Patents by Inventor R. Hollis Whittington

R. Hollis Whittington 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: 20240082585
    Abstract: An implantable medical device for stimulating a heart, comprising a control unit, a memory unit, a stimulation unit for stimulating a cardiac region of a heart, and a detection unit for detecting an electrical signal of the heart. The memory unit comprises a computer-readable program that causes the control unit to perform the following steps: a) detecting capture thresholds during an observation period, each capture threshold detected in response to a sequence of pacing pulses delivered by the stimulation unit; b) storing the detected capture thresholds in the memory unit; c) determining threshold-to-threshold differences between two consecutive capture thresholds; and d) if a maximum determined threshold-to-threshold difference within the observation period is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit, adjusting a pacing output of the stimulation unit based on the maximum capture threshold determined within a first time period which is equal to or shorter than the observation period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Madeline Anne MIDGETT, Burkhard HUEGERICH, R. Hollis WHITTINGTON
  • Publication number: 20240075302
    Abstract: An implantable medical device for stimulating a heart, comprising a control unit, a memory unit, a stimulation unit for stimulating a cardiac region of a heart, and a detection unit for detecting an electrical signal of the heart. The memory unit comprises a computer-readable program that causes the control unit to perform the following steps: a) detecting capture thresholds during an observation period, each capture threshold detected in response to a sequence of pacing pulses delivered by the stimulation unit; b) storing the detected capture thresholds in the memory unit; c) determining threshold-to-threshold differences between two consecutive capture thresholds; and d) if a maximum determined threshold-to-threshold difference within the observation period is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit, adjusting a pacing output of the stimulation unit based on the maximum capture threshold determined within a first time period which is equal to or shorter than the observation period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Madeline Anne MIDGETT, Burkhard HUEGERICH, R. Hollis WHITTINGTON
  • Publication number: 20240075301
    Abstract: An implantable medical device configured to provide for an intracardiac function comprises a body, a sensor arrangement arranged on the body and configured to receive a cardiac sense signal, and a processing circuitry operatively connected to the sensor arrangement. The processing circuitry is configured to process the cardiac sense signal received using the sensor arrangement to detect, in a cardiac cycle, a first atrial event candidate based on a comparison of the cardiac sense signal with a sense threshold, to determine a modified sense threshold, to monitor, by comparing the cardiac sense signal to said modified sense threshold following the detection of the first atrial event candidate, whether in the same cardiac cycle a second atrial event candidate is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co., KG
    Inventors: Christopher JONES, Daniel YOUNG, Madeline Anne MIDGETT, R. Hollis WHITTINGTON
  • Publication number: 20240075299
    Abstract: An implantable medical device configured to provide for an intracardiac function, the implantable medical device comprises a body, a sensor arrangement arranged on the body and configured to receive cardiac sense signals, and a processing circuitry operatively connected to the sensor arrangement. The processing circuitry is configured to process cardiac sense signals received using the sensor arrangement to detect a signal deflection potentially indicative of an atrial event caused by atrial activity to obtain an atrial detection, to detect a signal deflection indicative of a ventricular event caused by ventricular activity succeeding said atrial detection, to determine an atrial-ventricular interval representing a time between the atrial detection and the ventricular event, and to identify the atrial detection as valid or invalid based on the atrial-ventricular interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: BIOTRONIKSE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Madeline Anne MIDGETT, Daniel YOUNG, Christopher JONES, R. Hollis WHITTINGTON
  • Publication number: 20240042217
    Abstract: An implantable medical device configured to provide for an intracardiac function comprises a body, a sensor arrangement arranged on the body and configured to receive cardiac sense signals, and a processing circuitry operatively connected to the sensor arrangement. The processing circuitry is configured to process cardiac sense signals received using the sensor arrangement to detect atrial events caused by atrial activity based on a comparison of the cardiac sense signals to a sense threshold for a number of cardiac cycles, to evaluate whether a reduction criterion is fulfilled, wherein the reduction criterion is fulfilled if in X1 out of Y1 cardiac cycles no atrial events have been detected, X1 being a natural number equal to or larger than 1 and Y1 being a natural number equal to or larger than X1, and to reduce the sense threshold if said reduction criterion is fulfilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Madeline Anne MIDGETT, Daniel YOUNG, Christopher JONES, R. Hollis WHITTINGTON
  • Publication number: 20240013910
    Abstract: Method for supporting a patient's cardiac health control, using an at least partially extracorporeally located remote device comprising a processor and a memory connected to the processor, comprising the step of correcting those data value/values of at least one second data set of a physiological measure by means of a pre-defined correction factor determined for the respective second data set whose corresponding data value/values of a first data set of a physiological measure lies outside the first reference range by the processor, wherein the pre-defined correction factor of the respective second data set is previously determined for the respective second data set using a correction factor determining AI algorithm. The remote server is capable of analyzing the relationships among the collection of physiological data measured by the medical to reduce “information overload” and provide a more accurate picture of the patient's health condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Shayan GUHANIYOGI, Ravi Kiran Kondama REDDY, R. Hollis WHITTINGTON
  • Publication number: 20230414153
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for determining a QT interval of an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal comprising the steps of: determining a QT interval of an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal comprising the steps of: determining a maximum slope of the ECG signal after a T wave maximum of the ECG signal, and fixing an end of the QT interval by performing, for example, extrapolating the maximum slope to a zero line of the ECG signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Swetha Vennelaganti, Ravi Kiran Kondama Reddy, R. Hollis Whittington
  • Patent number: 11850432
    Abstract: An implantable medical device for stimulating a heart, comprising a control unit, a memory unit, a stimulation unit for stimulating a cardiac region of a heart, and a detection unit for detecting an electrical signal of the heart. The memory unit comprises a computer-readable program that causes the control unit to perform the following steps: a) detecting capture thresholds during an observation period, each capture threshold detected in response to a sequence of pacing pulses delivered by the stimulation unit; b) storing the detected capture thresholds in the memory unit; c) determining threshold-to-threshold differences between two consecutive capture thresholds; and d) if a maximum determined threshold-to-threshold difference within the observation period is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit, adjusting a pacing output of the stimulation unit based on the maximum capture threshold determined within a first time period which is equal to or shorter than the observation period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Madeline Anne Midgett, Burkhard Huegerich, R. Hollis Whittington
  • Patent number: 11786143
    Abstract: An active medical device, comprising a processor, a memory unit, and at least one of an accelerometer and a detection unit configured to detect a body impedance. During operation, the active medical device carries out the following steps: a) measuring a body impedance of a patient with the detection unit during a first period of time to obtain time-dependent impedance data and calculating a power spectral density of the impedance data; b) alternatively or additionally to step a), measuring an acceleration of a body of the patient with the accelerometer during the first period of time to obtain time-dependent acceleration data and calculating a power spectral density of the acceleration data; c) identifying coughing of the patient on the basis of the calculated power spectral density if at least 1% of all values of the power spectral density have a frequency of at least 1 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dirk Muessig, Ravi Kiran Kondama Reddy, R. Hollis Whittington, Thomas Doerr, Shayan Guhaniyogi
  • Publication number: 20230233083
    Abstract: A system for generating an alert for a systemic infection of a patient comprises an implantable medical device configured to measure at least one physiological parameter, a remote monitoring system configured to receive information from the implantable medical device, and an information system configured to communicate with said remote monitoring system. At least one of the implantable medical device, the remote monitoring system and the information system is configured to analyze information relating to said at least one physiological parameter to generate an alert signal for a systemic infection of the patient based on a state of the at least one physiological parameter, wherein at least one of the implantable medical device, the remote monitoring system and the information system is further configured to generate an alert message to be provided to a specified destination based on said alert signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas DOERR, Dirk MUESSIG, Ravi Kiran Kondama REDDY, R. Hollis WHITTINGTON, Bjoern Henrik DIEM
  • Publication number: 20230181085
    Abstract: A method for detecting an ectopic signal in an electrocardiogram is disclosed. This method comprises the following steps: detecting consecutive R-R intervals in an electrocardiogram; calculating an average R-R interval for a determinable number of latest R-R intervals; recognizing a signal as ectopic signal if the signal belongs to at least one of two consecutive R-R intervals, wherein i) a first of the two consecutive R-R intervals is significantly shorter than the average R-R interval; and ii) a second of the two consecutive R-R intervals is significantly longer than the average R-R interval, wherein the second R-R interval occurs later than the first R-R interval; wherein the first and the second of the two consecutive R-R intervals are discarded from calculating the average R-R interval, if the signal is recognized as ectopic signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Garth Garner, Iris Shelly, R. Hollis Whittington
  • Publication number: 20230091855
    Abstract: A leadless pacemaker device configured to provide for an intra-cardiac pacing comprises a housing; an electrode arrangement arranged on the housing and configured to receive electrical signals; and a processing circuitry enclosed in the housing and operatively connected to the electrode arrangement, wherein the processing circuitry comprises a first processing channel having a first gain for processing a first processing signal derived from electrical signals received via the electrode arrangement and a second processing channel having a second gain for processing a second processing signal derived from electrical signals received via the electrode arrangement, the second gain being higher than the first gain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Madeline Anne Midgett, R. Hollis Whittington, Ravi Kiran Kondama Reddy, Christopher Jones, Shayan Guhaniyogi
  • Publication number: 20230058678
    Abstract: A leadless pacemaker device configured to provide for an intra-cardiac pacing, including: processing circuitry configured to generate ventricular pacing signals for stimulating ventricular tissue, and a reception device for receiving a sensing signal indicative of an atrial activity, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to detect an atrial event derived from said sensing signal, wherein the atrial event is a valid atrial sense event, where a series of atrial events lie within a range for a normal atrial rate, and/or when the atrial rate variability is within a certain range indicating a regular atrial rhythm, wherein in case a valid atrial sense event is detected, the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine ventricular pacing events according to atrial events, calculate ventricular-atrial time delays, determine a correction value based a measured time delay and the calculated time delay, and adjust the ventricular pacing timing based on the correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Kurt Swenson, Shayan Guhaniyogi, Ravi Kiran Kondama Reddy, Christopher Jones, Madeline Anne Midgett, R. Hollis Whittington
  • Publication number: 20230056756
    Abstract: An implantable medical device for stimulating a heart, comprising a control unit, a memory unit, a stimulation unit for stimulating a cardiac region of a heart, and a detection unit for detecting an electrical signal of the heart. The memory unit comprises a computer-readable program that causes the control unit to perform the following steps: a) detecting capture thresholds during an observation period, each capture threshold detected in response to a sequence of pacing pulses delivered by the stimulation unit; b) storing the detected capture thresholds in the memory unit; c) determining threshold-to-threshold differences between two consecutive capture thresholds; and d) if a maximum determined threshold-to-threshold difference within the observation period is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit, adjusting a pacing output of the stimulation unit based on the maximum capture threshold determined within a first time period which is equal to or shorter than the observation period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Madeline Anne MIDGETT, Burkhard HUEGERICH, R. Hollis WHITTINGTON
  • Patent number: 11529521
    Abstract: A leadless pacemaker device configured to provide for an intra-cardiac pacing, including: processing circuitry configured to generate ventricular pacing signals for stimulating ventricular activity, and a reception device for receiving a sensing signal indicative of an atrial activity, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to detect an atrial event derived from said sensing signal, wherein the atrial event is a valid atrial sense event, where a series of atrial events lie within a range for a normal atrial rate, and/or when the atrial rate variability is within a certain range indicating a regular atrial rhythm, wherein in case a valid atrial sense event is detected, the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine ventricular pacing events according to atrial events, calculate ventricular-atrial time delays, determine a correction value based a measured time delay and the calculated time delay, and adjust the ventricular pacing timing based on the correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Kurt Swenson, Shayan Guhaniyogi, Ravi Kiran Kondama Reddy, Christopher Jones, Madeline Anne Midgett, R. Hollis Whittington
  • Patent number: 11456075
    Abstract: An implantable medical device includes an electronic processing device configured for processing a physiological signal, a memory, and a communication device for communicating with an external device. The processing device includes a coding module for coding the physiological signal to obtain an output signal for transmission by the communication device to the external device. The coding module is configured to encode the physiological signal using at least one fixed Huffman code table stored in the memory to obtain the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Shayan Guhaniyogi, Garth Garner, Martin Li, Jon Nels Peterson, R. Hollis Whittington
  • Patent number: 11426590
    Abstract: A leadless pacemaker device for providing an intra-cardiac pacing includes processing circuitry configured to generate ventricular pacing signals for stimulating ventricular activity at a ventricular pacing rate, a first sensor configuration receiving a first sense signal, and a second sensor configuration receiving a second sense signal. The processing circuitry derives, in a first sensing state, atrial events from the first sense signal for controlling the ventricular pacing rate based on the atrial events. The processing circuitry switches, based on at least one switching criterion, from the first sensing state to a second sensing state in which the processing circuitry derives atrial events from the second sense signal. The second sense signal is received by the second sensor configuration for detection of atrial events and the second sensor configuration is a motion sensor or a sound sensor. A method for operating the pacemaker device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Madeline Anne Midgett, R. Hollis Whittington, Ravi Kiran Kondama Reddy, Christopher Jones, Shayan Guhaniyogi, Dirk Muessig, Larry Stotts
  • Publication number: 20220192574
    Abstract: An implantable medical device comprises a sensor device for obtaining a signal indicative of cardiac activity within a patient, and a processor device configured to process said signal obtained using the sensor device. The processor device is configured to detect a peak indicative of a cardiac event in said signal by comparing said signal to a sense threshold. The processor device in addition is configured to adaptively control said sense threshold such that the sense threshold in at least one time period assumes a value which is constant over said at least one time period, wherein the sense threshold is reduced after lapse of said at least one time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Swetha VENNELAGANTI, Garth GARNER, R. Hollis WHITTINGTON
  • Patent number: 11285331
    Abstract: An implantable medical device includes a housing having a proximal end and a distal end. The implantable medical device is placeable on cardiac tissue in the region of the distal end. An anchoring device is fixedly attached to the housing in the region of the distal end. The anchoring device includes at least one anchoring member. The at least one anchoring member includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The second end is disposed on the housing. The at least one anchoring member longitudinally extends between the first end and the second end along an axis of extension and is formed by a flat strip which is twisted by a twist angle about the axis of extension between the first end and the second end. A method for manufacturing an implantable medical device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: R. Hollis Whittington, Dirk Muessig, Brian M. Taff, Nicholas Devich
  • Publication number: 20210383920
    Abstract: An implantable medical device includes an electronic processing device configured for processing a physiological signal, a memory, and a communication device for communicating with an external device. The processing device includes a coding module for coding the physiological signal to obtain an output signal for transmission by the communication device to the external device. The coding module is configured to encode the physiological signal using at least one fixed Huffman code table stored in the memory to obtain the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: SHAYAN GUHANIYOGI, GARTH GARNER, MARTIN LI, JON NELS PETERSON, R. HOLLIS WHITTINGTON