Patents by Inventor Curtis Crump
Curtis Crump 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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Publication number: 20220115111Abstract: A hand-held antenna system allows medical personnel to ascertain the presence or absence of objects (e.g., medical supplies) tagged with transponders in an environment in which medical procedures are performed. In use, the hand-held antenna system may be positioned proximate a patient at a time after a medical procedure, such as after child birth, so the system can scan the patient's body to determine the presence of objects tagged with transponders. The antenna system includes three antenna elements arranged mutually orthogonal to each other to transmit and receive signals in three coordinate directions. A controller is coupled to the antenna elements to transmit signals to the transponders and to receive response signals. The antenna system may operate in a static scan mode wherein the antenna system is held in a fixed position by a user and a dynamic scan mode wherein the antenna system is moved by a user.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Patent number: 11238973Abstract: A hand-held antenna system allows medical personnel to ascertain the presence or absence of objects (e.g., medical supplies) tagged with transponders in an environment in which medical procedures are performed. In use, the hand-held antenna system may be positioned proximate a patient at a time after a medical procedure, such as after child birth, so the system can scan the patient's body to determine the presence of objects tagged with transponders. The antenna system includes three antenna elements arranged mutually orthogonal to each other to transmit and receive signals in three coordinate directions. A controller is coupled to the antenna elements to transmit signals to the transponders and to receive response signals. The antenna system may operate in a static scan mode wherein the antenna system is held in a fixed position by a user and a dynamic scan mode wherein the antenna system is moved by a user.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2019Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: COVIDIEN LPInventors: William A. Blair, David A Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Publication number: 20190267137Abstract: A hand-held antenna system allows medical personnel to ascertain the presence or absence of objects (e.g., medical supplies) tagged with transponders in an environment in which medical procedures are performed. In use, the hand-held antenna system may be positioned proximate a patient at a time after a medical procedure, such as after child birth, so the system can scan the patient's body to determine the presence of objects tagged with transponders. The antenna system includes three antenna elements arranged mutually orthogonal to each other to transmit and receive signals in three coordinate directions. A controller is coupled to the antenna elements to transmit signals to the transponders and to receive response signals. The antenna system may operate in a static scan mode wherein the antenna system is held in a fixed position by a user and a dynamic scan mode wherein the antenna system is moved by a user.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2019Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Patent number: 10339269Abstract: A hand-held antenna system allows medical personnel to ascertain the presence or absence of objects (e.g., medical supplies) tagged with transponders in an environment in which medical procedures are performed. In use, the hand-held antenna system may be positioned proximate a patient at a time after a medical procedure, such as after child birth, so the system can scan the patient's body to determine the presence of objects tagged with transponders. The antenna system includes three antenna elements arranged mutually orthogonal to each other to transmit and receive signals in three coordinate directions. A controller is coupled to the antenna elements to transmit signals to the transponders and to receive response signals. The antenna system may operate in a static scan mode wherein the antenna system is held in a fixed position by a user and a dynamic scan mode wherein the antenna system is moved by a user.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2014Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Patent number: 9814540Abstract: The presence or absence of objects is determined by interrogating or exciting transponders coupled to the objects using pulsed wide band frequency signals. Interrogation is broken down into a number of subsample scan cycles each having interrogation cycles a start time forward in time by a fraction of a period of an expected transponder response signal. Ambient or background noise is evaluated and a threshold adjusted based on the level of noise. Adjustment may be based on multiple noise measurements or samples. Noise detection may be limited, with emphasis placed on interrogation to increase the signal to noise ratio. Matched filtering may be employed. Presence/absence determination may take into account frequency and/or Q value to limit false detections. Appropriate acts may be taken if detected noise is out of defined limits of operation, for example shutting down interrogation and/or providing an appropriate indication.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Patent number: 9690963Abstract: A hand-held antenna system allows medical personnel to ascertain the presence or absence of objects (e.g., medical supplies) tagged with transponders in an environment in which medical procedures are performed. In use, the hand-held antenna system may be positioned proximate a patient at a time after a medical procedure, such as after childbirth, so the system can scan the patient's body to determine the presence of objects tagged with transponders. The antenna system includes two sets of three antenna elements arranged mutually orthogonal to each other to transmit and receive signals in at least three coordinate directions. A controller is coupled to the antenna elements to transmit signals to the transponders and to receive response signals. The antenna system may operate in a static scan mode wherein the antenna system is held in a fixed position by a user and a dynamic scan mode wherein the antenna system is moved by a user.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2016Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: John T. Buhler, William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Publication number: 20170169172Abstract: A hand-held antenna system allows medical personnel to ascertain the presence or absence of objects (e.g., medical supplies) tagged with transponders in an environment in which medical procedures are performed. In use, the hand-held antenna system may be positioned proximate a patient at a time after a medical procedure, such as after child birth, so the system can scan the patient's body to determine the presence of objects tagged with transponders. The antenna system includes three antenna elements arranged mutually orthogonal to each other to transmit and receive signals in three coordinate directions. A controller is coupled to the antenna elements to transmit signals to the transponders and to receive response signals. The antenna system may operate in a static scan mode wherein the antenna system is held in a fixed position by a user and a dynamic scan mode wherein the antenna system is moved by a user.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2014Publication date: June 15, 2017Applicant: Covidien LPInventors: William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Publication number: 20170056128Abstract: The presence or absence of objects is determined by interrogating or exciting transponders coupled to the objects using pulsed wide band frequency signals. Interrogation is broken down into a number of subsample scan cycles each having interrogation cycles a start time forward in time by a fraction of a period of an expected transponder response signal. Ambient or background noise is evaluated and a threshold adjusted based on the level of noise. Adjustment may be based on multiple noise measurements or samples. Noise detection may be limited, with emphasis placed on interrogation to increase the signal to noise ratio. Matched filtering may be employed. Presence/absence determination may take into account frequency and/or Q value to limit false detections. Appropriate acts may be taken if detected noise is out of defined limits of operation, for example shutting down interrogation and/or providing an appropriate indication.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2016Publication date: March 2, 2017Inventors: William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Patent number: 9514341Abstract: The presence or absence of objects is determined by interrogating or exciting transponders coupled to the objects using pulsed wide band frequency signals. Interrogation is broken down into a number of subsample scan cycles each having interrogation cycles a start time forward in time by a fraction of a period of an expected transponder response signal. Ambient or background noise is evaluated and a threshold adjusted based on the level of noise. Adjustment may be based on multiple noise measurements or samples. Noise detection may be limited, with emphasis placed on interrogation to increase the signal to noise ratio. Matched filtering may be employed. Presence/absence determination may take into account frequency and/or Q value to limit false detections. Appropriate acts may be taken if detected noise is out of defined limits of operation, for example shutting down interrogation and/or providing an appropriate indication.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2014Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Publication number: 20160259954Abstract: A hand-held antenna system allows medical personnel to ascertain the presence or absence of objects (e.g., medical supplies) tagged with transponders in an environment in which medical procedures are performed. In use, the hand-held antenna system may be positioned proximate a patient at a time after a medical procedure, such as after childbirth, so the system can scan the patient's body to determine the presence of objects tagged with transponders. The antenna system includes two sets of three antenna elements arranged mutually orthogonal to each other to transmit and receive signals in at least three coordinate directions. A controller is coupled to the antenna elements to transmit signals to the transponders and to receive response signals. The antenna system may operate in a static scan mode wherein the antenna system is held in a fixed position by a user and a dynamic scan mode wherein the antenna system is moved by a user.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2016Publication date: September 8, 2016Inventors: John T. Buhler, William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Publication number: 20150272688Abstract: The presence or absence of objects is determined by interrogating or exciting transponders coupled to the objects using pulsed wide band frequency signals. Interrogation is broken down into a number of subsample scan cycles each having interrogation cycles a start time forward in time by a fraction of a period of an expected transponder response signal. Ambient or background noise is evaluated and a threshold adjusted based on the level of noise. Adjustment may be based on multiple noise measurements or samples. Noise detection may be limited, with emphasis placed on interrogation to increase the signal to noise ratio. Matched filtering may be employed. Presence/absence determination may take into account frequency and/or Q value to limit false detections. Appropriate acts may be taken if detected noise is out of defined limits of operation, for example shutting down interrogation and/or providing an appropriate indication.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2014Publication date: October 1, 2015Inventors: William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Patent number: D723523Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2014Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: RF Surgical Systems, Inc.Inventors: John T. Buhler, William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump
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Patent number: D775331Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2015Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: John T. Buhler, William A. Blair, David A. Poirier, Curtis Crump