Patents by Inventor A. J. Voth

A. J. Voth has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170100075
    Abstract: An electrophysiology catheter is provided. In one embodiment, the catheter includes an elongate, deformable shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and a basket electrode assembly coupled to the distal end of the shaft. The basket electrode assembly has a proximal end and a distal end and is configured to assume a compressed state and an expanded state. The electrode assembly further includes one or more tubular splines having a plurality of electrodes disposed thereon and a plurality of conductors. Each of the plurality of conductors extends through the tubular spline from a corresponding one of the plurality of electrodes to the proximal end of the basket electrode assembly. The tubular splines are configured to assume a non-planar (e.g., a twisted or helical) shape in the expanded state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Braden J. Eliason, D. Curtis Deno, Eric J. Voth, Dale E. Just
  • Publication number: 20170095172
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for generating an electrophysiological map of a geometric structure. The system includes a computer-based model construction system configured to acquire electrical information at a plurality of diagnostic landmark points, assign a color value, based on the acquired electrical information, to each of the diagnostic landmark points, create a first 3D texture region storing floats for a weighted physiological metric, create a second 3D texture region storing floats for a total weight, for each diagnostic landmark point, additively blend the color value of the diagnostic landmark point into voxels of the first 3D texture region that are within a predetermined distance, normalize the colored voxels using the second 3D texture region to generate a normalized 3D texture map, generate the electrophysiological map from the normalized 3D texture map and a surface of the geometric structure, and display the generated electrophysiological map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Eric J. Voth, Cable Patrick Thompson
  • Publication number: 20170098055
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for rendering lesions on a geometric surface model of a geometric structure. The system includes a computer-based model construction system configured to create a three-dimensional (3D) texture map including a plurality of voxels each having a tissue necrosis value, increment the tissue necrosis values as a function of at least one parameter to generate a total tissue necrosis value for each voxel, render at least one lesion on the geometric surface model based on the total tissue necrosis values, and display the geometric surface model and the at least one rendered lesion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventor: Eric J. Voth
  • Publication number: 20170014086
    Abstract: The local conduction velocity of a cardiac activation wavefront can be computed by collecting a plurality of electrophysiology (“EP”) data points using a multi-electrode catheter, with each EP data point including both position data and local activation time (“LAT”) data. For any EP data point, a neighborhood of EP data points, including the selected EP data point and at least two additional EP data points, can be defined. Planes of position and LATs can then be defined using the positions and LATs, respectively, of the EP data points within the neighborhood. A conduction velocity can be computed from an intersection of the planes of positions and LATs. The resultant plurality of conduction velocities can be output as a graphical representation (e.g., an electrophysiology map), for example by displaying vector icons arranged in a uniform grid over a three-dimensional cardiac model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Wenwen Li, Erhan Erdemir, Eric J. Voth, Valtino X. Afonso, Carlo Pappone
  • Publication number: 20160310039
    Abstract: A system and method for generating an electrophysiological map are provided. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to receive a signal generated by an electrode disposed at a position on an external surface of the body and indicative of electric potential. The ECU is further configured to identify a surface boundary of an object of interest within the body using an image of the object. The ECU is further configured to identify intervening objects along a pathway between the position on the external surface and the surface boundary of the object of interest from one or more images of the pathway. The ECU is further configured to obtain an impedance value for each of the intervening objects and to determine an electric potential at the surface boundary of the object of interest responsive to the signal from the electrode and the impedance values of the intervening objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Bruce R. Everling, Eric J. Voth
  • Patent number: 9345405
    Abstract: A system and method for generating an electrophysiological map are provided. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to receive a signal generated by an electrode disposed at a position on an external surface of the body and indicative of electric potential. The ECU is further configured to identify a surface boundary of an object of interest within the body using an image of the object. The ECU is further configured to identify intervening objects along a pathway between the position on the external surface and the surface boundary of the object of interest from one or more images of the pathway. The ECU is further configured to obtain an impedance value for each of the intervening objects and to determine an electric potential at the surface boundary of the object of interest responsive to the signal from the electrode and the impedance values of the intervening objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Everling, Eric J. Voth
  • Publication number: 20160140757
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for generating a patch surface model of a geometric structure. The system includes a computer-based model construction system configured to be coupled to a device that includes at least one sensor configured to acquire a set of original location data points corresponding to respective locations on a surface of the geometric structure, the computer-based model construction system further configured to generate a reference surface based on the acquired original location data points, subdivide the reference surface into a plurality of triangles, project at least some of the original location data points onto a respective nearest point on the subdivided reference surface, compute a function that morphs the projected location data points towards the original location data points to generate a patch surface model, and determine a boundary for the patch surface model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Eric J. Voth
  • Patent number: 9282915
    Abstract: A method and system for generating and/or repairing surface models is provided. The method comprises acquiring data points corresponding to surface locations of a structure. The method further comprises generating a surface model of the structure based on the data points. The method further comprises adding additional data points to the point cloud formed by the acquired data points, and updating the model by constructing a surface model based on the added data points. The system comprises a processing apparatus configured to acquire data points corresponding to respective surface locations of a structure. The processing apparatus is further configured to generate a surface model of the structure based on the data points. The processing apparatus is further configured to add additional data points to the point cloud formed by the acquired data points, and update the surface model by constructing a surface model based on the added data points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Carbonera, Eric J. Voth, Jeffrey A. Schweitzer
  • Publication number: 20160055681
    Abstract: A method for projecting a 3D surface geometry onto a planar projection comprises: obtaining a 3D geometry of a chamber surface using an algorithm that generates angles and distances between points on the chamber surface that represent mapping information; applying a cutting curve to at least two points on the chamber surface; and at least partially unfolding at least a portion of the chamber surface along the cutting curve to form a planar projection that optimally preserves the angles and distances between points on the chamber surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Lev A. Koyrakh, Eric J. Voth
  • Publication number: 20160012637
    Abstract: A method of constructing a bounding box comprises: acquiring a set of sensed data points; adding, for each sensed data point, at least one calculated data point; and defining a bounding box containing the sensed and calculated data points. A method of identifying voxels in a voxel grid corresponding to a plurality of data points comprises: calculating, for each data point, a distance between it and each voxel; creating a subset of voxels comprising voxels having a distance from one data point that is less than a predetermined distance; creating another subset comprising those voxels that neighbor a voxel in the first subset; computing, for each voxel in the second subset, a distance between it and each voxel in the first subset; and identifying each voxel in the first subset that is a distance away from each voxel in the second subset that exceeds a predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Carlos Carbonera, Vasily Vylkov, Daniel R. Starks, Jiang Qian, Eric J. Voth
  • Publication number: 20150366512
    Abstract: A system for determining a location of an electrode of a medical device (e.g., a catheter) in a body of a patient includes a localization block for producing an uncompensated electrode location, a motion compensation block for producing a compensation signal (i.e., for respiration, cardiac, etc.), and a mechanism for subtracting the compensation signal from the uncompensated electrode location. The result is a corrected electrode location substantially free of respiration and cardiac artifacts. The motion compensation block includes a dynamic adaptation feature which accounts for changes in a patient's respiration patterns as well as intentional movements of the medical device to different locations within the patient's body. The system further includes an automatic compensation gain control which suppresses compensation when certain conditions, such as noise or sudden patch impedance changes, are detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Lev A. Koyrakh, Eric J. Voth, John A. Hauck, Jeffrey A. Schweitzer
  • Publication number: 20150366481
    Abstract: In a system and method for non-contact mapping of an anatomic structure, the spatial position of an electrode is determined independent of a previously generated three-dimensional model of the anatomic structure. A position of the electrode relative to a boundary surface of the model is determined, along with a corresponding point on the boundary surface of the three-dimensional model that is closest to the relative electrode position. A signed distance (d) of the relative electrode position from the corresponding closest point on the boundary surface is determined, wherein a positive signed distance indicates the relative electrode position is exterior to the model. In such an instance, the boundary surface is perturbed (e.g., expanded outward) at least in part as a function of the signed distance (d) until the relative electrode position lies interior to the model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Eric J. Voth, Jiang Qian
  • Patent number: 9159162
    Abstract: A method of constructing a bounding box comprises: acquiring a set of sensed data points; adding, for each sensed data point, at least one calculated data point; and defining a bounding box containing the sensed and calculated data points. A method of identifying voxels in a voxel grid corresponding to a plurality of data points comprises: calculating, for each data point, a distance between it and each voxel; creating a subset of voxels comprising voxels having a distance from one data point that is less than a predetermined distance; creating another subset comprising those voxels that neighbor a voxel in the first subset; computing, for each voxel in the second subset, a distance between it and each voxel in the first subset; and identifying each voxel in the first subset that is a distance away from each voxel in the second subset that exceeds a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Carbonera, Vasily Vylkov, Daniel R. Starks, Jiang Qian, Eric J. Voth
  • Patent number: 9113807
    Abstract: A system for determining a location of an electrode of a medical device (e.g., a catheter) in a body of a patient includes a localization block for producing an uncompensated electrode location, a motion compensation block for producing a compensation signal (i.e., for respiration, cardiac, etc.), and a mechanism for subtracting the compensation signal from the uncompensated electrode location. The result is a corrected electrode location substantially free of respiration and cardiac artifacts. The motion compensation block includes a dynamic adaptation feature which accounts for changes in a patient's respiration patterns as well as intentional movements of the medical device to different locations within the patient's body. The system further includes an automatic compensation gain control which suppresses compensation when certain conditions, such as noise or sudden patch impedance changes, are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Lev A. Koyrakh, Eric J. Voth, John A. Hauck, Jeffrey A. Schweitzer
  • Publication number: 20150130796
    Abstract: A method of constructing an EP map is provided. The method comprises obtaining a first surface model of an anatomic structure, the first model comprising an alpha shell of a cloud of location data points. The method further comprises obtaining a second surface model of the structure, the second surface model comprising an alpha shell of a cloud of measurement points. The method further comprises processing the first and second models to identify, for at least one of the location data points, a point on the second surface model that is closest in distance to the location data point, wherein said identified point has a value of said EP parameter associated therewith. The method still further comprises assigning a visual indicator to the location data point based on the EP parameter value associated with the identified point and in accordance with a visualization scheme corresponding to the EP parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Eric J. Voth
  • Patent number: 8909502
    Abstract: A method of constructing an EP map is provided. The method comprises obtaining a first surface model of an anatomic structure, the first model comprising an alpha shell of a cloud of location data points. The method further comprises obtaining a second surface model of the structure, the second surface model comprising an alpha shell of a cloud of measurement points. The method further comprises processing the first and second models to identify, for at least one of the location data points, a point on the second surface model that is closest in distance to the location data point, wherein said identified point has a value of said EP parameter associated therewith. The method still further comprises assigning a visual indicator to the location data point based on the EP parameter value associated with the identified point and in accordance with a visualization scheme corresponding to the EP parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric J. Voth
  • Publication number: 20130274593
    Abstract: A system and method for generating an electrophysiological map are provided. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to receive a signal generated by an electrode disposed at a position on an external surface of the body and indicative of electric potential. The ECU is further configured to identify a surface boundary of an object of interest within the body using an image of the object. The ECU is further configured to identify intervening objects along a pathway between the position on the external surface and the surface boundary of the object of interest from one or more images of the pathway. The ECU is further configured to obtain an impedance value for each of the intervening objects and to determine an electric potential at the surface boundary of the object of interest responsive to the signal from the electrode and the impedance values of the intervening objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Everling, Eric J. Voth
  • Publication number: 20130169638
    Abstract: A method of constructing a bounding box comprises: acquiring a set of sensed data points; adding, for each sensed data point, at least one calculated data point; and defining a bounding box containing the sensed and calculated data points. A method of identifying voxels in a voxel grid corresponding to a plurality of data points comprises: calculating, for each data point, a distance between it and each voxel; creating a subset of voxels comprising voxels having a distance from one data point that is less than a predetermined distance; creating another subset comprising those voxels that neighbor a voxel in the first subset; computing, for each voxel in the second subset, a distance between it and each voxel in the first subset; and identifying each voxel in the first subset that is a distance away from each voxel in the second subset that exceeds a predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Carlos Carbonera, Vasily Vylkov, Daniel R. Starks, Jiang Qian, Eric J. Voth
  • Publication number: 20130173222
    Abstract: A method of constructing an EP map is provided. The method comprises obtaining a first surface model of an anatomic structure, the first model comprising an alpha shell of a cloud of location data points. The method further comprises obtaining a second surface model of the structure, the second surface model comprising an alpha shell of a cloud of measurement points. The method further comprises processing the first and second models to identify, for at least one of the location data points, a point on the second surface model that is closest in distance to the location data point, wherein said identified point has a value of said EP parameter associated therewith. The method still further comprises assigning a visual indicator to the location data point based on the EP parameter value associated with the identified point and in accordance with a visualization scheme corresponding to the EP parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventor: Eric J. Voth
  • Publication number: 20130173230
    Abstract: A method of generating a multi-dimensional surface model of a geometric structure is provided. The method comprises acquiring a set of location data points comprising a plurality of location data points corresponding to respective locations on the surface of a region of the geometric structure. The method further comprises defining a bounding box containing each location data point of the set of location data points, and constructing a voxel grid based on the bounding box, wherein the voxel grid comprises a plurality of voxels. The method still further comprises extracting a multi-faceted surface model from certain of the plurality of voxels of the voxel grid using, for example, an alpha-hull approximation technique. The method may further comprise one or more of decimating and smoothing the surface of the multi-faceted surface model. A system comprising a processing apparatus for performing the aforedescribed method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Carlos Carbonera, Vasily Vylkov, Daniel R. Starks, Jiang Qian, Eric J. Voth