Patents by Inventor Nicholas J. Adams

Nicholas J. Adams 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: 20240108331
    Abstract: Disclosed is a surgical instrument for treating tissue in a surgical procedure. The surgical instrument comprises an end effector, comprising an anvil, and a staple cartridge. The surgical instrument further comprises a drive train operably coupled to the end effector, a motor configured to motivate the drive train based on a default control algorithm to affect a tissue treatment motion of the end effector, and a sensor configured to monitor an independent parameter of the surgical procedure. The independent parameter is independent of the motion of the end effector. The surgical instrument further comprises a control circuit coupled to the motor and the sensor. The control circuit is configured to receive an input from the sensor indicative of the independent parameter, and adjust the default control algorithm based on the independent parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Michael J. Vendely, Shane R. Adams, Nicholas J. Ross
  • Publication number: 20240108334
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for controlling a tissue-treatment motion by a surgical instrument are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Michael J. Vendely, Shane R. Adams, Nicholas J. Ross, Matthew D. Cowperthwait, Jason L. Harris, Kevin M. Fiebig, Eric B. LaFay, Jose Luis De Cordoba Matilla, Raymond E. Parfett, Curtis A. Maples, Sarah A. Worthington, Jacqueline C. Aronhalt
  • Publication number: 20240108335
    Abstract: A surgical instrument is disclosed including an end effector configurable between an open state and a clamped state, a firing member movable from an unfired position toward a fired position during a firing stroke, a manually-driveable closure system, a motor-powered firing system, and a control system. The motor-powered firing system is configured to drive the firing member through the firing stroke. The control system is configured to detect, at a first time point, the end effector reaching the clamped state with the manually-driveable closure system, detect, at a second time point, the actuation of the motor-powered firing system, set a firing motion parameter of the motor-powered firing system based on an elapsed time from the first time point to the second time point, and drive the firing member through the firing stroke with the motor-powered firing system using the firing motion parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Shane R. Adams, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Nicholas J. Ross, Matthew D. Cowperthwait
  • Publication number: 20240108329
    Abstract: A surgical instrument system comprising a motor system and a control circuit is disclosed. The motor system comprises a motor and a drive train coupleable to the motor and configured to actuate a firing member through a staple firing stroke. The control circuit is coupled to the motor, wherein the control circuit comprises a motor controller configured to control the motor, and wherein, during the staple firing stroke, the control circuit is configured to actuate the firing member through the staple firing stroke, monitor a parameter of the motor system during the staple firing stroke, identify when the firing member is within an active adjustment portion of the staple firing stroke; and automatically adjust, at a frequency, tuning parameters of the motor controller with based on the monitored parameter of the motor system during the active adjustment portion of the staple firing stroke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Matthew D. Cowperthwait, Nicholas J. Ross, Shane R. Adams, Eric B. LaFay, Sarah A. Worthington
  • Publication number: 20240108342
    Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising an end effector, a firing member movable from an unfired position toward a fired position during a firing stroke, a firing system comprising a motor, and a control system. The firing system is configured to drive the firing member through the firing stroke. The control system is configured to drive the firing member from the unfired position toward the fired position with the firing system, detect a force to fire the firing member toward the fired position, pause advancement of the firing member for a first amount of time, based on the detected force to fire, resume advancement of the firing member after the first amount of time, and pause advancement of the firing member for a second amount of time, wherein the second amount of time is based on the first amount of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Nicholas J. Ross, Shane R. Adams
  • Publication number: 20240108333
    Abstract: A surgical instrument system comprising a drive train and a control circuit is disclosed. The drive train comprises a motor and a shaft actuatable by the motor to actuate a function of an end effector. The control circuit is coupled to the motor, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a relative excess capacity of the drive train, compare the relative excess capacity to a predetermined shifting threshold, and increase the speed of the motor based on the relative excess capacity exceeding the predetermined shifting threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Matthew D. Cowperthwait, Nicholas J. Ross, Shane R. Adams
  • Publication number: 20240108421
    Abstract: A surgical instrument system comprising a motor system and a control circuit is disclosed. The motor system comprises a motor and a drive train coupleable to the motor and configured to actuate a firing member through a staple firing stroke. The control circuit is coupled to the motor, wherein, during the staple firing stroke, the control circuit is configured to monitor current draw of the motor and initiate an oscillating impact signal sequence to the motor based on the monitored current draw of the motor. The oscillating impact signal comprises a pulse amplitude selected based on the monitored current draw and a pulse width based on the monitored current draw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Nicholas J. Ross, Shane R. Adams
  • Publication number: 20240108338
    Abstract: A surgical stapling system includes a motor, a gear reducer assembly, a drive train, and a motor controller. A method of controlling the motor includes applying a first signal to the motor, receiving drive train operational data, comparing the drive train data to baseline data, and applying a signal having a different shape than the first signal to the motor. A method of characterizing the motor includes transmitting a perturbation signal, receiving motor function parameters, determining stapler system characteristics, and adjusting a controller function. A method of controlling a stepper motor includes applying a signal to the stepper motor, receiving stepper motor operational data, comparing the data to baseline data, and adjusting the signal. Another method of controlling the motor includes receiving motor rotational data, receiving gear rotation data, calculating a mechanical transfer function, determining non-idealities of the stapling system, and modifying a control signal based on the non-idealities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Shane R. Adams, Eric B. LaFay, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Jose Luis De Cordoba Matilla, Nicholas J. Ross, Matthew D. Cowperthwait
  • Publication number: 20240112798
    Abstract: Disclosed is a surgical system for use with a surgical device. The surgical system comprises a remote processing device comprising a device control circuit and a surgical hub configured to communicably couple to the remote processing device and the surgical device. The surgical hub comprises a hub control circuit, wherein the hub control circuit and the device control circuit perform distributed processing. The surgical hub control circuit is configured to transmit a synchronization feature to the remote processing device, transmit a first subset of data associated with the surgical device to the remote processing device, perform a second analysis on a second subset of the data, determine a second result based on the second analysis, receive a first result from the remote processing device and synchronization data of the first result, assess a synchronicity of the first result and the second result based on the synchronization data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Nicholas J. Ross, Shane R. Adams, Jason L. Harris
  • Publication number: 20240108336
    Abstract: A surgical instrument is disclosed including a motor-powered firing system comprising a firing motor, a motor-powered closure system comprising a closure motor, and a control system. The firing motor is configured to drive a firing member between an unfired position and a fired position. The closure motor is configured to transition an end effector between an open state and a clamped state. The control system is configured to set a first parameter of the motor-powered closure system, based on a received first input, drive the end effector toward the clamped state with the motor-powered closure system using the first parameter, monitor a second parameter associated with the end effector transitioning toward the clamped state, set a third parameter of the motor-powered firing system, based on a received second input and the monitored second parameter, and drive the firing member toward the fired position using the third parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Shane R. Adams, Jason L. Harris, Nicholas J. Ross
  • Publication number: 20240108339
    Abstract: A surgical stapling system includes an anvil, a blade, a motor and gear assembly, a motor power supply, and a motor controller. A method of controlling the motor includes receiving first and second data indicative of operations of the motor under first and second conditions, respectively, and adjusting a motor control signal based on a difference between the first and second data. Another method includes receiving initial manufacture motor and gear assembly data from a manufacture and operational data during an initial use of the system, and adjusting parameters of the control signal based on a difference between the manufacture data and the operational data. Another method includes controlling a pulse-width modulated (PWM) motor control signal, receiving data regarding an interaction between the blade and a tissue clamped by the anvil, and adjusting a frequency of the PWM signal based on the data related to the interaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Shane R. Adams, Kevin M. Fiebig, Raymond E. Parfett, Curtis A. Maples, Nicholas J. Ross, Taylor W. Aronhalt
  • Publication number: 20240108340
    Abstract: A surgical instrument system comprising a motor system and a control circuit is disclosed. The motor system comprises a motor and a drive train movable by the motor to actuate a firing member through a staple firing stroke. The control circuit is coupled to the motor, wherein, during the staple firing stroke, the control circuit is configured to perform a first sensory action to determine if a speed of the motor can be increased to a first target speed, monitor a result of the first sensory action, adjust a parameter of a subsequent sensory action based on the monitored result of the first sensory action, and perform the subsequent sensory action with the adjusted parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Kevin M. Fiebig, Matthew D. Cowperthwait, Nicholas J. Ross, Shane R. Adams
  • Patent number: 11931029
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft, a motor, a firing assembly, an end effector, and a control circuit. The motor is activatable to actuate the firing assembly through a firing stroke to staple and sever tissue with the end effector. The control circuit is configured to monitor one or more use metrics of the surgical instrument. Responsive to at least one of the one or more use metrics exceeding a predetermined threshold, the control circuit is further configured to initiate at least one of providing a notification to a user or disabling the firing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Ross, Joseph D. Paulowski, Shane R. Adams, Matthew D. Cowperthwait
  • Patent number: 11931037
    Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising an end effector, a firing member movable from an unfired position toward a fired position during a firing stroke, a firing system comprising a motor, and a control system. The firing system is configured to drive the firing member through the firing stroke. The control system is configured to drive the firing member from the unfired position toward the fired position with the firing system, detect a force to fire the firing member toward the fired position, pause advancement of the firing member for a first amount of time, based on the detected force to fire, resume advancement of the firing member after the first amount of time, and pause advancement of the firing member for a second amount of time, wherein the second amount of time is based on the first amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L Harris, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Nicholas J. Ross, Shane R. Adams
  • Patent number: 11918275
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of adapting energy modality due to a short circuit or tissue type grasped in the jaws of an end effector of a surgical instrument. The method includes selecting an electrode in an array of segmented electrodes during a pre-energy activation cycle. The method includes applying a sub-therapeutic electrical signal to the selected electrode to differentiate between a shorted electrode and low impedance tissue grasped in the jaws of the end effector. The method includes determining the selected electrode is shorted based on a measured electrical parameter received by the control circuit after applying the sub-therapeutic electrical signal and blending monopolar and bipolar RF energy. The method includes determining that the selected electrode is shorted and switching output energy of the RF generator between monopolar and bipolar RF energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Shane R. Adams, Daniel V. Boguszewski, Nicholas J. Ross
  • Publication number: 20240065695
    Abstract: A method for authenticating the compatibility of a staple cartridge with a surgical instrument is disclosed. The method can comprise inserting a staple cartridge into a surgical instrument, receiving a first signal from a first RFID tag on a first component of the staple cartridge with an RFID reader system, receiving a second signal from a second RFID tag on a second component of the staple cartridge with the RFID reader system, comparing the first signal and the second signal to stored data for a compatible staple cartridge, and locking a staple firing system of the surgical instrument if the first signal and the second signal do not match the stored data for a compatible staple cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Shane R. Adams, Nicholas J. Ross, Jason L. Harris
  • Patent number: 10963028
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a processor includes a power control unit, an interface to software during runtime that permits the software to set a plurality of power management constraint parameters for the power control unit during runtime of the processor without a reboot of the processor, and a storage element to store a respective lock bit for each of the plurality of power management constraint parameters to disable the interface from changing a respective constraint parameter when set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan D. Wells, Sanjeev S. Jahagirdar, Inder M. Sodhi, Jeremy J. Shrall, Stephen H. Gunther, Daniel J. Ragland, Nicholas J. Adams
  • Patent number: 10831934
    Abstract: An embodiment includes an apparatus comprising: an out-of-band cryptoprocessor coupled to secure non-volatile storage; and at least one storage medium having firmware instructions stored thereon for causing, during runtime and after an operating system for the apparatus has booted, the cryptoprocessor to (a) store a key within the secure non-volatile storage, (b) sign an object with the key, while the key is within the cryptoprocessor, to produce a signature, and (c) verify the signature. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent J. Zimmer, Nicholas J. Adams, Giri P. Mudusuru, Lee G. Rosenbaum, Michael A. Rothman
  • Patent number: 10496388
    Abstract: Technologies for performing a secure firmware update include a compute device that includes a memory device to store firmware update payload, one or more devices that have direct memory access (DMA) to the memory, a DMA remap module, and a firmware update module. The DMA remap module is to create a memory isolation domain for each of the one or more devices. Each memory isolation domain comprises a physical address space in the memory that is mutually exclusive to the physical address spaces of the other memory isolation domains. The firmware update module is to (i) analyze the firmware update payload to identify one or more of the devices associated with the firmware update payload and (ii) move the firmware update payload to the memory isolation domains of each associated device to enable secure transmission of the firmware update payload to the associated devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Adams, Krishnakumar Narasimhan, Vincent J. Zimmer
  • Patent number: 10402281
    Abstract: A mechanism is described for facilitating dynamic capsule generation and recovery in computing environments according to one embodiment. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes accessing a current firmware and a capsule driver binary file (“capsule file”) from a storage device, and merging the current firmware with the capsule file and a capsule header into a capsule payload. The method may further include assigning a security protocol to the capsule payload to ensure a secured capsule payload, and storing the secured capsule payload at the storage device for subsequent updates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Krishnakumar Narasimhan, Nicholas J. Adams, Karunakara Kotary, Brett P Wang