Patents by Inventor Jeff Alvarez

Jeff Alvarez 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).

  • Torque-based catheter articulation
    Patent number: 9173713
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system configured for the articulation of a catheter comprises an input device, a control computer, and an instrument driver having at least one motor for displacing the pull-wire of a steerable catheter wherein the control computer is configured to determine the desired motor torque or tension of the pull-wire of a catheter based on user manipulation of the input device. The control computer is configured to output the desired motor torque or tension of the pull-wire to the instrument driver, whereby at least one motor of the instrument driver implements the desired motor torque to cause the desired pull-wire tension to articulate the distal tip of the catheter. The present embodiment further contemplates a robotic surgical method for the articulation of a steerable catheter wherein an input device is manipulated to communicate a desired catheter position to a control computer and motor torque commands are outputted to an instrument driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: HANSEN MEDICAL, INC.
    Inventors: J. Scot Hart, Francis Macnamara, Neal Tanner, Teresa Miller, Kamini Balaji, Greg Stahler, Chris Carlson, Dave Camarillo, Jeff Alvarez