Patents Examined by Robert N Wieland
  • Patent number: 9764132
    Abstract: A method of optimizing the electrical stimulation of a bladder of a patient including selecting a first subset of electrodes from a set of electrodes positioned adjacent to a set of nerves associated with the bladder. The set of electrodes may include one or more electrodes, each of which may be configured to deliver electrical stimulation pulses generated by a stimulator device to the nerves. The method may further include delivering an electrical stimulation pulse through the selected first subset of electrodes and recording at least one parameter of the electrical stimulation pulse after receiving patient feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed. Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Rohrer, Timothy Jackson, Michael Stucky, David J. Ternes
  • Patent number: 9757580
    Abstract: A wearable patch-type automatic defibrillator attachable to a region of a patient near the patient's heart includes a battery which stores electrical energy for defibrillation, a controller which controls the battery, electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes, and defibrillation electrodes. The controller analyzes ECG signals of the patient received through the ECG electrodes, and automatically provides the patient with the electrical energy stored in the battery through the defibrillation electrodes when defibrillation is needed according to a result of the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Wook Park, Hyung Jong Ko, Yong In Park, Seoung Jae Yoo, Yun Cheol Han
  • Patent number: 9757584
    Abstract: In certain variations, systems and/or methods for electromagnetic induction therapy are provided. One or more ergonomic or body contoured applicators may be included. The applicators include one or more conductive coils configured to generate an electromagnetic or magnetic field focused on a target nerve, muscle or other body tissues positioned in proximity to the coil. One or more sensors may be utilized to detect stimulation and to provide feedback about the efficacy of the applied electromagnetic induction therapy. A controller may be adjustable to vary a current through a coil to adjust the magnetic field focused upon the target nerve, muscle or other body tissues based on the feedback provide by a sensor or by a patient. In certain systems or methods, pulsed magnetic fields may be intermittently applied to a target nerve, muscle or tissue without causing habituation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: EMKinetics, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel R. Burnett
  • Patent number: 9757210
    Abstract: A dental implant unit includes a layer of synthetically created titanium dioxide. The dental implant unit has one end for connection and a lateral surface covering the implant unit except for the end for connection. The lateral surface includes a layer of synthetically created titanium dioxide while the end for connection is free from synthetically created titanium dioxide. Also, a method produces a whitened implantable dental unit. The method includes thermal oxidation of a dental implant unit that includes titanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Tigran Technologies AB (Publ)
    Inventors: Niklas Axén, Lars Magnus Bjursten, Sven-Erik Nilsson, Jöns Gunnar Hilborn
  • Patent number: 9750941
    Abstract: A system and method for identifying whether local tissue latency is present. The system and method comprises an implanted lead having a first electrode for cardiac pacing and sensing. A sensing module for sensing heart activity with the first electrode to produce an electrogram (EGM) waveform. A processor is configured to receive the EGM waveform and extract two or more features from the EGM waveform representative of heart activity in response to monoventricular or biventricular pacing stimulus at the electrode and identify local tissue latency at a site of the first electrode based upon at least two of the extracted features indicating local tissue latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Subham Ghosh
  • Patent number: 9750421
    Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for performing procedure on tissue with flow monitoring using flow sensors. The devices include an elongated member, and at least one flow sensor disposed on the elongated member. The flow sensor includes at least one temperature sensor and at least one heating element having a cavity. At least a portion of the at least one temperature sensor is housed in the cavity. A temperature measurement of the temperature sensor provides an indication of the flow rate of a fluid proximate to the flow sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: MC10, Inc.
    Inventors: Roozbeh Ghaffari, Stephen Lee, John Work, John A. Wright, Jr., Lauren Klinker
  • Patent number: 9750578
    Abstract: An actuation input mechanism for a teleoperated surgical instrument may include an interface structure and a shaft connected to the interface structure. The interface structure may be engageable with a drive structure of an actuation interface assembly of a teleoperated surgical system to be driven by the drive structure. The shaft may be rotatable in response to the interface structure being driven. The interface structure may comprise a depression shaped and sized to receive a fingertip. The interface structure may further comprise one or more gripping features disposed in the depression. A surgical instrument for a teleoperated surgical system may include an instrument shaft, an end effector, and a force transmission mechanism. The force transmission mechanism may comprise an actuation input mechanism to transmit drive forces to actuate the surgical instrument, the actuation input mechanism including an interface structure and a shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Donald Alden
  • Patent number: 9750951
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a plasma for preventing or treating a cancer. Also, the present invention relates to a liquid type plasma for preventing or treating a cancer prepared by treating the plasma and a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating a cancer comprising the same. The plasma and the liquid type plasma according to the present invention can effectively induce cancer cell death without a surgical operation or in a treatment process after a surgical operation, thereby being useful as a novel therapeutic agent and method for a cancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Ajou University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Chul Ho Kim, Sun Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 9750572
    Abstract: The present application relates to a cutting head for a device for cutting hair. The cutting head has a laser generator (2) and an optical system (3). The optical system is configured to focus a laser beam (4) generated by the laser generator and direct the laser beam along an optical axis (16) across a cutting zone (8) in the cutting head. The laser generator and optical system are configured such that, in a focus spot (15) of the laser beam, a dimension of the focus spot, a power density of the laser beam and the numerical aperture of the laser beam are such that, when a hair is received in the cutting zone, the power output of the laser generator is minimized while ensuring that, for a predetermined exposure time, the hair received in the cutting zone is cut by optical absorption. The present application also relates to a device for cutting hair and a method of controlling a cutting head for a device for cutting hair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Bastiaan Wilhelmus Maria Moeskops, Mark Thomas Johnson
  • Patent number: 9741993
    Abstract: A battery terminal for an implantable battery is described. The battery terminal includes a foil stack, first and second side elements, and a weld joint coupling the foil stack and the side elements. The side elements define a varying height profile and a greatest height adjacent an inner surface of the side element in contact with the foil stack. Each element may define a height profile along the width that tapers toward an outer surface, biasing mass of the element close to the foil stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: MEDTRONIC, INC.
    Inventors: Hailiang Zhao, Erik J. Hovland
  • Patent number: 9737228
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a target physiologic event and storing physiologic information associated with the detected physiologic event are disclosed. A system can receive a physiologic signal obtained from a subject, and detect the target physiologic event using a first portion of the received physiologic signal. The system can confirm the target physiologic event using a second portion of the received physiologic signal. If the target physiologic event is confirmed, the system can store physiologic information associated with the confirmed target physiologic event in a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Deepa Mahajan, David L. Perschbacher
  • Patent number: 9737321
    Abstract: A medical device including an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therebetween. The medical device may further include an end-effector disposed at the distal end of the elongate member. The end-effector may include a plurality of arms pivotally connected to one another, wherein each arm includes a tissue-contacting surface, a first portion of the tissue-contacting surface including a plurality of ridges configured to grasp tissue. Further, the tissue-contacting surface may include a channel oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Kappel, Sean Fleury, Paul Smith, Brandon Zalewski, Laurie Soderbom
  • Patent number: 9731142
    Abstract: Presented herein are tissue-stimulating prostheses that deliver magnetic stimulation to a recipient. The magnetic stimulation is delivered to the nerve cells through the use of one or more implantable magnetic stimulation coils, such as stimulation coils and/or extra-cochlear stimulation coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Stefan Mauger, Bill Metzenthen, John Heasman
  • Patent number: 9730598
    Abstract: A system for performing an electrocardiogram (ECG) can include a handheld electrocardiograph device having a right arm electrode, a left arm electrode, and a left leg electrode, and can be configured to receive signals from the electrodes and to send data based on the electrode signals to a mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device can be configured to process and analyze the receive information to provide ECG data, such as 6-lead ECG data. The mobile electronic device can analyze the ECG data to provide diagnostic information. The mobile electronic device can transfer the ECG data to a remote computing system, which can analyze the ECG data to provide diagnostic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventor: Stefan Drake
  • Patent number: 9731110
    Abstract: A device for applying electrical stimulation to a surface of the human body utilizes a calibrated, pre-arranged pattern of conducting, current emitting elements to distribute current throughout an entire surface at once, such as human face, without needing to alter the device to accommodate various are sizes, including varying face sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventor: Wayne D. Gonterman
  • Patent number: 9731127
    Abstract: Cutaneous and subcutaneous TNS embodiments are disclosed for addressing autonomic nervous system imbalances. A cutaneous electrode assembly is applied to a patient's forehead, and a current is pulsed through the electrode assembly to stimulate the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves on the patient to increase activity for the patient's parasympathetic nervous system. Pulsing the current increases the power spectral density for the patient's heart rate variability in a 0.1 to 0.15 Hz frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: NeuroSigma, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Kealey, Leon Ekchian
  • Patent number: 9726195
    Abstract: An axial flow blood pump having a rotor rotatably mounted in a housing. The rotor includes at least two rotor blades having different configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Inventors: Renzo Cecere, Young Hoon Chung, Rosaire Mongrain, Toufic Azar
  • Patent number: 9717909
    Abstract: An exemplary system includes 1) an electro-acoustic stimulation (“EAS”) sound processor located external to a patient, 2) a cochlear implant communicatively coupled to the EAS sound processor and implanted within the patient, 3) an electrode array communicatively coupled to the cochlear implant and located within a cochlea of the patient, and 4) a receiver communicatively coupled to the EAS sound processor and configured to be in communication with an ear of the patient. The EAS sound processor operates in accordance with an acoustic-only mode during a post-implant time period and detects audio content presented to the patient, directs the receiver to apply acoustic stimulation, and prevents the cochlear implant from applying electrical stimulation representative of audio content presented to the patient during the post-implant time period. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG
    Inventors: Carol Murad, Mark B. Downing
  • Patent number: 9713725
    Abstract: Implantable medical devices comprising electromagnetic interference shields which incorporate a dump resistor and various enhancements to control high voltage arcing. Included are embodiments in which a dump resistor is provided in a flexible shield having first and second conductive layers, where the resistor is provided in a layer between the conductive layers. In additional examples the design of plated through-holes is done to avoid the potential for arcing while maintaining close spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemaker, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean M. Bobgan, James E. Blood, Moira B. Sweeney, Ron A. Balczewski, William J. Linder
  • Patent number: 9693696
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the instance disclosure are physiological data updates using a weighing scale and a user wearable device. Specific embodiments concern an arrangement of devices including a user wearable device and a weighing scale. The weighing scale is configured and arranged to monitor a plurality of physiological signals of the user using current-impedance electrodes and select data indicative of a physiological parameter of the user, for display on the user wearable device, based on a threshold value and the plurality of physiological signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Physiowave, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory T. Kovacs, Richard M. Wiard