Patents by Inventor Robert H. Wham

Robert H. Wham 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: 20250204973
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electrosurgical systems and methods for controlling electrical treatment energy in connection with electrical arcs. A method in accordance with the present disclosure includes providing electrical treatment energy to an instrument based on an indicated electrical energy level, accessing voltage signal values over time relating to voltage of the electrical treatment energy and/or current signal values over time relating to current of the electrical treatment energy, determining whether an arc generated by the instrument is an arc to be maintained or an arc to be extinguished based on a threshold value and at least one of the voltage signal values or the current signal values, and controlling the electrical treatment energy based on determining that the arc is an arc to be extinguished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2025
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Applicant: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, William D. Faulkner, Donald L. Tonn
  • Patent number: 12333423
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for estimating tissue parameters, includes collecting data, from a surgical system including an instrument and an energy source, the data including at least one electrical parameter associated with delivering energy from the instrument to tissue, communicating the data to at least one machine learning algorithm, determining, using the at least one machine learning algorithm, a tissue parameter based upon the data, communicating the determined tissue parameter to a computing device associated with the energy source for use in formulating an energy-delivery algorithm for delivering energy from the instrument to tissue, and delivering energy from the instrument of the surgical system to tissue in accordance with the energy-delivery algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, Jing Zhao
  • Publication number: 20250143777
    Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument includes an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members. At least one of the first or second jaw members is movable about a pivot relative to the other from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to grasp tissue between first and second opposed surfaces of the first and second jaw members, respectively. The electrosurgical instrument further includes an interface configured to provide a feedback related to a size of tissue grasped by the first and second jaw members. At least one of the first or second jaw members includes a touch sensor configured to sense a touch span where the tissue touches the at least one of the first or second opposed surfaces. The end effector assembly further includes an angle sensor configured to sense an angle ? about the pivot between the first and second opposed surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2024
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Applicant: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Amanda H. Lennartz, Daniel A. Joseph, Jennifer R. McHenry, Cornelia F. Twomey, David M. Garrison, Tyler J. Bagrosky, Robert H. Wham, Jing Zhao, Erin E. Wehrly
  • Patent number: 12256974
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electrosurgical systems and methods for controlling electrical treatment energy in connection with electrical arcs. A method in accordance with the present disclosure includes providing electrical treatment energy to an instrument based on an indicated electrical energy level, accessing voltage signal values over time relating to voltage of the electrical treatment energy and/or current signal values over time relating to current of the electrical treatment energy, determining whether an arc generated by the instrument is an arc to be maintained or an arc to be extinguished based on a threshold value and at least one of the voltage signal values or the current signal values, and controlling the electrical treatment energy based on determining that the arc is an arc to be extinguished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, William D. Faulkner, Donald L. Tonn
  • Publication number: 20250049497
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for controlling delivery of electrosurgical energy to a vessel to seal the vessel, includes collecting data from an electrosurgical system including an instrument and energy source while the instrument is delivering electrosurgical energy from the energy source to a vessel, predicting by using a machine learning algorithm a burst pressure probability of the vessel based on the data, and determining if the vessel is adequately sealed based on the prediction. The data includes an electrical parameter associated with the delivery of the electrosurgical energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Inventors: Jing Zhao, Robert H. Wham, Christopher T. Brown, Anjali Dhiman
  • Patent number: 12156691
    Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument includes an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members. At least one of the first or second jaw members is movable about a pivot relative to the other from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to grasp tissue between first and second opposed surfaces of the first and second jaw members, respectively. The electrosurgical instrument further includes an interface configured to provide a feedback related to a size of tissue grasped by the first and second jaw members. At least one of the first or second jaw members includes a touch sensor configured to sense a touch span where the tissue touches the at least one of the first or second opposed surfaces. The end effector assembly further includes an angle sensor configured to sense an angle ? about the pivot between the first and second opposed surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Amanda H. Lennartz, Daniel A. Joseph, Jennifer R. McHenry, Cornelia F. Twomey, David M. Garrison, Tyler J. Bagrosky, Robert H. Wham, Jing Zhao, Erin E. Wehrly
  • Patent number: 12094061
    Abstract: A system for updating a three dimensional (3D) model based on a deformed or displaced anatomical structure in a body includes a first imaging device configured to capture an image inside of a body, a location sensor installed in the first imaging device and configured to identify a location of the first imaging device, a memory configured to store one or more programs and a 3D model of at least a portion of the body, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform the one or more programs to identify a location of an anatomical structure, which is captured in the image, in the body based on the location of the location sensor, and/or to identify a shape of the anatomical structure in the image. The controller updates, as necessary, the 3D model based on the location and/or the shape of the anatomical structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Robert H. Wham
  • Publication number: 20240293166
    Abstract: A controller for an electrosurgical generator includes an RF inverter, a signal processor, a software compensator, a hardware compensator, and an RF inverter controller. The RF inverter generates an electrosurgical waveform and the signal processor outputs a measured value of at least one of a voltage, a current, or power of the electrosurgical waveform. The software compensator generates a desired value for at least one of the voltage, the current, or the power of the electrosurgical waveform, and the hardware compensator generates a phase shift based on the measured value and the desired value. The RF inverter controller generates a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal based on the phase shift to control the RF inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2024
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, Edward L. Brannan, William D. Faulkner, Mark A. Johnston, Aaron G. Mattmiller, Donald L. Tonn
  • Patent number: 12053231
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for controlling delivery of electrosurgical energy to a vessel to seal the vessel, includes collecting data from an electrosurgical system including an instrument and energy source while the instrument is delivering electrosurgical energy from the energy source to a vessel, predicting by using a machine learning algorithm a burst pressure probability of the vessel based on the data, and determining if the vessel is adequately sealed based on the prediction. The data includes an electrical parameter associated with the delivery of the electrosurgical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Jing Zhao, Robert H. Wham, Christopher T. Brown, Anjali Dhiman
  • Patent number: 11969201
    Abstract: A controller for an electrosurgical generator includes an RF inverter, a signal processor, a software compensator, a hardware compensator, and an RF inverter controller. The RF inverter generates an electrosurgical waveform and the signal processor outputs a measured value of at least one of a voltage, a current, or power of the electrosurgical waveform. The software compensator generates a desired value for at least one of the voltage, the current, or the power of the electrosurgical waveform, and the hardware compensator generates a phase shift based on the measured value and the desired value. The RF inverter controller generates a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal based on the phase shift to control the RF inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, Edward L. Brannan, William D. Faulkner, Mark A. Johnston, Aaron G. Mattmiller, Donald L. Tonn
  • Patent number: 11903636
    Abstract: A tissue removal system includes an electrosurgical generator including an active electrode port and a return electrode port, an active electrode device configured to connect to the active electrode port, and a return tissue guard configured to connect to the return electrode port. Another tissue removal system includes an electrosurgical generator including an active electrode port and a return electrode port, an active electrode device configured to connect to the active electrode port, and a return specimen bag configured to connect to the return electrode port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Thomas E. Drochner, James D. Allen, IV, Dylan R. Kingsley, Prakash Manley, Tony Moua, William E. Robinson, Robert H. Wham
  • Patent number: 11832916
    Abstract: A method includes providing a graphical representation of a surgical site, grasping the tissue of the patient with first and second jaw members of an end effector including a location sensor, illuminating optical light into the grasped tissue at the first jaw member, receiving the optical light that has passed through the grasped tissue, at the second jaw member, processing the received light to identify a vessel, which is encompassed within the grasped tissue, receiving location information of the end effector from the location sensor, synchronizing a location of the identified vessel within the graphical representation based on the location information, and displaying the identified vessel at the synchronized location in the graphical representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Amanda H. Lennartz, Daniel A. Joseph, Cornelia F. Twomey, Erin E. Wehrly, David M. Garrison, Tyler J. Bagrosky, Robert H. Wham, Jing Zhao, Tracy J. Pheneger
  • Publication number: 20230328344
    Abstract: A system includes a surgical instrument configured to perform a laparoscopic surgical operation, a location sensor configured to identify a spatial relationship between an anatomical structure and the surgical instrument, and a processor configured to receive a graphical representation of a patient, determine proximity of the distal end portion of the surgical instrument with the anatomical structure of the patient based on the spatial relationship, and generate a warning based on the determination of proximity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Amanda H. Lennartz, Daniel A. Joseph, Cornelia F. Twomey, Erin E. Wehrly, Pierre Gherardi, Tracy J. Pheneger, David M. Garrison, Tyler J. Bagrosky, Robert H. Wham, Jing Zhao
  • Patent number: 11717339
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating tissue parameters, including mass of tissue to be treated and a thermal resistance scale factor between the tissue and an electrode of an energy delivery device, are disclosed. The method includes sensing tissue temperatures, estimating a mass of the tissue and a thermal resistance scale factor between the tissue and an electrode, and controlling an electrosurgical generator based on the estimated mass and the estimated thermal resistance scale factor. The method may be performed iteratively and non-iteratively. The iterative method may employ a gradient descent algorithm that iteratively adds a derivative step to the estimates of the mass and thermal resistance scale factor until a condition is met. The non-iterative method includes selecting maximum and minimum temperature differences and estimating the mass and the thermal resistance scale factor based on a predetermined reduction point from the maximum temperature difference to the minimum temperature difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Robert H. Wham
  • Patent number: 11711596
    Abstract: A system includes a surgical instrument configured to perform a laparoscopic surgical operation, a location sensor configured to identify a spatial relationship between an anatomical structure and the surgical instrument, and a processor configured to receive a graphical representation of a patient, determine proximity of the distal end portion of the surgical instrument with the anatomical structure of the patient based on the spatial relationship, and generate a warning based on the determination of proximity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Amanda H. Lennartz, Daniel A. Joseph, Cornelia F. Twomey, Erin E. Wehrly, Pierre Gherardi, Tracy J. Pheneger, David M. Garrison, Tyler J. Bagrosky, Robert H. Wham, Jing Zhao
  • Publication number: 20230015369
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for controlling an ultrasonic surgical system includes activating an ultrasonic surgical system including an ultrasonic generator, an ultrasonic transducer, and an ultrasonic blade. The method further includes collecting data from the ultrasonic surgical system, communicating the data to a machine learning algorithm, determining the vessel size based on the data, using the machine learning algorithm, communicating the determined vessel size to a computing device associated with the ultrasonic generator, and controlling the activated ultrasonic surgical system in accordance with the vessel size. The data may include an electrical parameter associated with the activated ultrasonic surgical system. When the ultrasonic surgical system is activated, the ultrasonic generator produces a drive signal to drive the ultrasonic transducer which, in turn, produces ultrasonic energy that is transmitted to the ultrasonic blade for treating a vessel in contact with the ultrasonic blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Jing Zhao, Christopher T. Brown, Christopher Tschudy, Anjali Dhiman, Robert H. Wham, Kelly Goodman, David Van Tol, Kristen Bradley
  • Publication number: 20220395344
    Abstract: A surgical system includes at least one audio sensor configured to sense audio during a surgical procedure and to output audio data based on the sensed audio. The surgical system further includes a computing device operably coupled to the at least one audio sensor and configured to receive the output audio data from the at least one audio sensor. The computing device includes a processor and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine at least one of a cause or a location of a sound based at least on the output audio data and to output an indication of the at least one of the cause or location of the sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, William E. Robinson, James D. Allen, IV
  • Patent number: 11497547
    Abstract: A jaw angle detection system for an end effector assembly includes a first electrical contact that connects to a first jaw member and connects to a generator. A sensor connects to a second jaw member (or an actuator) and connects to the generator, and configured to move relative to the first electrical contact upon movement of the second jaw member (or the actuator) when the first and second jaw members are moved to close about tissue disposed therebetween. Information relating to the position of the sensor relative to the first electrical contact is relayed back to the generator to determine an angle between the first and second jaw members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Nicole McKenna, Robert H. Wham
  • Publication number: 20210369324
    Abstract: A controller for an electrosurgical generator includes an RF inverter, a signal processor, a software compensator, a hardware compensator, and an RF inverter controller. The RF inverter generates an electrosurgical waveform and the signal processor outputs a measured value of at least one of a voltage, a current, or power of the electrosurgical waveform. The software compensator generates a desired value for at least one of the voltage, the current, or the power of the electrosurgical waveform, and the hardware compensator generates a phase shift based on the measured value and the desired value. The RF inverter controller generates a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal based on the phase shift to control the RF inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, Edward L. Brannan, William D. Faulkner, Mark A. Johnston, Aaron G. Mattmiller, Donald L. Tonn
  • Publication number: 20210330375
    Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument includes an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members. At least one of the first or second jaw members is movable about a pivot relative to the other from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to grasp tissue between first and second opposed surfaces of the first and second jaw members, respectively. The electrosurgical instrument further includes an interface configured to provide a feedback related to a size of tissue grasped by the first and second jaw members. At least one of the first or second jaw members includes a touch sensor configured to sense a touch span where the tissue touches the at least one of the first or second opposed surfaces. The end effector assembly further includes an angle sensor configured to sense an angle ? about the pivot between the first and second opposed surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Amanda H. Lennartz, Daniel A. Joseph, Jennifer R. McHenry, Cornelia F. Twomey, David M. Garrison, Tyler J. Bagrosky, Robert H. Wham, Jing Zhao, Erin E. Wehrly