or orientation of the transponder. Further, the pill can include a reservoir to deliver a payload at a particular site of the patient's body based at least in part on the determined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Rock West Medical Devices, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Eugene Old, John Christopher Baker, Neal Jay Carron, Donald Gordon Pritchett
  • Patent number: 10029418
    Abstract: An internal tissue including a lesion region in the human body is modeled as a three-dimensional model. By reconstructing thickness or flexibility of a lumen wall portion including the lesion region and making it possible to confirm a motion of the lumen wall or a flow of fluid in the inside of the lumen wall, a state of the lesion region in the lumen can be confirmed clearly by visual inspection or the like. As a result, the diagnosis in the lumen can be made easier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Misawa
  • Patent number: 10028661
    Abstract: Buffered body return receiver configurations are described. An amplifier for a receiver can be connected to two electrodes such that one of the two electrodes is connected to a non-inverting input of the amplifier and a second of the two electrodes is a driven node by being connected to both the inverting input of the amplifier and the output of the amplifier. The amplifier may be connected as a fully differential amplifier, a single-ended differential amplifier, a buffer, or an amplifier with a gain greater than 1, while still enabling improved channel gains with reduced power consumption at the transmitter from the signal source. The buffered body return receiver is suitable for scenarios in which a signal source is electrically independent of the power supply of the receiver's amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Grant S. Anderson, Charles G. Sodini
  • Patent number: 10016154
    Abstract: A sensor system is disclosed. The system comprises: a solid substrate having a front side and a back side, a sensing assembly formed on the front side and being configured to provide electrochemical sensing, a plurality of electrical contacts, formed on the back side and being in electrical communication with the sensing assembly via a plurality of interconnects passing through the substrate and extending at least from the front side to the back side, and a mounting member configured for mounting the back side onto a tip of a movable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Ramot at Tel-Aviv University Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosi Shacham-Diamand, Heftsi Ragones, Amihay Freeman, David Schreiber
  • Patent number: 9980664
    Abstract: A biological information measurement system includes: a plurality of electrodes; a current source connected to the plurality of electrodes to supply a current thereto; a measurement unit for measuring impedance from a potential difference between the plurality of electrodes; a detector for detecting values of specific peaks from chronological data of the impedance; an envelope generator for generating an envelope of values of the specific peaks; and an output unit for outputting information of the envelope as biological information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeffry Bonar Fernando, Koji Morikawa, Jun Ozawa
  • Patent number: 9974444
    Abstract: The invention provides a sensor for measuring both impedance and ECG waveforms that is configured to be worn around a patient's neck. The sensor features 1) an ECG system that includes an analog ECG circuit, in electrical contact with at least two ECG electrodes, that generates an analog ECG waveform; and 2) an impedance system that includes an analog impedance circuit, in electrical contact with at least two (and typically four) impedance electrodes, that generates an analog impedance waveform. Also included in the neck-worn system are a digital processing system featuring a microprocessor, and an analog-to-digital converter. During a measurement, the digital processing system receives and processes the analog ECG and impedance waveforms to measure physiological information from the patient. Finally, a cable that drapes around the patient's neck connects the ECG system, impedance system, and digital processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: TOSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Banet, Susan Meeks Pede, Marshal Singh Dhillon, Kenneth Robert Hunt
  • Patent number: 9974916
    Abstract: A removable water trap device (110) removes moisture from a respiratory gas stream from a patient interface assembly (140), enabling monitoring of gas within the respiratory gas stream by an analysis bench (120). The device includes a housing (111), an upstream water trap connector (115), and a filter assembly (360). The housing includes a first portion (210) insertably attachable to a tether assembly receptacle (132) to connect the device to the analysis bench for delivering the gas stream via a tether line (136). The upstream water trap connector is attachable to a downstream patient interface connector (141, 143) in a sample flow line (145, 148) of the patent interface assembly for receiving the gas stream via the sample flow line. The filter assembly is insertably contained within the housing and configured to remove moisture from the gas stream, the filter assembly including a downstream water trap connector (116) attachable with the tether line within the tether assembly receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: David Scampoli, Brian Matthew Fudge, Bartosz Korec, Richard Cipriano, Philip D'Almada Remedios