Patents by Inventor Daniel C. Herman

Daniel C. Herman 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: 12639250
    Abstract: Disclosed in an accessory circuit for a modular energy system. The accessory circuit includes an accessory port configured to receive an accessory, a power supply, a processor, an isolation barrier configured to electrically isolate the processor and the power supply from the accessory port. A flexible serial communication interface is coupled between the processor and the accessory port. The flexible serial communication interface is configured to support multiple communication protocols. A presence detection circuit is coupled between the accessory port and the processor. The presence detection circuit is configured to detect presence of an accessory connected to the accessory port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Joshua P. Morgan, Daniel C. Herman, Joshua M. Henderson, Andrew W. Carroll, Eitan T. Wiener, Jeffrey L. Aldridge
  • Publication number: 20260137877
    Abstract: A surgical system is disclosed including a power source operable to provide a source amount of power, a first surgical module electrically coupled to the power source, a second surgical module electrically coupled to the power source, and a controller operable to determine a free amount of power available to the second surgical module from the power source. The first surgical module is transitionable between an idle state, in which the first surgical module draws a first amount of power from the power source, and an active state, in which the first surgical module draws a second amount of power greater than the first amount of power from the power source. The free amount of power corresponds to a difference between the source amount of power and an amount of power being drawn by the first surgical module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2024
    Publication date: May 21, 2026
    Applicant: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Ryan M. ASHER, Daniel C. HERMAN, Shawn K. HORNER, Jeffrey ALDRIDGE, John B. SCHULTE, Patrick J. MINNELLI, Aaron C. VOEGELE, Joshua MORGAN, Rachael A. SWENSON, John A. WEED, III
  • Publication number: 20260044474
    Abstract: Disclosed in an accessory circuit for a modular energy system. The accessory circuit includes an accessory port configured to receive an accessory, a power supply, a processor, an isolation barrier configured to electrically isolate the processor and the power supply from the accessory port. A flexible serial communication interface is coupled between the processor and the accessory port. The flexible serial communication interface is configured to support multiple communication protocols. A presence detection circuit is coupled between the accessory port and the processor. The presence detection circuit is configured to detect presence of an accessory connected to the accessory port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2025
    Publication date: February 12, 2026
    Applicant: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Joshua P. MORGAN, Daniel C. HERMAN, Joshua M. HENDERSON, Andrew W. CARROLL, Eitan T. WIENER, Jeffrey L. ALDRIDGE
  • Publication number: 20250235273
    Abstract: Mitigating a user interface display function of a modular energy system includes receiving formatted video data at a video data converter circuit, providing differential video signaling data to the display from the video data converter circuit, providing a copy of the differential video signaling data to a processor, and determining that the differential video signaling data is changing over time. Mitigating erroneous outputs from an isolated interface includes receiving a state of a first switch of a first footswitch coupled to a first comparator and a reference voltage coupled to the first comparator, receiving the state of the first switch coupled to the first duplicate comparator and the reference voltage coupled to the first duplicate comparator, comparing the output of the first comparator with the output of the first duplicate comparator, and determining activation or deactivation of a surgical instrument coupled to the controller based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2025
    Publication date: July 24, 2025
    Inventors: Joshua P. Morgan, Andrew W. Carroll, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Joshua M. Henderson, James M. Vachon, Eitan T. Wiener, Daniel C. Herman, Jonathan T. Samuel, Jeffrey A. Bullock
  • Patent number: 12232830
    Abstract: Mitigating a user interface display function of a modular energy system includes receiving formatted video data at a video data converter circuit, providing differential video signaling data to the display from the video data converter circuit, providing a copy of the differential video signaling data to a processor, and determining that the differential video signaling data is changing over time. Mitigating erroneous outputs from an isolated interface includes receiving a state of a first switch of a first footswitch coupled to a first comparator and a reference voltage coupled to the first comparator, receiving the state of the first switch coupled to the first duplicate comparator and the reference voltage coupled to the first duplicate comparator, comparing the output of the first comparator with the output of the first duplicate comparator, and determining activation or deactivation of a surgical instrument coupled to the controller based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Joshua P. Morgan, Andrew W. Carroll, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Joshua M. Henderson, James M. Vachon, Eitan T. Wiener, Daniel C. Herman, Jonathan T. Samuel, Jeffrey A. Bullock
  • Publication number: 20240341866
    Abstract: Mitigating a user interface display function of a modular energy system includes receiving formatted video data at a video data converter circuit, providing differential video signaling data to the display from the video data converter circuit, providing a copy of the differential video signaling data to a processor, and determining that the differential video signaling data is changing over time. Mitigating erroneous outputs from an isolated interface includes receiving a state of a first switch of a first footswitch coupled to a first comparator and a reference voltage coupled to the first comparator, receiving the state of the first switch coupled to the first duplicate comparator and the reference voltage coupled to the first duplicate comparator, comparing the output of the first comparator with the output of the first duplicate comparator, and determining activation or deactivation of a surgical instrument coupled to the controller based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2024
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Inventors: Joshua P. Morgan, Andrew W. Carroll, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Joshua M. Henderson, James M. Vachon, Eitan T. Wiener, Daniel C. Herman, Jonathan T. Samuel, Jeffrey A. Bullock
  • Patent number: 12004824
    Abstract: A modular energy system for use in a surgical environment includes a plurality of functional modules including at least an initial module, a functional module, and a terminal module. Each of the plurality of modules has a module control circuit, and a local data bus. An internal data bus is composed of a serial array of the local data busses of the modules. The local data bus may includes a communication switch, a first switch data path between the communication switch and the module control circuit, a second switch data path in communication with the communication switch, and a third switch data path in communication with the communication switch. The third switch data path of a module N is in communication with a second switch data path of a module N+1. The system further includes a termination unit in communication with the third data path of the terminal module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Daniel C. Herman, Joshua P. Morgan, Andrew W. Carroll, Jonathan T. Samuel, Joshua M. Henderson, James M. Vachon, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Eitan T. Wiener
  • Patent number: 11963727
    Abstract: Mitigating a user interface display function of a modular energy system includes receiving formatted video data at a video data converter circuit, providing differential video signaling data to the display from the video data converter circuit, providing a copy of the differential video signaling data to a processor, and determining that the differential video signaling data is changing over time. Mitigating erroneous outputs from an isolated interface includes receiving a state of a first switch of a first footswitch coupled to a first comparator and a reference voltage coupled to the first comparator, receiving the state of the first switch coupled to the first duplicate comparator and the reference voltage coupled to the first duplicate comparator, comparing the output of the first comparator with the output of the first duplicate comparator, and determining activation or deactivation of a surgical instrument coupled to the controller based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Joshua P. Morgan, Andrew W. Carroll, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Joshua M. Henderson, James M. Vachon, Eitan T. Wiener, Daniel C. Herman, Jonathan T. Samuel, Jeffrey A. Bullock
  • Publication number: 20220313370
    Abstract: Mitigating a user interface display function of a modular energy system includes receiving formatted video data at a video data converter circuit, providing differential video signaling data to the display from the video data converter circuit, providing a copy of the differential video signaling data to a processor, and determining that the differential video signaling data is changing over time. Mitigating erroneous outputs from an isolated interface includes receiving a state of a first switch of a first footswitch coupled to a first comparator and a reference voltage coupled to the first comparator, receiving the state of the first switch coupled to the first duplicate comparator and the reference voltage coupled to the first duplicate comparator, comparing the output of the first comparator with the output of the first duplicate comparator, and determining activation or deactivation of a surgical instrument coupled to the controller based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Joshua P. Morgan, Andrew W. Carroll, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Joshua M. Henderson, James M. Vachon, Eitan T. Wiener, Daniel C. Herman, Jonathan T. Samuel, Jeffrey A. Bullock
  • Publication number: 20220313369
    Abstract: Various methods are disclosed. One method includes reading an RFID card that is associated with a surgical instrument when the RFID card is located proximal to an RFID reader and initiating a wireless pairing process with the surgical instrument by the header module. Another method includes receiving an accessory at an accessory port of a modular energy system, communicating via a flexible serial communication interface coupled between a processor and the accessory port, the flexible serial communication interface configured to support multiple communication protocols, and detecting, by a presence detection circuit coupled between the accessory port and the processor, presence of the accessory connected to the accessory port. Other methods include a flexible serial bus power configuration method for a modular energy system and a remote power control interface method for a modular energy system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Brendan J. Oberkircher, Cory G. Kimball, Matthew S. Corbin, Monica L. Z. Rivard, Joshua P. Morgan, Daniel C. Herman, Joshua M. Henderson, Andrew W. Carroll, Eitan T. Wiener, Jeffrey L. Aldridge
  • Publication number: 20220313372
    Abstract: A modular energy system for use in a surgical environment includes a plurality of functional modules including at least an initial module, a functional module, and a terminal module. Each of the plurality of modules has a module control circuit, and a local data bus. An internal data bus is composed of a serial array of the local data busses of the modules. The local data bus may includes a communication switch, a first switch data path between the communication switch and the module control circuit, a second switch data path in communication with the communication switch, and a third switch data path in communication with the communication switch. The third switch data path of a module N is in communication with a second switch data path of a module N+1. The system further includes a termination unit in communication with the third data path of the terminal module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel C. Herman, Joshua P. Morgan, Andrew W. Carroll, Jonathan T. Samuel, Joshua M. Henderson, James M. Vachon, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Eitan T. Wiener
  • Publication number: 20220318179
    Abstract: Disclosed in an accessory circuit for a modular energy system. The accessory circuit includes an accessory port configured to receive an accessory, a power supply, a processor, an isolation barrier configured to electrically isolate the processor and the power supply from the accessory port. A flexible serial communication interface is coupled between the processor and the accessory port. The flexible serial communication interface is configured to support multiple communication protocols. A presence detection circuit is coupled between the accessory port and the processor. The presence detection circuit is configured to detect presence of an accessory connected to the accessory port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Joshua P. Morgan, Daniel C. Herman, Joshua M. Henderson, Andrew W. Carroll, Eitan T. Wiener, Jeffrey L. Aldridge