Patents by Inventor Joseph L. Sullivan

Joseph L. Sullivan 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).

  • Publication number: 20210015387
    Abstract: The system and method provide for electrocardiogram analysis and optimization of patient-customized cardiopulmonary resuscitation and therapy delivery. An external medical device includes a housing and a processor within the housing. The processor can be configured to receive an input signal for a patient receiving chest compressions and to select at least one filter mechanism and to apply the filter mechanism to the signal to at least substantially remove chest compression artifacts from the signal. A real time dynamic analysis of a cardiac rhythm is applied to adjust and integrate CPR prompting of a medical device. Real-time cardiac rhythm quality is facilitated using a rhythm assessment meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Joseph L. Sullivan, Ronald E. Stickney, Robert G. Walker, Daniel W. Piraino, Isabelle Banville, Fred W. Chapman
  • Patent number: 10857371
    Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system includes a support structure that the patient may wear, and one or more sensors that may acquire patient physiological signals, such as ECG and others. A processor of the WCD system may determine diagnostics from the patient physiological signals. These diagnostics include a six-second ECG portion, heart rates as histograms, heart rates against QRS width, heart rate trends, clinical event counters, diagnostics relating to heart rate variability and about the atrial arrhythmia burden of the patient. In some embodiments, the WCD system includes a user interface with a screen that displays these diagnostics. In some embodiments, the WCD system exports these diagnostics for viewing by a different screen. When viewed, these diagnostics permit more detailed analysis of the state of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Laura M. Gustavson, David P. Finch, Joseph L. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20200376285
    Abstract: A wearable cardiac defibrillator (“WCD”) system may include a support structure that a patient can wear, an energy storage module that can store an electrical charge, and a discharge circuit that can discharge the electrical charge through the patient so as to shock him or her, while the patient is wearing the support structure. Embodiments may actively take into account bystanders, both to protect them from an inadvertent shock, and also to enlist their help. In some embodiments, the WCD system includes a speaker system and a memory. Prompts have been saved in advance in the patient's own voice, and stored in the memory. In case of an emergency, the prompts may be played by the speaker system in the patient's own voice, and heard by a bystander.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: West Affum Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Sullivan, David Peter Finch, Phillip Dewey Foshee, Isabelle Banville, Richard C. Nova, Krystyna Szul, Daniel Finney, Laura Marie Gustavson, Gregory T. Kavounas
  • Patent number: 10828501
    Abstract: A medical device can include a housing, an energy storage module within the housing to store an electrical charge, and a defibrillation port to guide via electrodes the stored electrical charge to a person in need of medical assistance. The medical device can also include a processor to perform a patient signal analysis on an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal corresponding to the person and further determine, based on a result of the patient signal analysis, whether post-shock transcutaneous pacing should be performed on the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Physio-Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Sullivan, Fred W. Chapman
  • Patent number: 10744335
    Abstract: A wearable cardiac defibrillator (“WCD”) system may include a support structure that a patient can wear, an energy storage module that can store an electrical charge, and a discharge circuit that can discharge the electrical charge through the patient so as to shock him or her, while the patient is wearing the support structure. Embodiments may actively take into account bystanders, both to protect them from an inadvertent shock, and also to enlist their help. In some embodiments, the WCD system includes a speaker system and a memory. Prompts have been saved in advance in the patient's own voice, and stored in the memory. In case of an emergency, the prompts may be played by the speaker system in the patient's own voice, and heard by a bystander.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Sullivan, David Peter Finch, Phillip Dewey Foshee, Jr., Isabelle Banville, Richard C. Nova, Krystyna Szul, Daniel Finney, Laura Marie Gustavson, Gregory T. Kavounas
  • Publication number: 20200164217
    Abstract: A method for a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system comprises sensing one or more patient parameters from different parts of a body of the patient by the one or more transducers, obtaining a plurality of physiological inputs from the sensed one or more patient parameters, detecting first aspects from each of at least some of the physiological inputs, generating an aggregated first aspect from at least two of the detected first aspects, determining an aggregate analysis score from the aggregated first aspect, and determining whether the aggregate analysis score meets an aggregate shock criterion. The electrical charge is discharged within six minutes from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is met, otherwise the electrical charge is not discharged for at least 19 minutes from when it is determined that the aggregate shock criterion is not met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Applicant: West Affum Holdings Corp.
    Inventor: Joseph L. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20200114156
    Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) comprises a support structure to be worn by a patient, an energy storage module to store an electrical charge, a discharge circuit coupled to the energy storage module, a measurement circuit, a user interface that includes a speaker, and a processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: West Affum Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Phillip D. Foshee, JR., David P. Finch, Laura M. Gustavson, Nikolai Korsun, Joseph L. Sullivan, Gregory T. Kavounas
  • Patent number: 10543377
    Abstract: In embodiments, a WCD system includes one or more transducers that may sense patient parameters from different parts of the patient's body, and thus render physiological inputs from those parameters. Individual analysis scores may be determined from the physiological inputs, and an aggregate analysis score may be determined from the individual analysis scores. A shock/no shock determination may be made depending on whether or not the aggregate analysis score meets an aggregate shock criterion. Accordingly, multiple inputs are considered in making the shock/no shock determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
    Inventor: Joseph L. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20200023190
    Abstract: A wearable cardiac defibrillator (“WCD”) system may include a support structure that a patient can wear, an energy storage module that can store an electrical charge, and a discharge circuit that can discharge the electrical charge through the patient so as to shock him or her, while the patient is wearing the support structure. Embodiments may actively take into account bystanders, both to protect them from an inadvertent shock, and also to enlist their help. In some embodiments the WCD system includes a speaker system that transmits a sound designed to assist a bystander to perform CPR. Optionally CPR chest compressions received by the patient can be further detected, and feedback can be given. In embodiments, a WCD system may include a user interface that can be controlled to output CPR prompts tailored to a skill level of the bystander.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Sullivan, David Peter Finch, Phillip Dewey Foshee, JR., Isabelle Banville, Richard C. Nova, Krystyna Szul, Daniel Finney, Laura Marie Gustavson, Gregory T. Kavounas
  • Publication number: 20200001098
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (“WCD”) system may output an opening human-perceptible indication, after detecting a shockable cardiac arrhythmia but before validating it. This may succeed in informing the patient that the WCD system is working, and in particular analyzing a just-detected cardiac arrhythmia. The information may give comfort and confidence to the patient who may be conscious, and be experiencing only ventricular tachycardia but not ventricular fibrillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Phillip D. Foshee, Nikolai Korsun, Laura M. Gustavson, Nikolai Korsun, Joseph L. Sullivan, Gregory T. Kavounas
  • Patent number: 10500403
    Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (“WCD”) system may output a loud sound after detecting and validating a shockable cardiac arrhythmia. In such embodiments, however, the WCD system might not sound a loud alarm before validating the arrhythmia thoroughly, i.e. for a longer time, thus giving the arrhythmia a further chance to self-terminate. The WCD system may thus detect more robustly the cardiac arrhythmias that do not self-terminate quickly. Such arrhythmias that self-terminate quickly may occur from likely harmless events occurring multiple times in the daily life of the patient, such as the patient becoming “winded” from climbing stairs. In embodiments the WCD system may notify the patient only discreetly, or even not at all. The lack of sounding such a loud alarm responsive to such events reduces the overall number of times in which the patient experiences unwanted attention by others, embarrassment, loss of privacy and dignity, and so on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
    Inventors: Phillip D. Foshee, Jr., David P. Finch, Laura M. Gustavson, Nikolai Korsun, Joseph L. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 10499824
    Abstract: A portable medical device having improved ECG trace display and reporting. Embodiments implement features to ameliorate artifacts created by virtue of attempting to eliminate compression artifacts due to mechanical compression devices. Other embodiments additionally implement features to seek to detect the occurrence of ROSC while chest compressions are ongoing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: PHYSIO-CONTROL, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph L. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 10485441
    Abstract: Medical devices, software and methods are provided, for making a decision as to whether to pause patient chest compression treatment in connection with administering electric shock therapy to the patient. The decision is made depending whether signal spikes identified in the ECG data are determined to be QRS complexes, or merely likely impulsive artifact caused by the chest compressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: PHYSIO-CONTROL, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph L. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20190343412
    Abstract: A portable medical device having improved ECG trace display and reporting. Embodiments implement features to ameliorate artifacts created by virtue of attempting to eliminate compression artifacts due to mechanical compression devices. Other embodiments additionally implement features to seek to detect the occurrence of ROSC while chest compressions are ongoing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventor: Joseph L. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20190344090
    Abstract: A wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) 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, and an energy storage device to store a charge to provide electrical therapy to the patient via the plurality of defibrillator electrodes. The processor is to receive patient breathing information from a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine and the processor is to determine whether to provide electrical therapy to the patient based on the one or more patient parameters and the patient breathing information during an episode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Joseph L. Sullivan, Steven E. Sjoquist, Robert C. Birkner, Jaeho Kim
  • Patent number: 10426964
    Abstract: A wearable cardiac defibrillator (“WCD”) system may include a support structure that a patient can wear, an energy storage module that can store an electrical charge, and a discharge circuit that can discharge the electrical charge through the patient so as to shock him or her, while the patient is wearing the support structure. Embodiments may actively take into account bystanders, both to protect them from an inadvertent shock, and also to enlist their help. In some embodiments the WCD system includes a speaker system that transmits a sound designed to assist a bystander to perform CPR. Optionally CPR chest compressions received by the patient can be further detected, and feedback can be given. In embodiments, a WCD system may include a user interface that can be controlled to output CPR prompts tailored to a skill level of the bystander.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Sullivan, David Peter Finch, Phillip Dewey Foshee, Jr., Isabelle Banville, Richard C. Nova, Krystyna Szul, Daniel Finney, Laura Marie Gustavson, Gregory T. Kavounas
  • Patent number: 10426966
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (“WCD”) system may output a closing human-perceptible indication, after detecting a shockable cardiac arrhythmia, and after further determining that it will not shock. This may succeed in informing the patient that the WCD system will not deliver a shock responsive to the cardiac arrhythmia, which may have just self-terminated. The information may give comfort to the patient who may be conscious, and may recognize that his or her ventricular tachycardia has self-terminated. Moreover, the patient will know that he or she will not be unnecessarily shocked while conscious, and will not even need to press a cancel switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
    Inventors: Phillip D. Foshee, Jr., David P. Finch, Laura M. Gustavson, Nikolai Korsun, Joseph L. Sullivan, Gregory T. Kavounas
  • Patent number: 10406066
    Abstract: Integrated devices for performing external chest compression (ECC) and defibrillation on a person and methods using the devices. Integrated devices can include a backboard, at least one chest compression member operably coupled to the backboard, and a defibrillator module operably coupled to the backboard. The integrated devices can include physiological sensors, electrodes, wheels, controllers, human interface devices, cooling modules, ventilators, cameras, and voice output devices. Methods can include defibrillating, pacing, ventilating, cooling, and performing ECC in an integrated, coordinated, and/or synchronous manner using the full capabilities of the device. Some devices include controllers executing methods for automatically performing the coordinated activities utilizing the device capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: PHYSIO-CONTROL, INC.
    Inventors: Cynthia Jayne, Ronald E. Stickney, Richard C. Nova, Stephen W. Radons, David R. Hampton, D. Craig Edwards, Joseph L. Sullivan, Steven E. Sjoquist
  • Publication number: 20190231641
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present concept are directed to CPR chest compression machines that include a sensor to detect a parameter about a patient, such as an indication of patient recovery, and include a processor that determines whether to cease series of successive compressions on the patient in response to the detected parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Physio-Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Isabelle L. Banville, Fred W. Chapman, Joseph L. Sullivan, Steven Duke
  • Publication number: 20190216351
    Abstract: Medical devices, software and methods are provided, for making a decision as to whether to pause patient chest compression treatment in connection with administering electric shock therapy to the patient. The decision is made depending whether signal spikes identified in the ECG data are determined to be QRS complexes, or merely likely impulsive artifact caused by the chest compressions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventor: JOSEPH L. SULLIVAN