Patents by Inventor Brian J. Wenzel

Brian J. Wenzel 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).

  • Patent number: 7571000
    Abstract: Apparatus for control of physiological functions, including physiological functions of the urinary tract, using at least one electrode sized and configured to be located on, in, or near a targeted component of the pudendal nerve, and/or its branch(es), and/or its spinal root(s). The apparatus includes a controller coupled to the electrode to apply an electrical signal having an amplitude to the electrode at a selected frequency to stimulate the targeted component. The controller operates in a first mode to apply a first frequency or range of frequencies without substantially changing the amplitude for achieving a first physiologic response (e.g., controlling urinary continence) and the controller operates in a second mode to apply a second frequency or range of frequencies, different than the first frequency, for achieving a second physiologic response different than the first physiologic response (e.g., controlling micturition).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
    Inventors: Joseph W. Boggs, II, Brian J. Wenzel, Kenneth J. Gustafson, Warren M. Grill
  • Patent number: 7047078
    Abstract: Systems and methods control physiological functions of the urinary tract using at least one electrode sized and configured to be located on, in, or near a targeted component of the pudendal nerve. The systems and methods apply an electrical signal to the electrode at a selected frequency to stimulate the targeted component. The selected frequency is a first frequency or range of frequencies for achieving a first physiologic response (e.g., controlling urinary continence) and a second frequency or range of frequencies, different than the first frequency, for achieving a second physiologic response different than the first physiologic response (e.g., controlling micturition).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
    Inventors: Joseph W. Boggs, II, Brian J. Wenzel, Kenneth J. Gustafson, Warren M. Grill
  • Patent number: 6675029
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for non-destructively estimating a tissue property, such as hydration, of a living subject utilizes in vivo spectral measurements made by irradiating skin tissue with near infrared (NIR) light. The apparatus includes a spectroscopic instrument in conjunction with a subject interface. The resulting spectra are passed to an analyzer for further processing, which includes detecting and eliminating invalid spectral measurements, and preprocessing to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Finally, an estimation model developed from an exemplary set of measurements is applied to predict the tissue hydration for the sample. The method of tissue hydration measurement provides additional information about primary sources of systematic tissue variability, namely, the water content of the epidermal layer of skin and the penetration depth of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sensys Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen L. Monfre, Timothy L. Ruchti, Thomas B. Blank, Brian J. Wenzel
  • Patent number: 6668181
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for non-invasively quantifying the hydration of the stratum corneum of a living subject utilizes in vivo spectral measurements made by irradiating skin tissue with near infrared (NIR) light. The apparatus includes a spectroscopic instrument in conjunction with a subject interface. The resulting NIR absorption spectra are passed to an analyzer for further processing, which includes detecting and eliminating invalid spectral measurements, and preprocessing to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Finally, a calibration model developed from an exemplary set of measurements is applied to predict the SC hydration for the sample. The method of SC hydration measurement provides additional information about primary sources of systematic tissue variability, namely, the water content of the epidermal layer of skin and the penetration depth of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Sensys Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Wenzel, Stephen L. Monfre, Timothy L. Ruchti, Ken Meissner, Frank Grochocki, Thomas Blank, Jessica Rennert
  • Publication number: 20030060693
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for non-destructively estimating a tissue property, such as hydration, of a living subject utilizes in vivo spectral measurements made by irradiating skin tissue with near infrared (NIR) light. The apparatus includes a spectroscopic instrument in conjunction with a subject interface. The resulting spectra are passed to an analyzer for further processing, which includes detecting and eliminating invalid spectral measurements, and preprocessing to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Finally, an estimation model developed from an exemplary set of measurements is applied to predict the tissue hydration for the sample. The method of tissue hydration measurement provides additional information about primary sources of systematic tissue variability, namely, the water content of the epidermal layer of skin and the penetration depth of the incident light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Stephen L. Monfre, Timothy L. Ruchti, Thomas B. Blank, Brian J. Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20020183602
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for non-invasively quantifying the hydration of the stratum corneum of a living subject utilizes in vivo spectral measurements made by irradiating skin tissue with near infrared (NIR) light. The apparatus includes a spectroscopic instrument in conjunction with a subject interface. The resulting NIR absorption spectra are passed to an analyzer for further processing, which includes detecting and eliminating invalid spectral measurements, and preprocessing to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Finally, a calibration model developed from an exemplary set of measurements is applied to predict the SC hydration for the sample. The method of SC hydration measurement provides additional information about primary sources of systematic tissue variability, namely, the water content of the epidermal layer of skin and the penetration depth of the incident light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: Brian J. Wenzel, Stephen L. Monfre, Timothy L. Ruchti, Ken Meissner, Frank Grochocki, Thomas Blank, Jessica Rennert
  • Patent number: 6442408
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for non-invasively quantifying the hydration of the stratum corneum of a living subject utilizes in vivo spectral measurements made by irradiating skin tissue with near infrared (NIR) light. The apparatus includes a spectroscopic instrument in conjunction with a subject interface. The resulting NIR absorption spectra are passed to an analyzer for further processing, which includes detecting and eliminating invalid spectral measurements, and preprocessing to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Finally, a calibration model developed from an exemplary set of measurements is applied to predict the SC hydration for the sample. The method of SC hydration measurement provides additional information about primary sources of systematic tissue variability, namely, the water content of the epidermal layer of skin and the penetration depth of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Instrumentation Metrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Wenzel, Stephen L. Monfre, Timothy L. Ruchti, Ken Meissner, Frank Grochocki, Thomas Blank, Jessica Rennert