Patents by Inventor Kate Leeann Bechtel

Kate Leeann Bechtel 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: 20240122541
    Abstract: A multi-module wearable device. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a system, including: a first wearable instrument; a second wearable instrument including a biometric sensor; an electrical connection between the first wearable instrument and the second wearable instrument; and a strap, sized and dimensioned to be disposed about a wrist. The electrical connection may be capable of connecting the first wearable instrument to the second wearable instrument when the second wearable instrument is at a first position on the strap relative to the first wearable instrument, and of connecting the first wearable instrument to the second wearable instrument when the second wearable instrument is at a second position on the strap relative to the first wearable instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Kate LeeAnn BECHTEL, Chia-Te CHOU, Cody DUNN, Armando MARTINEZ, David McCANN, James McMILLAN, David Arlo NELSON, Andrew George RICKMAN, Justin BECHSTEIN, Matt SELNICK, John TYRRELL, Jason ZERWECK
  • Patent number: 11957461
    Abstract: An oximeter device has an ergonomically shaped enclosure that allows a user to comfortably grip and use the device during handheld operation. A sensor tip can be easily placed evenly on the tissue surface, so that all sources and detectors are directly on the tissue with even pressure. This allows for more consistent and accurate results. The user can easily move the device from one position to another and take numerous measurements. The user will have a wide, unobstructed view of the tissue because of the tip's small size, angle of display, and the grip and fingers are positioned away from the tip. Components housed by the enclosure are arranged to give the device a balanced weighting while in the hand. The device can be used for long periods at a time without fatigue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ViOptix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kate LeeAnn Bechtel, Sophia Elizabeth Berger, Audrey Steever
  • Publication number: 20240108289
    Abstract: A system for sensing one or more biometrics. In some embodiments, the system includes a first wearable instrument; a second wearable instrument including a biometric sensor; a conductive connection between the first wearable instrument and the second wearable instrument; and a strap, sized and dimensioned to be disposed about a wrist. The system may be capable of securing the first wearable instrument to the strap, of securing the second wearable instrument to the strap at a first position relative to the first wearable instrument, and of securing the second wearable instrument to the strap at a second position relative to the first wearable instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Kate LeeAnn BECHTEL, Cody DUNN, James McMILLAN
  • Publication number: 20240074667
    Abstract: A system comprising: a first module comprising a first sensor, capable of performing biometric sensing at a first location on a patient; and a second module comprising a second sensor, capable of performing biometric sensing at a second location on the patient. The first module comprises a transmitter for transmitting first sensor data, the first sensor data comprising sensing information obtained by the first sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Kyle RICK, Roozbeh PARSA, Lok Man CHU, Vafa JAMALI, Suresh CHENGALVA, Kate Leeann BECHTEL, Andrew George RICKMAN, Vish KULKARNI, Todd NEWHOUSE, Jennifer Lynn CORSO
  • Patent number: 11918342
    Abstract: Ingestible devices are disclosed that provide very high localization accuracy for the devices when present in the GI tract of a body. Related systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Biora Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Mitchell Lawrence Jones, Yi Liu, Kate LeeAnn Bechtel, Christopher Loren Wahl
  • Publication number: 20240065636
    Abstract: An oximeter probe that takes into account tissue color (e.g., skin color or melanin content) to improve accuracy when determining oxygen saturation of tissue. Light is transmitted from a light source into tissue having melanin (e.g., eumelanin or pheomelanin). Light reflected from the tissue is received by a detector. A compensation factor is determined to account for absorption due to the melanin. The oximeter uses this compensation factor and determines a melanin-corrected oxygen saturation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Kate LeeAnn Bechtel, Kimberly Merritt Shultz, Alex Michael Margiott, George Edward Kechter
  • Publication number: 20240057903
    Abstract: An intraoperative tissue oximetry device includes a tissue marker that includes one or more pens or one or more similar ink sources, such that the tissue marker can mark tissue according to oxygen saturation measurements made by the tissue oximetry device, thereby visually delineating regions of potentially viable tissue from regions of potentially nonviable tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Kate LeeAnn Bechtel, Joseph Anthony Heanue, Lester John Lloyd
  • Publication number: 20240057901
    Abstract: An oximeter device determines an oxygen saturation for the tissue and determines a quality value for the oxygen saturation and associated measurements of the tissue. The quality value is calculated from reflectance data received at the detectors of the oximeter device. An accelerometer of the oximeter device can detect movement of the oximeter device when oximetry measurements are made by the oximeter device. An amount of the movement is an indicator of a probe face of the oximeter device changing position with respect to the tissue when the measurements are made. The accelerometer information is used by the oximeter device to adjust the quality value to reflect the amount movement. The oxygen saturation and the adjusted quality metric value are displayed on a display of the oximeter device so that a user may view the quality of the displayed information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Alex Michael Margiott, Jordan Sweer, Kate LeeAnn Bechtel
  • Patent number: 11903704
    Abstract: A laparoscopic medical device includes an oximeter sensor at its tip, which allows the making of oxygen saturation measurements laparoscopically. The device can be a unitary design, wherein a laparoscopic element includes electronics for the oximeter sensor at a distal end (e.g., opposite the tip). The device can be a multiple piece design (e.g., two-piece design), where some electronics is in a separate housing from the laparoscopic element, and the pieces (or portions) are removably connected together. The laparoscopic element can be removed and disposed of; so, the electronics can be reused multiple times with replacement laparoscopic elements. The electronics can include a processing unit for control, computation, or display, or any combination of these. However, in an implementation, the electronics can connect wirelessly to other electronics (e.g., another processing unit) for further control, computation, or display, or any combination of these.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: ViOptix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kate Leeann Bechtel, Todd Louis Harris, Edward Gerald Soloman, Winston Sun, Alan Baldwin, Scott Coleridge, Mark Lonsinger
  • Patent number: 11903703
    Abstract: A laparoscopic medical device includes an oximeter sensor at its tip, which allows the making of oxygen saturation measurements laparoscopically. The device can be a unitary design, wherein a laparoscopic element includes electronics for the oximeter sensor at a distal end (e.g., opposite the tip). The device can be a multiple piece design (e.g., two-piece design), where some electronics is in a separate housing from the laparoscopic element, and the pieces (or portions) are removably connected together. The laparoscopic element can be removed and disposed of; so, the electronics can be reused multiple times with replacement laparoscopic elements. The electronics can include a processing unit for control, computation, or display, or any combination of these. However, in an implementation, the electronics can connect wirelessly to other electronics (e.g., another processing unit) for further control, computation, or display, or any combination of these.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: ViOptix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kate Leeann Bechtel, Todd Louis Harris, Edward Gerald Solomon, Winston Sun, Alan Baldwin, Scott Coleridge, Mark Lonsinger
  • Publication number: 20240041328
    Abstract: A minimally invasive spectrophotometric system. In some embodiments, the system includes a minimally invasive device and a spectrophotometer. The spectrophotometer may include: a transmitting fiber, a receiving fiber, and a head. The head of the spectrophotometer may include: a light source connected to the transmitting fiber and a photodetector connected to the receiving fiber. A portion of the transmitting fiber may be in an insertion tube of the minimally invasive device, and a portion of the receiving fiber may be in the insertion tube of the minimally invasive device. The head of the spectrophotometer may occupy a volume of less than 300 cubic centimeters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Paul Mannion, Kate LeeAnn Bechtel, Suresh Chengalva, Chia-Te Chou, Lok Man Chu, Craig Gardner, Alexander Gondarenko, Richard Grote, Vafa Jamali, Haydn Frederick Jones, Jennifer Lynn CORSO, Roozbeh Parsa, Kyle Rick, Aaron John Zilkie
  • Patent number: 11890095
    Abstract: A sensor head for a compact oximeter sensor device includes light sources and light detectors. A compact oximeter sensor device implementation is entirely self-contained, without any need to connect, via wires or wirelessly, to a separate system unit. The sources and detectors are arranged in a circular arrangement having various source-detector pair distances that allow for robust calibration and self-correction in a compact probe. Other source-detector arrangements are also possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: ViOptix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kate LeeAnn Bechtel, Brian Wilfley
  • Publication number: 20240023842
    Abstract: A method for determining oxygen saturation includes emitting light from sources into tissue; detecting the light by detectors subsequent to reflection; and generating reflectance data based on detecting the light. The method includes determining a first subset of simulated reflectance curves from a set of simulated reflectance curves stored in a tissue oximetry device for a coarse grid; and fitting the reflectance data points to the first subset of simulated reflectance curves to determine a closest fitting one of the simulated reflectance curves. The method includes determining a second subset of simulated reflectance curves for a fine grid based on the closest fitting one of the simulated reflectance curves; determining a peak of absorption and reflection coefficients from the fine grid; and determining an absorption and a reflectance coefficient for the reflectance data points by performing a weighted average of the absorption coefficients and reflection coefficients from the peak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Kate LeeAnn Bechtel, H. Keith Nishihara
  • Publication number: 20240023841
    Abstract: A system includes an enclosure having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The enclosure includes a display coupled to the processor where the display is visible from an exterior of the enclosure; and a battery within the enclosure coupled to the processor and the display. The enclosure includes a probe tip coupled to an exterior of the enclosure. The probe tip includes first, second, and third sensor openings. A first distance between the first and second sensor openings is different than a second distance between the first and third sensor openings. The enclosure includes code stored in the memory where the code is executable by the processor, and includes code to receive first data associated with the first and second sensor openings, code to receive second data associated with the first and second sensor openings, and code to perform SRS using the first and the second data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Kate LeeAnn Bechtel, Joseph Heanue, Lester John Lloyd, Edward Solomon
  • Publication number: 20230397818
    Abstract: A wearable device. In some embodiments, the wearable device includes: a sensing module; and a strap attached to the sensing module, the wearable device being configured to be worn by a user, with a lower surface of the sensing module in contact with the user, the strap extending over an upper surface of the sensing module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Todd Andrew NEWHOUSE, Evan Einbender AAMODT, Hooman ABEDIASL, Adrian Williamson BAHANI, Kate LeeAnn BECHTEL, Renata Melamud BERGER, Patrick John CASTAGNA, Suresh CHENGALVA, Lok Man CHU, Jennifer Lynn CORSO, Cristiano DALVI, Jeffrey DRISCOLL, Alexander FAST, Craig GADD, Alexander GONDARENKO, Richard GROTE, Christopher Alan HARRIS, Vafa JAMALI, Haydn Frederick JONES, Vish KULKARNI, Ferdyan LESMANA, Sean MERRITT, Roozbeh PARSA, Philip PEREA, Kyle RICK, Andrew George RICKMAN, Adam SCOFIELD, Breanna STACHOWSKI, Benjamin VER STEEG, Guomin YU, Aaron John ZILKIE
  • Publication number: 20230401747
    Abstract: A system and method for calibrating speckle-based sensor. In some embodiments, the system includes a wearable device including: a laser, an array detector; and a processing circuit, the processing circuit being configured to: obtain a calibration of the array detector, using an incoherent light source; obtain a speckle image, using the laser; and calculate a corrected speckle-based measurement, the corrected speckle-based measurement being based on the speckle image and on the calibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Cody DUNN, Kate LeeAnn BECHTEL, James McMILLAN
  • Publication number: 20230371853
    Abstract: An oximeter probe includes a probe unit or a base unit and a probe tip where the probe tip has a number of sources and detectors that can be accessed individually or in differing combinations for measuring tissue oxygen saturation at different tissue depth in tissue. A processor of the oximeter probe controls a multiplexer that is coupled to the detectors for selectively collecting measurement information from the detectors via the multiplexer. The oximeter probe is user programmable via one or more input devices on the oximeter probe for selecting the particular sources and detectors to collect measurement information from by the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Kate LeeAnn Bechtel, Jennifer Elizabeth Keating, Scott E. Coleridge
  • Patent number: 11806170
    Abstract: An oximeter probe that takes into account tissue color (e.g., skin color or melanin content) to improve accuracy when determining oxygen saturation of tissue. Light is transmitted from a light source into tissue having melanin (e.g., eumelanin or pheomelanin). Light reflected from the tissue is received by a detector. A compensation factor is determined to account for absorption due to the melanin. The oximeter uses this compensation factor and determines a melanin-corrected oxygen saturation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: ViOptix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kate Leeann Bechtel, Kimberly Merritt Shultz, Alex Michael Margiott, George Edward Kechter
  • Patent number: 11800999
    Abstract: An oximeter device determines an oxygen saturation for the tissue and determines a quality value for the oxygen saturation and associated measurements of the tissue. The quality value is calculated from reflectance data received at the detectors of the oximeter device. An accelerometer of the oximeter device can detect movement of the oximeter device when oximetry measurements are made by the oximeter device. An amount of the movement is an indicator of a probe face of the oximeter device changing position with respect to the tissue when the measurements are made. The accelerometer information is used by the oximeter device to adjust the quality value to reflect the amount movement. The oxygen saturation and the adjusted quality metric value are displayed on a display of the oximeter device so that a user may view the quality of the displayed information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: ViOptix, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Michael Margiott, Jordan Sweer, Kate LeeAnn Bechtel
  • Publication number: 20230329598
    Abstract: A probe tip of an oximeter device includes first and second printed circuit boards (PCBs) that are coupled to the ends of optical fibers that transmit light between the PCBs and into patient tissue that is to be measured by the oximeter device. The PCBs are oriented at an angle between zero and ninety degrees so that the fibers have a curved shape between the locations at which the fibers are coupled to the first and second PCBs. The angular orientation of the PCBs and curved shape of the fibers allows the fibers to have a longer length than if the fibers were straight and allows for light transmitted through the fibers to have a uniform distribution across a cross-section of the fibers as the light is emitted from the fibers into patient tissue. The uniform distribution of light transmitted into patient tissue allows for reliable oximetry measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Kate LeeAnn Bechtel, Alex Michael Margiott, Jennifer Elizabeth Keating, Kimberly Merritt Shultz