Patents by Inventor Christopher C. Stancer

Christopher C. Stancer 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: 11413464
    Abstract: An implantable medical device implements a special mode of operation, such as a mode of electrical stimulation therapy, during conditions where there may be an increased likelihood that a device reset will occur. The implantable medical device recovers from the device reset by copying values that specify the special mode and that are stored in a non-volatile memory to an operating memory. The special mode is implemented after the device reset has occurred by using the values copied to the operating memory. One version of the special mode is an MRI mode that allows the implantable medical device to safely operate during an MRI scan. The fields of the MRI scan may trigger a device reset, but the MRI mode values are copied from the non-volatile memory to the operating memory, and the MRI mode is implemented after the reset by using the values copied to the operating memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: MEDTRONIC, INC.
    Inventors: Troy A. Jenison, Michael D. Levy, Benjamin P. Rhodes, Christopher C. Stancer
  • Publication number: 20200276445
    Abstract: An implantable medical device implements a special mode of operation, such as a mode of electrical stimulation therapy, during conditions where there may be an increased likelihood that a device reset will occur. The implantable medical device recovers from the device reset by copying values that specify the special mode and that are stored in a non-volatile memory to an operating memory. The special mode is implemented after the device reset has occurred by using the values copied to the operating memory. One version of the special mode is an MRI mode that allows the implantable medical device to safely operate during an MRI scan. The fields of the MRI scan may trigger a device reset, but the MRI mode values are copied from the non-volatile memory to the operating memory, and the MRI mode is implemented after the reset by using the values copied to the operating memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Troy A. JENISON, Michael D. LEVY, Benjamin P. RHODES, Christopher C. STANCER
  • Patent number: 10653887
    Abstract: An implantable medical device implements a special mode of operation, such as a mode of electrical stimulation therapy, during conditions where there may be an increased likelihood that a device reset will occur. The implantable medical device recovers from the device reset by copying values that specify the special mode and that are stored in a non-volatile memory to an operating memory. The special mode is implemented after the device reset has occurred by using the values copied to the operating memory. One version of the special mode is an MRI mode that allows the implantable medical device to safely operate during an MRI scan. The fields of the MRI scan may trigger a device reset, but the MRI mode values are copied from the non-volatile memory to the operating memory, and the MRI mode is implemented after the reset by using the values copied to the operating memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy A. Jenison, Michael D. Levy, Benjamin P. Rhodes, Christopher C. Stancer
  • Patent number: 9981124
    Abstract: A device includes a housing configured to be implanted in a patient. The device also includes a first magnetic field direction sensor located at a first location within the housing and configured to generate a signal representative of a first direction of a magnetic field at the first location, a second magnetic field direction sensor located at a second location within the housing and configured to generate a signal representative of a second direction of the magnetic field at the second location, and a magnetic field strength sensor configured to generate a signal representative of a strength of the magnetic field. The device further includes a control module configured to identify a source of the magnetic field based on at least one of the signal representative of the strength of the magnetic field and the signals representative of the first and second directions of the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy A. Jenison, Larry C. McClure, Christopher C. Stancer
  • Publication number: 20170319857
    Abstract: An implantable medical device implements a special mode of operation, such as a mode of electrical stimulation therapy, during conditions where there may be an increased likelihood that a device reset will occur. The implantable medical device recovers from the device reset by copying values that specify the special mode and that are stored in a non-volatile memory to an operating memory. The special mode is implemented after the device reset has occurred by using the values copied to the operating memory. One version of the special mode is an MRI mode that allows the implantable medical device to safely operate during an MRI scan. The fields of the MRI scan may trigger a device reset, but the MRI mode values are copied from the non-volatile memory to the operating memory, and the MRI mode is implemented after the reset by using the values copied to the operating memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Troy A. JENISON, Michael D. LEVY, Benjamin P. RHODES, Christopher C. STANCER
  • Patent number: 9724520
    Abstract: An implantable medical device implements a special mode of operation, such as a mode of electrical stimulation therapy, during conditions where there may be an increased likelihood that a device reset will occur. The implantable medical device recovers from the device reset by copying values that specify the special mode and that are stored in a non-volatile memory to an operating memory. The special mode is implemented after the device reset has occurred by using the values copied to the operating memory. One version of the special mode is an MRI mode that allows the implantable medical device to safely operate during an MRI scan. The fields of the MRI scan may trigger a device reset, but the MRI mode values are copied from the non-volatile memory to the operating memory, and the MRI mode is implemented after the reset by using the values copied to the operating memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy A. Jenison, Michael D. Levy, Benjamin P. Rhodes, Christopher C. Stancer
  • Patent number: 9381366
    Abstract: Per the disclosure subcutaneously implantable medical devices (IMDs) with rate responsive implantable pulse generator (IPG) capability that also include dual patient activity sensors are adaptively controlled. One of the activity sensors uses multiple electrodes adapted to acquire electrocardiographic signals and signals from non-cardiac muscle tissue (myopotentially-based signals). The signals from the electrode-based activity sensor are used to confirm and/or override the patient-activity sensor signals from the other non-myopotentially-based patient activity sensor. The electrodes are directly mechanically coupled to the housing of the IMD and electrically coupled to circuitry that filters, processes, and interprets both the patient activity sensor signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher C. Stancer
  • Patent number: 9339657
    Abstract: Techniques are described for selectively enabling and disabling a pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode for an implantable medical device (IMD) depending on whether the IMD is operating in an electromagnetic interference (EMI)-safe mode. In some examples, the IMD may enable the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode when the IMD is operating in the EMI-safe mode, and disable the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode when the IMD is not operating in the EMI-safe mode. The EMI-safe mode may be, in some examples, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-safe mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher C. Stancer, James J. St. Martin, Tara L. Bratten, Michael Hudziak
  • Patent number: 9283397
    Abstract: This disclosure provides an implantable medical device comprising a power source a therapy module that includes at least one energy storage component, and a charging module coupled between the power source and the therapy module. The charging module is configured to control charging of the at least one energy storage component of the therapy module. The charging module may be further configured to detect a condition indicative of improper charging, to detect a condition indicative of the implantable medical device being subjected to fields generated by an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, and to terminate charging of the at least one energy storage component when both the condition indicative of improper charging and the condition indicative of the implantable medical device being subjected to fields generated by the MRI device are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher C. Stancer, Lonny V. Cabelka, Mark A. Maass
  • Patent number: 9138584
    Abstract: An implantable medical system may include an implantable medical lead including at least one electrode and an implantable medical device. The implantable medical device comprises an electromagnetic interference (EMI) detection module that monitors for one or more particular characteristics of EMI. A control module is configured to control a therapy module to generate monophasic stimulation pulses while operating the IMD in a first operating mode. In response to detecting the condition indicative of the presence of EMI, the control module switches the IMD from the first operating mode to a second operating mode and generates at least one multiphasic stimulation pulses while operating the IMD in the second operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher C. Stancer, Jonathan D. Edmonson, Michael L. Ellingson
  • Patent number: 9095721
    Abstract: An implantable medical system may include an implantable medical lead including at least one electrode and an implantable medical device. The implantable medical device comprises an electromagnetic interference (EMI) detection module that monitors for one or more particular characteristics of EMI. A control module is configured to control a therapy module to generate single stimulation pulses while operating the IMD in a first operating mode. In response to detecting the condition indicative of the presence of EMI, the control module switches the IMD from the first operating mode to a second operating mode and generates at least one group of two or more stimulation pulses in close proximity to one another in place of a single stimulation pulse while operating the IMD in the second operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher C. Stancer, Jonathan D. Edmonson, Michael L. Ellingson
  • Publication number: 20150209589
    Abstract: An implantable medical device implements a special mode of operation, such as a mode of electrical stimulation therapy, during conditions where there may be an increased likelihood that a device reset will occur. The implantable medical device recovers from the device reset by copying values that specify the special mode and that are stored in a non-volatile memory to an operating memory. The special mode is implemented after the device reset has occurred by using the values copied to the operating memory. One version of the special mode is an MRI mode that allows the implantable medical device to safely operate during an MRI scan. The fields of the MRI scan may trigger a device reset, but the MRI mode values are copied from the non-volatile memory to the operating memory, and the MRI mode is implemented after the reset by using the values copied to the operating memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy A. Jenison, Michael D. Levy, Benjamin P. Rhodes, Christopher C. Stancer
  • Publication number: 20150080977
    Abstract: An implantable medical device may include a telemetry module, a sensing module, a therapy delivery module, and a processor. The processor may be configured to detect a patient event based on data generated by the sensing module, operate the IMD in a first mode in which the telemetry module is disabled and the therapy delivery module is at least partially disabled when the patient event is not detected, and operate the IMD in a second mode in which the telemetry module is enabled and the therapy delivery module is at least partially disabled when the patient event is detected. In some examples, the processor is configured to, in the second mode, generate a notification of the cardiac arrhythmia and transmit the notification to an external device via the telemetry module. The external device may reside inside an MRI room or outside the MRI room, and may communicate with other devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher C. STANCER, Volkert A. ZEIJLEMAKER
  • Patent number: 8929995
    Abstract: An implantable medical device may include a telemetry module, a sensing module, a therapy delivery module, and a processor. The processor may be configured to detect a patient event based on data generated by the sensing module, operate the IMD in a first mode in which the telemetry module is disabled and the therapy delivery module is at least partially disabled when the patient event is not detected, and operate the IMD in a second mode in which the telemetry module is enabled and the therapy delivery module is at least partially disabled when the patient event is detected. In some examples, the processor is configured to, in the second mode, generate a notification of the cardiac arrhythmia and transmit the notification to an external device via the telemetry module. The external device may reside inside an MRI room or outside the MRI room, and may communicate with other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher C. Stancer, Volkert A. Zeijlemaker
  • Patent number: 8761886
    Abstract: Techniques are described for controlling effects caused when an implantable medical device (IMD) is subject to a disruptive energy field. The IMD may include an implantable lead that includes one or more electrodes. The IMD may further include a first component having a parasitic inductance. The IMD may further include a second component having a reactance. In some examples, the reactance of the second component may be selected based on the parasitic inductance of the first component such that an amount of energy reflected along the lead in response to energy produced by an electromagnetic energy source is below a selected threshold. In additional examples, the parasitic inductance of the first component and the reactance of the second component are configured such that an amount of energy reflected along the lead in response to a frequency of electromagnetic energy is below a selected threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher C. Stancer, Piotr J. Przybyszewski, Sandy K. Wixon, Joel Peltier, Sung-Min Park, David E. Manahan, Jonathan Edmonson, Ben W. Herberg
  • Patent number: 8644932
    Abstract: In general, this disclosure is directed to techniques and circuitry to determine characteristics of an implantable lead associated with an implantable medical device (IMD). The implantable lead may be designed to be MRI-safe by having one or more components that attenuate frequencies associated with an MRI that, if left unreduced, may interfere with the performance of the lead and/or cause harm to the tissue in which the lead is implanted. The circuitry may transmit a signal through the lead and receive a response signal. The device may determine the lead characteristics by comparing the transmitted signal with the received signal. In addition to determining whether the lead is MRI-safe, the techniques of this disclosure may be also utilized to determine whether the lead is faulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Seifert, Christopher C. Stancer
  • Publication number: 20130289384
    Abstract: A device includes a housing configured to be implanted in a patient. The device also includes a first magnetic field direction sensor located at a first location within the housing and configured to generate a signal representative of a first direction of a magnetic field at the first location, a second magnetic field direction sensor located at a second location within the housing and configured to generate a signal representative of a second direction of the magnetic field at the second location, and a magnetic field strength sensor configured to generate a signal representative of a strength of the magnetic field. The device further includes a control module configured to identify a source of the magnetic field based on at least one of the signal representative of the strength of the magnetic field and the signals representative of the first and second directions of the magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Troy A. Jenison, Larry C. McClure, Christopher C. Stancer
  • Publication number: 20130197348
    Abstract: This disclosure provides an implantable medical device comprising a power source a therapy module that includes at least one energy storage component, and a charging module coupled between the power source and the therapy module. The charging module is configured to control charging of the at least one energy storage component of the therapy module. The charging module may be further configured to detect a condition indicative of improper charging, to detect a condition indicative of the implantable medical device being subjected to fields generated by an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, and to terminate charging of the at least one energy storage component when both the condition indicative of improper charging and the condition indicative of the implantable medical device being subjected to fields generated by the MRI device are detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Christopher C. Stancer, Lonny V. Cabelka, Mark A. Maass
  • Patent number: 8494649
    Abstract: Techniques are described for controlling effects caused when an implantable medical device (IMD) is subject to a disruptive energy field. The IMD may include an implantable lead that includes one or more electrodes. The IMD may further include a first component having a parasitic inductance. The IMD may further include a second component having a reactance. In some examples, the reactance of the second component may be selected based on the parasitic inductance of the first component such that an amount of energy reflected along the lead in response to energy produced by an electromagnetic energy source is below a selected threshold. In additional examples, the parasitic inductance of the first component and the reactance of the second component are configured such that an amount of energy reflected along the lead in response to a frequency of electromagnetic energy is below a selected threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher C. Stancer, Piotr J. Przybyszewski, Sandy K. Wixon, Joel Peltier, Sung-Min Park, David E. Manahan, Jonathan Edmonson, Ben W. Herberg
  • Patent number: 8428744
    Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for reducing, and possibly eliminating, adverse effects caused by signals induced on an inductive antenna of an implanted medical device by varying magnetic fields from a source of interference, such as the gradient magnetic fields applied during an MRI procedure. For example, the implantable medical device includes an inductive antenna that receives signals via inductive coupling, a filter circuit that attenuates signals induced on the inductive antenna by varying magnetic fields generated from a source of interference and substantially passes signals induced on the inductive antenna by varying magnetic fields generated by an expected source and a telemetry module that processes the signals from the filter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher C. Stancer, Steven J. Fraasch, Anthony C. French, Kent E. Samuelson, Farren L. Forcier