Patents by Inventor Donald W. Heckel
Donald W. Heckel 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: 11877783Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to an instrument for pacing, mapping, sensing, and/or ablating cardiac tissue that includes an electrogram filtering circuit. To supply radio frequency energy, the disclosed instruments are only optionally connected to a radio frequency generator. When connected to a generator, the electrogram filtering circuit can be provided in a handle of the instrument, or in a connector, for example, to protect the instrument from potentially high-powered radio frequency energy. Alternatively, various disclosed embodiments are capable of pacing/sensing as a standalone device. The connector can be provided separately from both the instrument and the generator. In some embodiments, the electrogram filtering circuit is adaptive to suit a variety of generators.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2019Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.Inventors: James Skarda, Eric Meyer, Donald W. Heckel, Travis Jones
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Publication number: 20230200881Abstract: An electrosurgical generator and associated methods determine a real part of the impedance of treated tissue. The electrosurgical generator includes an output stage, a plurality of sensors, and a controller that controls the output stage. The controller includes a signal processor that determines an RMS voltage, an RMS current, an average power, and a real part of the impedance of the treated tissue based on measured voltage and current by using a plurality of averaging filters. The controller controls the output stage to generate electrosurgical energy based on at least the determined real part of the impedance.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2023Publication date: June 29, 2023Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Andrey Belous
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Patent number: 11683105Abstract: Methods and system are provided to mitigate RF interferences during operation of an electrosurgical system. An electrosurgical system configured to output therapeutic RF energy may refrain from outputting RF energy in order to measure an RF interference for a group of candidate frequencies, and to select a frequency from the group of candidate frequencies for which the measured RF interference is below a threshold value, and to produce a feedback signal (a control signal) at the selected frequency to control operation of the electrosurgical system. During operation of the electrosurgical system the feedback signal may be filtered by a BPF whose fundamental frequency is set to the selected frequency, to thus obtain an interference free feedback signal and, consequently, a reliable control of the electrosurgical system.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2020Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Donald W. Heckel, Fred B. Pelton, William D. Faulkner, Donald L. Tonn
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Patent number: 11607264Abstract: An electrosurgical generator and associated methods determine a real part of the impedance of treated tissue. The electrosurgical generator includes an output stage, a plurality of sensors, and a controller that controls the output stage. The controller includes a signal processor that determines an RMS voltage, an RMS current, an average power, and a real part of the impedance of the treated tissue based on measured voltage and current by using a plurality of averaging filters. The controller controls the output stage to generate electrosurgical energy based on at least the determined real part of the impedance.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2019Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Donald W. Heckel, Andrey Belous
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Patent number: 11571252Abstract: An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modelled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2019Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Donald W. Heckel, Katherine Wagle, William D. Faulkner, Kenneth C. Brockmann
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Patent number: 11571251Abstract: An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modeled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2019Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Donald W. Heckel, Katherine Wagle, William D. Faulkner, Kenneth C. Brockmann
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Publication number: 20210361338Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes a first radio frequency source having a first power supply configured to output a first direct current waveform; a first radio frequency inverter coupled to the first power supply and configured to generate a first radio frequency waveform from the first direct current waveform; and a first controller configured to control the first radio frequency inverter. The electrosurgical generator also includes a second radio frequency source having: a second power supply configured to output a second direct current waveform; a second radio frequency inverter coupled to the second power supply and configured to generate a second radio frequency waveform simultaneously as the first radio frequency waveform; and a second controller configured to control the second radio frequency inverter.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventor: Donald W. Heckel
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Publication number: 20210361340Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes a first radio frequency source having: a first power supply configured to output a first direct current waveform; a first radio frequency inverter coupled to the first power supply and configured to generate a monopolar radio frequency waveform from the first direct current waveform; and a first controller configured to control the first radio frequency inverter to output the monopolar radio frequency waveform. The generator also includes a second radio frequency source having: a second power supply configured to output a second direct current waveform; a second radio frequency inverter coupled to the second power supply and configured to generate a bipolar radio frequency waveform simultaneously as the monopolar radio frequency waveform; and a second controller configured to control the second radio frequency inverter to output the bipolar radio frequency waveform.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Donald L. Tonn
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Publication number: 20210361337Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes a first radio frequency source having a first power supply configured to output a first direct current waveform; a first radio frequency inverter coupled to the first power supply and configured to generate a first interrogation waveform and a first radio frequency waveform from the first direct current waveform; and a first controller configured to control the first radio frequency inverter to output the first radio frequency waveform based on a response of the first interrogation waveform.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Donald L. Tonn, William D. Faulkner
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Publication number: 20210361339Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes a first radio frequency source having a first power supply configured to output a first direct current waveform; a first radio frequency inverter coupled to the first power supply and configured to generate a first radio frequency waveform from the first direct current waveform; and a first controller configured to control the first radio frequency inverter. The electrosurgical generator also includes a second radio frequency source having: a second power supply configured to output a second direct current waveform; a second radio frequency inverter coupled to the second power supply and configured to generate a second radio frequency waveform simultaneously as the first radio frequency waveform; and a second controller configured to control the second radio frequency inverter.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Donald L. Tonn
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Patent number: 11076906Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes an RF output stage, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, first and second log amplifiers, and a controller. The RF output stage is configured to supply electrosurgical energy to tissue. The current sensor is configured to sense a current of the electrosurgical energy and generate a current signal corresponding to the current of the electrosurgical energy. The first log amplifier is configured to amplify and compress the current signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a voltage of the electrosurgical energy and generate a voltage signal in response thereto. The second log amplifier is configured to amplify and compress the voltage signal. The controller is configured to receive the amplified voltage signal and the amplified current signal and operatively control the generation of the electrosurgical energy as a function of the amplified voltage signal and the amplified current signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2019Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Donald W. Heckel, Robert J. Behnke, II
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Publication number: 20200403713Abstract: Methods and system are provided to mitigate RF interferences during operation of an electrosurgical system. An electrosurgical system configured to output therapeutic RF energy may refrain from outputting RF energy in order to measure an RF interference for a group of candidate frequencies, and to select a frequency from the group of candidate frequencies for which the measured RF interference is below a threshold value, and to produce a feedback signal (a control signal) at the selected frequency to control operation of the electrosurgical system. During operation of the electrosurgical system the feedback signal may be filtered by a BPF whose fundamental frequency is set to the selected frequency, to thus obtain an interference free feedback signal and, consequently, a reliable control of the electrosurgical system.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Fred B. Pelton, William D. Faulkner, Donald L. Tonn
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Patent number: 10771167Abstract: Methods and system are provided to mitigate RF interferences during operation of an electrosurgical system. An electrosurgical system configured to output therapeutic RF energy may refrain from outputting RF energy in order to measure an RF interference for a group of candidate frequencies, and to select a frequency from the group of candidate frequencies for which the measured RF interference is below a threshold value, and to produce a feedback signal (a control signal) at the selected frequency to control operation of the electrosurgical system. During operation of the electrosurgical system the feedback signal may be filtered by a BPF whose fundamental frequency is set to the selected frequency, to thus obtain an interference free feedback signal and, consequently, a reliable control of the electrosurgical system.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2017Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Donald W. Heckel, William D. Faulkner, Donald L. Tonn, Fred B. Pelton
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Publication number: 20200093534Abstract: An electrosurgical generator and associated methods determine a real part of the impedance of treated tissue. The electrosurgical generator includes an output stage, a plurality of sensors, and a controller that controls the output stage. The controller includes a signal processor that determines an RMS voltage, an RMS current, an average power, and a real part of the impedance of the treated tissue based on measured voltage and current by using a plurality of averaging filters. The controller controls the output stage to generate electrosurgical energy based on at least the determined real part of the impedance.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2019Publication date: March 26, 2020Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Andrey Belous
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Patent number: 10492850Abstract: An electrosurgical generator and associated methods determine a real part of the impedance of treated tissue. The electrosurgical generator includes an output stage, a plurality of sensors, and a controller that controls the output stage. The controller includes a signal processor that determines an RMS voltage, an RMS current, an average power, and a real part of the impedance of the treated tissue based on measured voltage and current by using a plurality of averaging filters. The controller controls the output stage to generate electrosurgical energy based on at least the determined real part of the impedance.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2014Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: COVIDIEN LPInventors: Donald W. Heckel, Andrey Belous
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Publication number: 20190350637Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes an RF output stage, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, first and second log amplifiers, and a controller. The RF output stage is configured to supply electrosurgical energy to tissue. The current sensor is configured to sense a current of the electrosurgical energy and generate a current signal corresponding to the current of the electrosurgical energy. The first log amplifier is configured to amplify and compress the current signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a voltage of the electrosurgical energy and generate a voltage signal in response thereto. The second log amplifier is configured to amplify and compress the voltage signal. The controller is configured to receive the amplified voltage signal and the amplified current signal and operatively control the generation of the electrosurgical energy as a function of the amplified voltage signal and the amplified current signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2019Publication date: November 21, 2019Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Robert J. Behnke, II
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Patent number: 10376301Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes an RF output stage, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, first and second log amplifiers, and a controller. The RF output stage is configured to supply electrosurgical energy to tissue. The current sensor is configured to sense a current of the electrosurgical energy and generate a current signal corresponding to the current of the electrosurgical energy. The first log amplifier is configured to amplify and compress the current signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a voltage of the electrosurgical energy and generate a voltage signal in response thereto. The second log amplifier is configured to amplify and compress the voltage signal. The controller is configured to receive the amplified voltage signal and the amplified current signal and operatively control the generation of the electrosurgical energy as a function of the amplified voltage signal and the amplified current signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2011Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: COVIDIEN LPInventors: Donald W. Heckel, Robert J. Behnke, II
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Publication number: 20190231413Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to an instrument for pacing, mapping, sensing, and/or ablating cardiac tissue that includes an electrogram filtering circuit. To supply radio frequency energy, the disclosed instruments are only optionally connected to a radio frequency generator. When connected to a generator, the electrogram filtering circuit can be provided in a handle of the instrument, or in a connector, for example, to protect the instrument from potentially high-powered radio frequency energy. Alternatively, various disclosed embodiments are capable of pacing/sensing as a standalone device. The connector can be provided separately from both the instrument and the generator. In some embodiments, the electrogram filtering circuit is adaptive to suit a variety of generators.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2019Publication date: August 1, 2019Applicant: Medtronic, Inc.Inventors: James Skarda, Eric Meyer, Donald W. Heckel, Travis Jones
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Publication number: 20190216526Abstract: An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modeled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2019Publication date: July 18, 2019Inventors: DONALD W. HECKEL, KATHERINE WAGLE, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, KENNETH C. BROCKMANN
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Publication number: 20190175249Abstract: An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modelled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: DONALD W. HECKEL, KATHERINE WAGLE, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, KENNETH C. BROCKMANN