Patents by Inventor Michael W. Heinks

Michael W. Heinks 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: 12186571
    Abstract: An implantable medical device system is configured to sense cardiac events in response to a cardiac electrical signal crossing a cardiac event sensing threshold. A control circuit is configured to determine a drop time interval based on a heart rate and control a sensing circuit to hold the cardiac event sensing threshold at a threshold value during the drop time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Cao, Gerald P. Arne, Timothy A. Ebeling, Yanina Grinberg, Michael W. Heinks, Paul R. Solheim, Xusheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 12005263
    Abstract: An extra-cardiovascular implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) having a high voltage therapy module is configured to control a high voltage charging circuit to charge a capacitor to a pacing voltage amplitude to deliver charge balanced pacing pulses. The capacitor is chargeable to a shock voltage amplitude that is greater than the pacing voltage amplitude. The ICD is configured to enable switching circuitry of the high voltage therapy module to discharge the capacitor to deliver a first pulse having a first polarity and a leading voltage amplitude corresponding to the pacing voltage amplitude for pacing the patient's heart via a pacing electrode vector selected from extra-cardiovascular electrodes. The high voltage therapy module delivers a second pulse after the first pulse. The second pulse has a second polarity opposite the first polarity and balances the electrical charge delivered during the first pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Yanina Grinberg, Paul D. Baker, Lonny V. Cabelka, Craig W. Dorma, Timothy A. Ebeling, Michael W. Heinks, James Vander Heyden, Joseph Ippolito, Joel R. Lauer, Robert T. Sawchuk, Brian W. Schousek
  • Patent number: 11786739
    Abstract: A medical device is configured to set a post-atrial time interval in response to an atrial event and generate an event time signal in response to a ventricular electrical signal crossing an R-wave sensing threshold during the post-atrial time interval. The device accumulates oversensing evidence in response to the event time signal and adjusts a ventricular sensing control parameter based on the accumulated oversensing evidence in some examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Medtronic Inc.
    Inventors: Maureen E. Lybarger, Jian Cao, Wade M. Demmer, Michael W. Heinks, Jean E. Hudson, Michael Kemmerer, James J. St. Martin, Todd J. Sheldon
  • Publication number: 20230181912
    Abstract: Implantable medical devices include a first sensor for detecting a magnetic field that indicates an exposure mode of operation is appropriate. The implantable medical devices include a second sensor for detecting whether an MRI characteristic is present that indicates whether MRI or non-MRI post exposure diagnostics and other actions should be implemented and may also indicate whether the exposure mode should be MRI or non-MRI specific. An MRI post exposure diagnostic may perform pacing capture threshold tests and the post exposure pacing amplitude output may be kept at a higher than normal level. The second sensor may be an overvoltage clamp circuit of a telemetry coil that indicates whether an overvoltage condition on the telemetry coil is occurring to indicate whether an MRI characteristic is present. The second sensor may be a second threshold magnetic sensor, an accelerometer, or a microphone to indicate whether an MRI characteristic is present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Edmonson, Michael W. Heinks
  • Publication number: 20230129026
    Abstract: An implantable medical device system is configured to sense cardiac events in response to a cardiac electrical signal crossing a cardiac event sensing threshold. A control circuit is configured to determine a drop time interval based on a heart rate and control a sensing circuit to hold the cardiac event sensing threshold at a threshold value during the drop time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Jian Cao, Gerald P. Arne, Timothy A. Ebeling, Yanina Grinberg, Michael W. Heinks, Paul R. Solheim, Xusheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 11547864
    Abstract: An implantable medical device system is configured to sense cardiac events in response to a cardiac electrical signal crossing a cardiac event sensing threshold. A control circuit is configured to determine a drop time interval based on a heart rate and control a sensing circuit to hold the cardiac event sensing threshold at a threshold value during the drop time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Cao, Gerald P. Arne, Timothy A. Ebeling, Yanina Grinberg, Michael W. Heinks, Paul R. Solheim, Xusheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 11524169
    Abstract: An extra-cardiovascular implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) having a high voltage therapy module is configured to control a high voltage charging circuit to charge a capacitor to a pacing voltage amplitude to deliver charge balanced pacing pulses. The capacitor is chargeable to a shock voltage amplitude that is greater than the pacing voltage amplitude. The ICD is configured to enable switching circuitry of the high voltage therapy module to discharge the capacitor to deliver a first pulse having a first polarity and a leading voltage amplitude corresponding to the pacing voltage amplitude for pacing the patient's heart via a pacing electrode vector selected from extra-cardiovascular electrodes. The high voltage therapy module delivers a second pulse after the first pulse. The second pulse has a second polarity opposite the first polarity and balances the electrical charge delivered during the first pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Yanina Grinberg, Paul D. Baker, Lonny V. Cabelka, Craig W. Dorma, Timothy A. Ebeling, Michael W. Heinks, James Vander Heyden, Joseph Ippolito, Joel R. Lauer, Robert W. Sawchuk, Brian W. Schousek
  • Patent number: 11413469
    Abstract: An implantable medical device system capable of sensing cardiac electrical signals includes a sensing circuit, a therapy delivery circuit and a control circuit. The sensing circuit is configured to receive a cardiac electrical signal and sense a cardiac event in response to the signal crossing a cardiac event sensing threshold. The therapy delivery circuit is configured to deliver an electrical stimulation therapy to a patient's heart via the electrodes coupled to the implantable medical device. The control circuit is configured to control the sensing circuit to set a starting value of the cardiac event sensing threshold and hold the starting value constant for a sense delay interval. The control circuit is further configured to detect an arrhythmia based on cardiac events sensed by the sensing circuit and control the therapy delivery circuit to deliver the electrical stimulation therapy in response to detecting the arrhythmia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Cao, Timothy A. Ebeling, Saul E. Greenhut, Michael W. Heinks, Irving J. Sanchez, Paul R. Solheim, Xusheng Zhang, Gerald P. Arne
  • Publication number: 20220200448
    Abstract: An example device includes a memory configured to store representations of sensed signals. The example device includes processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuitry being configured to read or write the representations of the sensed signals in the memory. The example device includes sensing circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the sensing circuitry being configured to sense signals indicative of a physiological condition of a patient via a plurality of electrodes and to output to the processor circuitry the representations of the sensed signals. The sensing circuitry includes a switched capacitor charge pump configured to amplify the sensed signals to generate amplified signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Michael W. Heinks, Michael B. Terry, Emily Carroll
  • Publication number: 20210038905
    Abstract: An implantable medical device system is configured to sense cardiac events in response to a cardiac electrical signal crossing a cardiac event sensing threshold. A control circuit is configured to determine a drop time interval based on a heart rate and control a sensing circuit to hold the cardiac event sensing threshold at a threshold value during the drop time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Jian Cao, Gerald P. Arne, Timothy A. Ebeling, Yanina Grinberg, Michael W. Heinks, Paul R. Solheim, Xusheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 10799710
    Abstract: An implantable medical device system is configured to sense cardiac events in response to a cardiac electrical signal crossing a cardiac event sensing threshold. A control circuit is configured to determine a drop time interval based on a heart rate and control a sensing circuit to hold the cardiac event sensing threshold at a threshold value during the drop time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Cao, Gerald P. Arne, Timothy A. Ebeling, Yanina Grinberg, Michael W. Heinks, Paul R. Solheim, Xusheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 10583306
    Abstract: An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) starts a timer set to a time interval in response to a cardiac electrical signal crossing a noise threshold amplitude and resets the timer to the time interval in response to each crossing of the noise threshold amplitude by the cardiac electrical signal that occurs prior to the time interval expiring. A control circuit of the ICD determines a parameter of the behavior of the timer and identifies a sensed cardiac event as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) event based on the parameter. The ICD may detect EMI in response to the EMI event and withhold a tachyarrhythmia detection or therapy in response to EMI detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Xusheng Zhang, Saul E. Greenhut, Michael W. Heinks, Paul R. Solheim
  • Patent number: 10493291
    Abstract: An implantable medical device system capable of sensing cardiac electrical signals includes a sensing circuit, a therapy delivery circuit and a control circuit. The sensing circuit is configured to receive a cardiac electrical signal and sense a cardiac event in response to the signal crossing a cardiac event sensing threshold. The therapy delivery circuit is configured to deliver an electrical stimulation therapy to a patient's heart via the electrodes coupled to the implantable medical device. The control circuit is configured to control the sensing circuit to set a starting value of the cardiac event sensing threshold and hold the starting value constant for a sense delay interval. The control circuit is further configured to detect an arrhythmia based on cardiac events sensed by the sensing circuit and control the therapy delivery circuit to deliver the electrical stimulation therapy in response to detecting the arrhythmia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Cao, Timothy A. Ebeling, Saul E. Greenhut, Michael W. Heinks, Irving J. Sanchez, Paul R. Solheim, Xusheng Zhang, Gerald P. Arne
  • Patent number: 10252071
    Abstract: An implantable medical device system capable of sensing cardiac electrical signals includes a sensing circuit, a therapy delivery circuit and a control circuit. The sensing circuit is configured to receive a cardiac electrical signal and sense a cardiac event in response to the signal crossing a cardiac event sensing threshold. The therapy delivery circuit is configured to deliver an electrical stimulation therapy to a patient's heart via the electrodes coupled to the implantable medical device. The control circuit is configured to control the sensing circuit to set a starting value of the cardiac event sensing threshold and hold the starting value constant for a sense delay interval. The control circuit is further configured to detect an arrhythmia based on cardiac events sensed by the sensing circuit and control the therapy delivery circuit to deliver the electrical stimulation therapy in response to detecting the arrhythmia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Cao, Timothy A. Ebeling, Saul E. Greenhut, Michael W. Heinks, Irving J. Sanchez, Paul R. Solheim, Xusheng Zhang, Gerald P. Arne
  • Patent number: 9643024
    Abstract: An implantable pacemaker detects delivery of an anti-tachyarrhythmia shock by another device. The implantable pacemaker delivers cardiac stimulation therapy within a patient. The implantable pacemaker senses, via the electrode pair, an electrical signal. The implantable pacemaker detects the anti-tachyarrhythmia shock based on the sensed electrical signal by detecting DC voltage polarization across the electrode pair within the patient. The implantable pacemaker alters the cardiac stimulation therapy based on the detected anti-tachyarrhythmia shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Reinke, Glenn M. Roline, Shohan T. Hossain, Michael W. Heinks
  • Publication number: 20160339248
    Abstract: An implantable device and associated method for delivering multi-site pacing therapy is disclosed. The device comprises a set of electrodes including a first ventricular electrode and a second ventricular electrode, spatially separated from one another and all coupled to an implantable pulse generator. The device comprises a processor configured for selecting a first cathode and a first anode from the set of electrodes to form a first pacing vector at a first pacing site along a heart chamber and selecting a second cathode and a second anode from the set of electrodes to form a second pacing vector at a second pacing site along the same heart chamber. The pulse generator is configured to deliver first pacing pulses to the first pacing vector and delivering second pacing pulses to the second pacing vector. The pulse generator generates a recharging current for recharging a first coupling capacitor over a first recharge time period in response to the first pacing pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Anthony W. Schrock, Jean E. Hudson, Karen J. Kleckner, John D. Wahlstrand, Michael W. Heinks, Michael L. Hudziak, Subham Ghosh, Aleksandre T. Sambelashvili
  • Patent number: 9278229
    Abstract: An implantable pacemaker detects delivery of an anti-tachyarrhythmia shock by another device. The implantable pacemaker delivers cardiac stimulation therapy within a patient. The implantable pacemaker senses, via the electrode pair, an electrical signal. The implantable pacemaker detects the anti-tachyarrhythmia shock based on the sensed electrical signal by detecting DC voltage polarization across the electrode pair within the patient. The implantable pacemaker alters the cardiac stimulation therapy based on the detected anti-tachyarrhythmia shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Reinke, Glenn M. Roline, Shohan T. Hossain, Michael W. Heinks
  • Patent number: 7714757
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a chopper-stabilized sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC is configured to provide accurate output at low frequency with relatively low power. The chopper-stabilized ADC substantially reduces or eliminates noise and offset from an output signal produced by the mixer amplifier. Dynamic limitations, i.e., glitching that result from chopper stabilization at low power are substantially eliminated or reduced through a combination of chopping at low impedance nodes within the mixer amplifier and feedback. The signal path of the ADC operates as a continuous time system, providing minimal aliasing of noise or external signals entering the signal pathway at the chop frequency or its harmonics. In this manner, the chopper-stabilized ADC can be used in a low power system, such as an implantable medical device (IMD), to provide a stable, low-noise output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Denison, Joel A. Anderson, Michael W. Heinks
  • Patent number: 7623053
    Abstract: In general, this disclosure describes techniques for reducing power consumption within an implantable medical device (IMD). An IMD implanted within a patient may have finite power resources that are intended to last several years. To promote device longevity, sensing and therapy circuits of the IMD are designed to incorporate an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that provides relatively high resolution output at a relatively low operation frequency, and does so with relatively low power consumption. An ADC designed in accordance with the techniques described herein utilizes a quantizer that has a lower resolution than a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) used for negative feedback. Such a configuration provides the benefits of higher resolution DAC feedback without having the use high oversampling ratios that result in high power consumption. Also, the techniques avoid the use of, and the associated high power consumption of, a high resolution flash ADC, within the sigma delta loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael B. Terry, Michael W. Heinks, Joel A. Anderson, Mark A. Frigaard
  • Publication number: 20090079606
    Abstract: In general, this disclosure describes techniques for reducing power consumption within an implantable medical device (IMD). An IMD implanted within a patient may have finite power resources that are intended to last several years. To promote device longevity, sensing and therapy circuits of the IMD are designed to incorporate an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that provides relatively high resolution output at a relatively low operation frequency, and does so with relatively low power consumption. An ADC designed in accordance with the techniques described herein utilizes a quantizer that has a lower resolution than a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) used for negative feedback. Such a configuration provides the benefits of higher resolution DAC feedback without having the use high oversampling ratios that result in high power consumption. Also, the techniques avoid the use of, and the associated high power consumption of, a high resolution flash ADC, within the sigma delta loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Michael B. Terry, Michael W. Heinks, Joel A. Anderson, Mark A. Frigaard