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).

  • Patent number: 11877783
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: James Skarda, Eric Meyer, Donald W. Heckel, Travis Jones
  • Publication number: 20230200881
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Andrey Belous
  • Patent number: 11683105
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Fred B. Pelton, William D. Faulkner, Donald L. Tonn
  • Patent number: 11607264
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Andrey Belous
  • Patent number: 11571252
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Katherine Wagle, William D. Faulkner, Kenneth C. Brockmann
  • Patent number: 11571251
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Katherine Wagle, William D. Faulkner, Kenneth C. Brockmann
  • Publication number: 20210361338
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventor: Donald W. Heckel
  • Publication number: 20210361340
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Donald L. Tonn
  • Publication number: 20210361337
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Donald L. Tonn, William D. Faulkner
  • Publication number: 20210361339
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Donald L. Tonn
  • Patent number: 11076906
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Robert J. Behnke, II
  • Publication number: 20200403713
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Fred B. Pelton, William D. Faulkner, Donald L. Tonn
  • Patent number: 10771167
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, William D. Faulkner, Donald L. Tonn, Fred B. Pelton
  • Publication number: 20200093534
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Andrey Belous
  • Patent number: 10492850
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Andrey Belous
  • Publication number: 20190350637
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Robert J. Behnke, II
  • Patent number: 10376301
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Donald W. Heckel, Robert J. Behnke, II
  • Publication number: 20190231413
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: James Skarda, Eric Meyer, Donald W. Heckel, Travis Jones
  • Publication number: 20190216526
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: DONALD W. HECKEL, KATHERINE WAGLE, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, KENNETH C. BROCKMANN
  • Publication number: 20190175249
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: DONALD W. HECKEL, KATHERINE WAGLE, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, KENNETH C. BROCKMANN