Patents by Inventor Christopher A. Julian
Christopher A. Julian 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).
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Patent number: 8357174Abstract: A system for tissue approximation and fixation is described herein. A device is advanced in a minimally invasive manner within a patient's body to create one or several divisions or plications within a hollow body organ. The system comprises a stapler assembly having a tissue acquisition member and a tissue fixation member. The stapler assembly approximates tissue from within the hollow body organ with the acquisition member and then affixes the approximated tissue with the fixation member. In one method, the system can be used as a secondary procedure to reduce the size of a stoma within the hollow body organ.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2011Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Inventors: Alex T. Roth, Andrew H. Hancock, Gary Weller, Gilbert Mata, Jr., Craig Gerbi, James Gannoe, Christopher Julian
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Publication number: 20120259345Abstract: Surgical accessories are presented in vivo and used by surgical tools in the surgical site to perform additional tasks without the need to remove the tools from the surgical site for tool change or instrument loading. The accessories can be introduced into the surgical site by a dedicated accessory introducer, or can be supported on the body of a surgical tool inserted into the surgical site and be manipulated using another surgical tool in the surgical site. The accessory introducer can be resiliently biased to bias the accessories toward a predetermined position in the surgical site.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2012Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Christopher A. Julian, Daniel T. Wallace, Frederick H. Moll, Dean F. Hoornaert, David J. Rosa, John G. Freund, John W. Hill
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Patent number: 8252009Abstract: Devices and methods for tissue acquisition and fixation, or gastroplasty, are described. Generally, the devices of the system may be advanced in a minimally invasive manner within a patient's body to create one or more plications within the hollow body organ. A tissue treatment device attached to a distal end of a flexible elongated member and has a cartridge member opposite an anvil member. The cartridge member and the anvil member are movable between a closed position and an open position relative to one another, and the cartridge member is re-loadable with a removable staple cartridge to form multiple plications within the organ with the same tissue treatment device.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2005Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Gary Weller, Alex T. Roth, Christopher Julian, James Gannoe, Andrew H. Hancock, Craig Gerbi, Crystine M. Lee
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Publication number: 20120165844Abstract: A system for tissue approximation and fixation is described herein. A device is advanced in a minimally invasive manner within a patient's body to create one or several divisions or plications within a hollow body organ. The system comprises a stapler assembly having a tissue acquisition member and a tissue fixation member. The stapler assembly approximates tissue from within the hollow body organ with the acquisition member and then affixes the approximated tissue with the fixation member. In one method, the system can be used as a secondary procedure to reduce the size of a stoma within the hollow body organ.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2012Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Alex T. Roth, Andrew H. Hancock, Gary Weller, Gilbert Mata, JR., Craig Gerbi, James Gannoe, Christopher Julian
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Patent number: 8182476Abstract: Surgical accessories are presented in vivo and used by surgical tools in the surgical site to perform additional tasks without the need to remove the tools from the surgical site for tool change or instrument loading. Examples of in vivo accessories include fastening accessories such as surgical clips for use with a clip applier, single working member accessories such as a blade which can be grasped and manipulated by a grasping tool for cutting, sheath accessories that fit over working members of a tool, flow tubes for providing suction or introducing a fluid into the surgical site, and a retraction member resiliently biased to retract a tissue to expose an area in the surgical site for treatment. The accessories can be introduced into the surgical site by a dedicated accessory introducer, or can be supported on the body of a surgical tool inserted into the surgical site and be manipulated using another surgical tool in the surgical site.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2010Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Christopher A. Julian, Daniel T. Wallace, Frederick H. Moll, Dean F. Hoornaert, David J. Rosa, John G. Freund, John W. Hill
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Publication number: 20120083657Abstract: A medical device for managing tissue in an organ, such as the stomach, for retracting or positioning tissue and related organs to allow certain regions of the stomach to be acquired for a gastroplasty procedure. The medical device includes an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a tissue treatment device attached to the distal end of the elongated body. The tissue treatment device includes a first jaw opposite a second jaw, and each jaw is adapted to acquire tissue. A retractor is disposed along the tissue treatment device and adapted to be moveable from a delivery position to a retraction position to move or manage the tissue of the stomach. The medical device also includes a collapsible barrier disposed between the first and second jaws of the tissue treatment device to direct tissue into the first and second jaws separately.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Alex T. Roth, Craig Gerbi, Andrew H. Hancock, Gary Weller, Christopher Julian, James Gannoe
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Patent number: 8092378Abstract: A medical device for managing tissue in an organ, such as the stomach, for retracting or positioning tissue and related organs to allow certain regions of the stomach to be acquired for a gastroplasty procedure. The medical device includes an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a tissue treatment device attached to the distal end of the elongated body. The tissue treatment device includes a first jaw opposite a second jaw, and each jaw is adapted to acquire tissue. A retractor is disposed along the tissue treatment device and adapted to be moveable from a delivery position to a retraction position to move or manage the tissue of the stomach. The medical device also includes a collapsible barrier disposed between the first and second jaws of the tissue treatment device to direct tissue into the first and second jaws separately.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2007Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Alex T. Roth, Craig Gerbi, Andrew H. Hancock, Gary Weller, Christopher Julian, James Gannoe
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Publication number: 20110306836Abstract: A steerable, tendon-driven endoscope is described herein. The endoscope has an elongated body with a manually or selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled, segmented proximal portion. The steerable distal portion and the segment of the controllable portion are actuated by at least two tendons. As the endoscope is advanced, the user maneuvers the distal portion, and a motion controller actuates tendons in the segmented proximal portion so that the proximal portion assumes the selected curve of the selectively steerable distal portion. By this method the selected curves are propagated along the endoscope body so that the endoscope largely conforms to the pathway selected. When the endoscope is withdrawn proximally, the selected curves can propagate distally along the endoscope body. This allows the endoscope to negotiate tortuous curves along a desired path through or around and between organs within the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2011Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Robert M. Ohline, Joseph M. Tartaglia, Amir Belson, Alex T. Roth, Wade A. Keller, Scott C. Anderson, Christopher A. Julian
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Publication number: 20110295065Abstract: One embodiment of present invention is a segmented instrument having braking capabilities that includes an elongate body having a plurality of links and a hinge connecting a pair of adjacent links in the plurality of links. There is also brake assembly coupled to each link in the pair of adjacent links and positioned to span the distance between the pair of adjacent links. Another embodiment of the present invention is a segmented instrument having a plurality of links and at least one lockable and articulatable joint positioned to connect a pair of adjacent links in the plurality of links. In addition, the at least one lockable and articulatable joint is adapted and configured to increase the number of frictional surfaces available between the pair of adjacent links. There are also provided methods for controlling a segmented instrument.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2009Publication date: December 1, 2011Inventors: Jay Gurusamy, Carson Jay Shellberger, Christopher A. Julian, Joshua Oeh
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Publication number: 20110166585Abstract: A system for tissue approximation and fixation is described herein. A device is advanced in a minimally invasive manner within a patient's body to create one or several divisions or plications within a hollow body organ. The system comprises a stapler assembly having a tissue acquisition member and a tissue fixation member. The stapler assembly approximates tissue from within the hollow body organ with the acquisition member and then affixes the approximated tissue with the fixation member. In one method, the system can be used as a secondary procedure to reduce the size of a stoma within the hollow body organ.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2011Publication date: July 7, 2011Applicant: SATIETY, INC.Inventors: Alex T. Roth, Andrew H. Hancock, Gary Weller, Gilbert Mata, JR., Craig Gerbi, James Gannoe, Christopher Julian
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Publication number: 20110156820Abstract: A hybrid numeric-analog clock synchronizer, for establishing a clock or carrier locked to a timing reference. The clock may include a framing component. The reference may have a low update rate. The synchronizer achieves high jitter rejection, low phase noise and wide frequency range. It can be integrated on chip. It may comprise a numeric time-locked loop (TLL) with an analog phase-locked loop (PLL). Moreover a high-performance number-controlled oscillator (NCO), for creating an event clock from a master clock according to a period control signal. It processes edge times rather than period values, allowing direct control of the spectrum and peak amplitude of the justification jitter. Moreover a combined clock-and-frame asynchrony detector, for measuring the phase or time offset between composite signals. It responds e.g. to event clocks and frame syncs, enabling frame locking with loop bandwidths greater than the frame rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2011Publication date: June 30, 2011Inventor: Christopher Julian Travis
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Publication number: 20110092777Abstract: A medical device for managing tissue in an organ, such as the stomach, for retracting or positioning tissue and related organs to allow certain regions of the stomach to be acquired for a gastroplasty procedure. The medical device includes an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a tissue treatment device attached to the distal end of the elongated body. The tissue treatment device includes a first jaw opposite a second jaw, and each jaw is adapted to acquire tissue. A retractor is disposed along the tissue treatment device and adapted to be moveable from a delivery position to a retraction position to move or manage the tissue of the stomach. The medical device also includes a collapsible barrier disposed between the first and second jaws of the tissue treatment device to direct tissue into the first and second jaws separately.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: SATIETY, INC.Inventors: Alex T. Roth, Craig Gerbi, Andrew H. Hancock, Gary Weller, Christopher Julian, James Gannoe
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Patent number: 7924099Abstract: A hybrid numeric-analog clock synchronizer, for establishing a clock or carrier locked to a timing reference. The clock may include a framing component. The reference may have a low update rate. The synchronizer achieves high jitter rejection, low phase noise and wide frequency range. It can be integrated on chip. It may comprise a numeric time-locked loop (TLL) with an analog phase-locked loop (PLL). Moreover a high-performance number-controlled oscillator (NCO), for creating an event clock from a master clock according to a period control signal. It processes edge times rather than period values, allowing direct control of the spectrum and peak amplitude of the justification jitter. Moreover a combined clock-and-frame asynchrony detector, for measuring the phase or time offset between composite signals. It responds e.g. to event clocks and frame syncs, enabling frame locking with loop bandwidths greater than the frame rate.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2009Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Inventor: Christopher Julian Travis
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Patent number: 7914543Abstract: A system for tissue approximation and fixation is described herein. A device is advanced in a minimally invasive manner within a patient's body to create one or several divisions or plications within a hollow body organ. The system comprises a stapler assembly having a tissue acquisition member and a tissue fixation member. The stapler assembly approximates tissue from within the hollow body organ with the acquisition member and then affixes the approximated tissue with the fixation member. In one method, the system can be used as a secondary procedure to reduce the size of a stoma within the hollow body organ.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2005Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: Satiety, Inc.Inventors: Alex T. Roth, Andrew H. Hancock, Gary Weller, Gilbert Mata, Jr., Craig Gerbi, James Gannoe, Christopher Julian
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Patent number: 7849245Abstract: A communications bus operates using transition coding, for example NRZI coding, with transition-dominant signalling. That is, when the signal takes a first binary value, binary “1”, the component drives the bus line to its opposite state, and, when the signal takes a second binary value, binary “0”, the component does not actively drive the bus line. During arbitration, each arbitrating component writes a unique arbitrand onto the bus, and arbitration is lost by each component that writes a binary “0” when at least one other component writes a binary “1”. The components preferably do not use transition-dominant signalling when transmitting data payloads. For such traffic they actively drive the binary “0”s as well as binary “1”s.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2007Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Wolfson Microelectronics plcInventor: Christopher Julian Travis
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Publication number: 20100198215Abstract: Surgical accessories are presented in vivo and used by surgical tools in the surgical site to perform additional tasks without the need to remove the tools from the surgical site for tool change or instrument loading. Examples of in vivo accessories include fastening accessories such as surgical clips for use with a clip applier, single working member accessories such as a blade which can be grasped and manipulated by a grasping tool for cutting, sheath accessories that fit over working members of a tool, flow tubes for providing suction or introducing a fluid into the surgical site, and a retraction member resiliently biased to retract a tissue to expose an area in the surgical site for treatment. The accessories can be introduced into the surgical site by a dedicated accessory introducer, or can be supported on the body of a surgical tool inserted into the surgical site and be manipulated using another surgical tool in the surgical site.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2010Publication date: August 5, 2010Applicant: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.Inventors: Christopher A. Julian, Daniel T. Wallace, Frederic H. Moll, Dean F. Hoornaert, David J. Rosa, John G. Freund, John W. Hill
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Patent number: 7756164Abstract: On a communications bus, a relatively low frequency timing reference is distributed by regularly transmitting numbers that represent its instantaneous phase. An active framer component maintains a wrapping count of root superframes and, during each block, transmits in encoded form an expected value for the root superframe count at the start of the following block.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2007Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Wolfson Microelectronics plcInventor: Christopher Julian Travis
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Patent number: 7722599Abstract: Surgical accessories are presented in vivo and used by surgical tools in the surgical site to perform additional tasks without the need to remove the tools from the surgical site for tool change or instrument loading. Examples of in vivo accessories include fastening accessories such as surgical clips for use with a clip applier, single working member accessories such as a blade which can be grasped and manipulated by a grasping tool for cutting, sheath accessories that fit over working members of a tool, flow tubes for providing suction or introducing a fluid into the surgical site, and a retraction member resiliently biased to retract a tissue to expose an area in the surgical site for treatment. The accessories can be introduced into the surgical site by a dedicated accessory introducer, or can be supported on the body of a surgical tool inserted into the surgical site and be manipulated using another surgical tool in the surgical site.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2006Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Christopher A. Julian, Daniel T. Wallace, Frederick H. Moll, Dean F. Hoornaert, David J. Rosa, John G. Freund, John W. Hill
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Publication number: 20100094088Abstract: A steerable, tendon-driven endoscope is described herein. The endoscope has an elongated body with a manually or selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled, segmented proximal portion. The steerable distal portion and the segment of the controllable portion are actuated by at least two tendons. As the endoscope is advanced, the user maneuvers the distal portion, and a motion controller actuates tendons in the segmented proximal portion so that the proximal portion assumes the selected curve of the selectively steerable distal portion. By this method the selected curves are propagated along the endoscope body so that the endoscope largely conforms to the pathway selected. When the endoscope is withdrawn proximally, the selected curves can propagate distally along the endoscope body. This allows the endoscope to negotiate tortuous curves along a desired path through or around and between organs within the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2009Publication date: April 15, 2010Inventors: Robert M. Ohline, Joseph M. Tartaglia, Amir Belson, Alex T. Roth, Wade A. Keller, Scott C. Anderson, Christopher A. Julian
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Publication number: 20090253951Abstract: A floating mass transducer for assisting hearing in a person is provided. Inertial vibration in the floating mass transducer (100) produces vibrations in the inner ear. In an exemplary embodiment, the floating mass transducer comprises a magnet assembly (12) and a coil (14) secured inside a housing (10) which is attached to bone within the middle ear. The coil is more rigidly secured to the housing than the magnet. The magnet assembly and coil are configured such that conducting alternating electrical current through the coil results in vibration of the magnet assembly and coil relative to one another. The vibration is caused by the interaction of the magnetic fields of the magnet assembly and coil. Because the coil is more rigidly secured to the housing than the magnet assembly, the vibrations of the coil cause the housing to vibrate. The floating mass transducer may generate vibrations in the inner ear by being attached to the skull or through a mouthpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2009Publication date: October 8, 2009Applicant: VIBRANT MED-EL HEARING TECHNOLOGY GMBHInventors: Geoffrey R. Ball, Kenneth J. Dormer, Jack Van Doren Hough, Gordon L. Richard, Christopher A. Julian