Patents by Inventor Douglas K. Medema
Douglas K. Medema 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: 11844953Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) comprises a plurality of electrocardiography (ECG) electrodes, a right-leg drive (RLD) electrode, and a plurality of defibrillator electrodes to contact the patient's skin when the WCD is delivering therapy to the patient, a preamplifier coupled to the ECG electrodes and the RLD electrode to obtain ECG data from the patient as one or more ECG vectors, a processor to receive ECG data from the preamplifier and an abort signal from a user interface, an isolation barrier to isolate the preamplifier from the processor, and a high voltage subsystem to provide a defibrillation voltage to the patient through the defibrillator electrodes in response to a shock signal received from the processor. A shock is provided when an abort signal is not received within a predetermined time period of a shock criterion being met. Less than one false alarm occurs every ten patient-days.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2021Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: West Affum Holdings DACInventors: Joseph L Sullivan, David P. Finch, Douglas K. Medema, Robert R. Buchanan, Garrett M. Kotlarchik, Jaeho Kim, Kenneth F. Cowan
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Publication number: 20230381528Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (“WCD”) latching connector system includes a receptacle positioned within a WCD monitor, and a connector configured to removably engage the receptacle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Applicant: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS DACInventors: Daniel R. Piha, Robert R. Buchanan, Dallas E. Meeker, Douglas K. Medema, Quan H. Nguyen
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Patent number: 11724116Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (“WCD”) latching connector system includes a receptacle positioned within a WCD monitor, and a connector configured to removably engage the receptacle.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2020Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS DACInventors: Daniel R. Piha, Robert R. Buchanan, Dallas E. Meeker, Douglas K. Medema, Quan H. Nguyen
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Patent number: 11648411Abstract: An external defibrillator system is configured with at least two different algorithms for determining the duration of a shock administered to a patient being treated and selects the algorithm based on one or more patient parameters such as, for example, the patient's TTI. The patient's TTI can be measured prior to or while the shock is being administered to the patient. The shock can be, for example, a multiphasic defibrillation or a multiphasic cardioversion shock. The charge voltage of the system's energy storage device can additionally be varied depending on the one or more patient parameters. For example, the system may charge the energy storage device so that the charge voltage is higher or lower than a nominal charge voltage responsive to the patient's TTI is higher or lower compared to an average TTI, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: West Affum Holdings DACInventors: Tyson G. Taylor, Douglas K. Medema
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Publication number: 20230080668Abstract: A Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD) system comprises an electrode assembly with a permeable ECG electrode and a moisture barrier. In some embodiments, the moisture barrier is configured to reduce drying out of the permeable ECG electrode to improve performance of the WCD system. In a further enhancement, some embodiments of the electrode assembly also include a pillow structure positioned on a non-skin-contacting surface of the electrode assembly to comfortably reduce movement artifact or noise in the received ECG signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2022Publication date: March 16, 2023Applicant: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS DACInventors: Dallas E. Meeker, Kiah Lesher, Douglas K. Medema, Robert R. Buchanan, Zoie R. Engman, Phillip D. Foshee, JR., David P. Finch
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Patent number: 11540762Abstract: A Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD) system comprises an electrode assembly with a permeable ECG electrode and a moisture barrier. In some embodiments, the moisture barrier is configured to reduce drying out of the permeable ECG electrode to improve performance of the WCD system. In a further enhancement, some embodiments of the electrode assembly also include a pillow structure positioned on a non-skin-contacting surface of the electrode assembly to comfortably reduce movement artifact or noise in the received ECG signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2018Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS DACInventors: Dallas E. Meeker, Kiah Lesher, Douglas K. Medema, Robert R. Buchanan, Zoie R. Engman, Phillip D. Foshee, Jr., David P. Finch
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Publication number: 20220241601Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system comprises a plurality of patient parameter electrodes and a plurality of defibrillator electrodes to contact a patient's skin when the WCD is delivering therapy to the patient, a processor to receive one or more patient parameters from the one or more patient parameter electrodes, an energy storage device to store a charge to provide electrical therapy to the patient via the plurality of defibrillator electrodes, and a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor to obtain a blood pressure measurement of the patient and to provide the blood pressure measurement to the processor. The processor is to determine whether to provide electrical therapy to the patient based on the one or more patient parameters during an episode, and to obtain the blood pressure measurement from the NIBP monitor during the episode.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2022Publication date: August 4, 2022Applicant: West Affum Holdings Corp.Inventors: Kenneth F. Cowan, Steven E. Sjoquist, Zoie R. Engman, Erick M. Roane, Laura M. Gustavson, Douglas K. Medema, Garrett M. Kotlarchik, Pamela Breske, Jonathan P. Niegowski, Joseph L. Sullivan, Robert R. Buchanan
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WEARABLE CARDIAC DEFIBRILLATOR SYSTEMS & METHODS & SOFTWARE FOR CONTACTING NON-WITNESSING RESPONDERS
Publication number: 20220152378Abstract: A WCD system is configured to detect when a therapy administered to a patient by the WCD system is unsuccessful, and in response determine whether to send notifications to remote non-witness responders. The WCD system may be configured to decide to send such notifications after the WCD system determines it has administered a predetermined number of unsuccessful shocks to the patient. The predetermined number of unsuccessful shocks may be the maximum number of unsuccessful shocks the WCD system will administer to a patient, or every Xth shock (e.g., 3rd shock). The WCD system can be configured to periodically resend the notification. The notifications may be in the form of SMS, voice messages, emails, app notifications, etc. sent to cell phones, smartphones, computers, laptops, tablets, etc. of the responders either directly, via a server, or via a CAD-coupled server.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2022Publication date: May 19, 2022Applicant: West Affum Holdings Corp.Inventors: Douglas K. Medema, Steven E. Sjoquist -
Patent number: 11331508Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system comprises a plurality of patient parameter electrodes and a plurality of defibrillator electrodes to contact a patient's skin when the WCD is delivering therapy to the patient, a processor to receive one or more patient parameters from the one or more patient parameter electrodes, an energy storage device to store a charge to provide electrical therapy to the patient via the plurality of defibrillator electrodes, and a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor to obtain a blood pressure measurement of the patient and to provide the blood pressure measurement to the processor. The processor is to determine whether to provide electrical therapy to the patient based on the one or more patient parameters during an episode, and to obtain the blood pressure measurement from the NIBP monitor during the episode.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2019Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp.Inventors: Kenneth F. Cowan, Steven E. Sjoquist, Zoie R. Engman, Erick M. Roane, Laura M. Gustavson, Douglas K. Medema, Garrett M. Kotlarchik, Pamela Breske, Jonathan P. Niegowski, Joseph L. Sullivan, Robert R. Buchanan
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Publication number: 20220143389Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) comprises a plurality of electrocardiography (ECG) electrodes. An episode is opened responsive to a string of consecutive segments meeting one or more shock criteria, and a shockable rhythm is confirmed for the episode responsive to a subsequent string of consecutive segments meeting one or more confirmation criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2021Publication date: May 12, 2022Applicant: West Affum Holdings Corp.Inventors: Joseph L. Sullivan, David P. Finch, Douglas K. Medema, Robert R. Buchanan, Garrett M. Kotlarchik, Jaeho Kim, Kenneth F. Cowan
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Publication number: 20220118244Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) comprises a plurality of electrocardiography (ECG) electrodes, a right-leg drive (RLD) electrode, and a plurality of defibrillator electrodes to contact the patient's skin when the WCD is delivering therapy to the patient, a preamplifier coupled to the ECG electrodes and the RLD electrode to obtain ECG data from the patient as one or more ECG vectors, a high voltage subsystem to provide a defibrillation voltage to the patient through the plurality of defibrillator electrodes, and an impedance measurement circuit to measure an impedance across a first pair of ECG electrodes, wherein the impedance measurement circuit is to apply a balancing impedance across a second pair of ECG electrodes when an impedance of the second pair of ECG electrodes is not being measured.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: West Affum Holdings Corp.Inventors: Zhong Qun Lu, Douglas K. Medema, Kenneth F. Cowan
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Publication number: 20220088400Abstract: Embodiments of a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system are configured to monitor a patient's ECG for shockable arrhythmias and deliver a shock to the patient in response to such a detection. To monitor the patient's ECG with reduced signal noise to improve the system's performance, the system includes a cable assembly having: a signal line; an inner shield and an outer shield; an ECG electrode electrically connected to the signal line of the cable assembly; and an amplifier having first and second input nodes respectively connected to the signal line and the outer shield of the cable assembly. The amplifier's output node is electrically connected to the inner shield of the cable assembly to reduce the reactive load seen by the patient's heart in driving the ECG sensing circuitry, which reduces the noise on the ECG signal outputted by the amplifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2021Publication date: March 24, 2022Inventors: Zhong Qun Lu, Douglas K. Medema, Kenneth F. Cowan
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Patent number: 11247041Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) comprises a plurality of electrocardiography (ECG) electrodes, a right-leg drive (RLD) electrode, and a plurality of defibrillator electrodes to contact the patient's skin when the WCD is delivering therapy to the patient, a preamplifier coupled to the ECG electrodes and the RLD electrode to obtain ECG data from the patient as one or more ECG vectors, a high voltage subsystem to provide a defibrillation voltage to the patient through the plurality of defibrillator electrodes, and an impedance measurement circuit to measure an impedance across a first pair of ECG electrodes, wherein the impedance measurement circuit is to apply a balancing impedance across a second pair of ECG electrodes when an impedance of the second pair of ECG electrodes is not being measured.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2019Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp.Inventors: Zhong Qun Lu, Douglas K. Medema, Kenneth F. Cowan
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Publication number: 20220032077Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) comprises a plurality of electrocardiography (ECG) electrodes, a right-leg drive (RLD) electrode, and a plurality of defibrillator electrodes to contact the patient's skin when the WCD is delivering therapy to the patient, a preamplifier coupled to the ECG electrodes and the RLD electrode to obtain ECG data from the patient as one or more ECG vectors, a processor to receive ECG data from the preamplifier and an abort signal from a user interface, an isolation barrier to isolate the preamplifier from the processor, and a high voltage subsystem to provide a defibrillation voltage to the patient through the defibrillator electrodes in response to a shock signal received from the processor. A shock is provided when an abort signal is not received within a predetermined time period of a shock criterion being met. Less than one false alarm occurs every ten patient-days.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Applicant: West Affum Holdings Corp.Inventors: Joseph L. Sullivan, David P. Finch, Douglas K. Medema, Robert R. Buchanan, Garrett M. Kotlarchik, Jaeho Kim, Kenneth F. Cowan
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Patent number: 11235143Abstract: A WCD system is configured to detect when a therapy administered to a patient by the WCD system is unsuccessful, and in response determine whether to send notifications to remote non-witness responders. The WCD system may be configured to decide to send such notifications after the WCD system determines it has administered a predetermined number of unsuccessful shocks to the patient. The predetermined number of unsuccessful shocks may be the maximum number of unsuccessful shocks the WCD system will administer to a patient, or every Xth shock (e.g., 3rd shock). The WCD system can be configured to periodically resend the notification. The notifications may be in form of SMS, voice messages, emails, app notifications, etc. sent to cell phones, smartphones, computers, laptops, tablets etc. of the responders either directly, via a server, or via a CAD-coupled server.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2017Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.Inventors: Douglas K. Medema, Steven E. Sjoquist
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Publication number: 20220022767Abstract: A Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD) system comprises an electrode assembly with a permeable ECG electrode and a moisture barrier. In some embodiments, the moisture barrier is configured to reduce drying out of the permeable ECG electrode to improve performance of the WCD system. In a further enhancement, some embodiments of the electrode assembly also include a pillow structure positioned on a non-skin-contacting surface of the electrode assembly to comfortably reduce movement artifact or noise in the received ECG signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2018Publication date: January 27, 2022Inventors: Dallas E. Meeker, Kiah Lesher, Douglas K. Medema, Robert R. Buchanan, Zoie R. Engman, Phillip D. Foshee, JR., David P. Finch
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Publication number: 20220006211Abstract: Technologies and implementations for a clip to connect coaxial cables onto a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) is disclosed. The technologies and implementations facilitate improved signal integrity from the cable to various components of the PCBA. Additionally, the technologies and implementations help facilitate management of mechanical variations during connection of the coaxial cable.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Robert R. Buchanan, Douglas K. Medema, Daniel R. Piha, Dallas E. Meeker, Daniel J. Finney
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Patent number: 11207538Abstract: In embodiments, a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system is configured to be worn by an ambulatory patient. In the event that the WCD system determines that defibrillation is needed, it delivers a defibrillation shock. To diminish the possibility that the patient will be shocked due to a false positive detection, the WCD system alerts a patient that a defibrillation shock is imminent, and invites them to react to avert it. Alerting may be by a very weak shock, or jolt. Alerting by a jolt can be a last resort warning. An advantage can be that the patient has a higher chance of being alerted by the jolt, especially in the event that the patient is not reacting to other human-perceptible alerts, such as when the patient is riding a motorcycle.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2018Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.Inventor: Douglas K. Medema
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Patent number: 11191971Abstract: Embodiments of a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system are configured to monitor a patient's ECG for shockable arrhythmias and deliver a shock to the patient in response to such a detection. To monitor the patient's ECG with reduced signal noise to improve the system's performance, the system includes a cable assembly having: a signal line; an inner shield and an outer shield; an ECG electrode electrically connected to the signal line of the cable assembly; and an amplifier having first and second input nodes respectively connected to the signal line and the outer shield of the cable assembly. The amplifier's output node is electrically connected to the inner shield of the cable assembly to reduce the reactive load seen by the patient's heart in driving the ECG sensing circuitry, which reduces the noise on the ECG signal outputted by the amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2020Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp.Inventors: Zhong Qun Lu, Douglas K. Medema, Kenneth F. Cowan
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Patent number: 11160990Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) comprises a plurality of electrocardiography (ECG) electrodes, a right-leg drive (RLD) electrode, and a plurality of defibrillator electrodes to contact the patient's skin when the WCD is delivering therapy to the patient, a preamplifier coupled to the ECG electrodes and the RLD electrode to obtain ECG data from the patient as one or more ECG vectors, a processor to receive ECG data from the preamplifier and an abort signal from a user interface, an isolation barrier to isolate the preamplifier from the processor, and a high voltage subsystem to provide a defibrillation voltage to the patient through the defibrillator electrodes in response to a shock signal received from the processor. A shock is provided when an abort signal is not received within a predetermined time period of a shock criterion being met. Less than one false alarm occurs every ten patient-days.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2019Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.Inventors: Joseph L. Sullivan, David P. Finch, Douglas K. Medema, Robert R. Buchanan, Garrett M. Kotlarchik, Jaeho Kim, Kenneth F. Cowan