Patents by Inventor Steffan Sowards

Steffan Sowards 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: 20220265245
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a computing device controller system including a computing device outside of a sterile field, and a controller in communication with the computing device, the controller having a controller body including an input mechanism, the input mechanism including one or both of a non-tactile input and a tactile input, wherein the input mechanism is configured to be accessible in the sterile field and to provide one or more input parameter changes to the computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20220271565
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a wireless medical device powering system configured to power an untethered medical device including a first medical device having an induction receiving coil, the induction receiving coil in communication with each of one or more electrical systems and a first medical device console comprising one or more processors, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a plurality of logic modules. The system can include a wireless powering device configured to wirelessly provide power to the first medical device, the wireless powering device having a body including an induction transmitting coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20220233246
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method directed to placing a first medical instrument in a patient body, where the system includes the first medical instrument being an implantable medical instrument, a second medical instrument comprising an optical fiber having one or more of core fibers, and a console having stored thereon logic that, when executed, causes operations including providing an incident light signal to the optical fiber, receiving reflected light signals, processing the reflected light signals, and determining (i) a shape of the second medical instrument within the patient body, and (ii) a shape of the first medical instrument within the patient body based on the shape of the second medical instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards
  • Publication number: 20220211442
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to placing a medical instrument in a patient body, where the system includes the medical instrument having a first optical fiber, a console and an interconnect having a second optical fiber to receive incident light from the console and propagate the incident light to the medical instrument. The interconnect includes a predetermined bend along its length, such that logic of the console may determine a positioning and an orientation of the medical instrument relative to the predetermined bend. Additionally, the logic may generate a display of the medical instrument based on the reflected light signals and the determination of the positioning and the orientation of the medical instrument relative to the predetermined bend, where the display may be rendered as an overlay on an ultrasound image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: William Robert McLaughlin, Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20220183657
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ultrasound probe securement device to secure an ultrasound probe to a patient. The securement device can include a probe coupling mechanism to couple an ultrasound probe to the securement device, a patient coupling mechanism to couple the securement device to a patient, and a constraining mechanism to maintain an acoustic coupling of the ultrasound probe with the patient during an ultrasound procedure without user intervention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: William Robert McLaughlin, Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20220168050
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system is disclosed that can include an ultrasound probe including a transducer array configured to acquire ultrasound images, and a console including a processor and non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of logic modules that, when executed by the processor, are configured to perform operations including receiving an ultrasound image, detecting one or more targets within the ultrasound image, and generating a visualization from the ultrasound image to center the one or more detected targets within a displayed portion of the ultrasound image. Generating the visualization may include cropping the ultrasound image to center the one or more detected targets within a displayed portion of the ultrasound image. Generating the visualization may include increasing a magnification of a cropped portion of the ultrasound image to center the one or more detected targets within a displayed portion of the ultrasound image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20220172354
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system is disclosed that includes an ultrasound probe including a plurality of ultrasound transducers configured to acquire ultrasound images, a processor and non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon logic that, when executed by the processor, is configured to perform operations including receiving ultrasound imaging data, detecting one or more blood vessels within the ultrasound imaging data, identifying at least one blood vessel of the one or more blood vessels as an artery or as a vein, and rendering a visualization of at least a subset of the one or more blood vessels on a display. The logic may, when executed by the processor, cause performances of further operations including identifying the at least one blood vessel as the artery at least one differentiating characteristic of a plurality of differentiating characteristics of blood vessel type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20220160434
    Abstract: Blood vessel recognition and needle guidance systems, components, and methods thereof are disclosed. A console can be configured to instantiate a target recognition process for recognizing an anatomical target, such as a blood vessel, of a patient and a needle guidance process for guiding insertion of a needle into the anatomical target using ultrasound-imaging data received by the console. The system can perform target identification based on artificial intelligence (AI), which can be trained to recognize targets based on the ultrasound image. The ultrasound probe can be configured to provide to the console electrical signals corresponding to the ultrasound-imaging data. The ultrasound probe can include an array of transducers and, optionally, an array of magnetic sensors respectively configured to convert reflected ultrasound signals from the patient and magnetic signals from the needle, when magnetized, into the electrical signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Shayne Messerly, Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20220160209
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to placing a medical instrument in a vasculature of a patient body, where the medical instrument includes an optical fiber having one or more core fibers. The system also includes a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing an incident light signal to the optical fiber, receiving a reflected light signal of the incident light, processing the reflected light signals associated with the optical fiber and determining a location of a distal tip of the medical instrument within the patient body. The medical instrument may be steerable in one of various methods including having a predetermined curvature, a distal tip that is magnetic, magnetized, metallic or ferrous and is steerable by an external magnetic device or a having a variable stiffness at a distal tip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener, Anthony D. Decheek, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20220152349
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are optical-fiber stylet holders and methods thereof for holding optical-fiber stylets in position in catheters or the like while preventing breakage of optical fibers in the optical-fiber stylets and maintaining functionality of the optical-fiber stylets. The holding of optical-fiber stylets in position in catheters or the like can be important for maintaining distal tips of intravascularly delivered optical-fiber stylets in their target anatomical locations during procedures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20220142661
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are medical systems and methods for ultrasonic decomposition of intraluminal clots. A medical system can include a stylet configured to insert into a lumen of a catheter. The stylet can include one or more electrical impedance sensors, as well as one or more ultrasound transducers or a resonant section of the stylet. The one-or-more impedance sensors can be configured to detect changes in impedance for identifying intraluminal clots in the catheter. The one-or-more ultrasound transducers can be configured for decomposing the intraluminal clots to reestablish patency in the catheter, while the resonant section of the stylet can be configured to resonate with an externally applied ultrasonic frequency for decomposing the intraluminal clots to reestablish patency in the catheter. The medical system can further include a console to which the stylet is connected in an operable state of the medical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: William Robert McLaughlin, Steffan Sowards, Devan Anderson, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20220142607
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, in some embodiments, are medical device systems including an elongate medical device having a proximal end including one or more sensor connectors, a distal end including one or more sensors or emitters communicatively coupled to the one or more sensor connectors, and a drive connector including one or more sensor connector attachments configured to detachably couple to the one or more sensor connectors. The one or more sensor connector attachments can be configured to drive the one or more sensors or emitters of the elongate medical device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards
  • Publication number: 20220128770
    Abstract: Procedural barrier-breaching connectors and connection-establishing devices, as well as systems and methods thereof, for establishing portals in procedural barriers are disclosed. For example, a connection-establishing device can include a cap and an extension arm. The cap is configured to sit over a protruding portion of a first medical device with a procedural barrier between the connection-establishing device and the first medical device. The extension arm is configured to push a male connector of a second medical device through the procedural barrier and into a female connector of the first medical device with the extension arm, which establishes one or more functional connections across the procedural barrier between the second medical device and the first medical device. An exemplary method for the connection-establishing device includes a cap-placing step, an articulating step, and a functional connection-establishing step for establishing the one-or-more functional connections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20220117582
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system configured to generate a 3D ultrasound image of a target area is disclosed herein. The ultrasound imaging system includes a console including one or more processors and non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon one or more logic modules. The ultrasound imaging system further includes an ultrasound probe, configured to acquire a plurality of ultrasound images of a target area, the ultrasound probe coupled to the console by an ultrasound probe connector having optical fiber including one or more core fibers, the ultrasound probe being a point of reference for the console to generate a three-dimensional visualization by stitching together the plurality of ultrasound images, starting from the point of reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: William Robert McLaughlin, Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20220110708
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are procedural barriers with medical device-connecting features and methods thereof. For example, a procedural barrier can include a sheet of one or more nonwoven materials and an integrated electrical connector, an integrated conduit, or both the integrated electrical connector and the integrated conduit. The integrated electrical connector is integrated into the sheet for establishing an electrical connection across the procedural barrier between a single-use medical device in a procedural field to another medical device on a patient-facing side of the sheet without compromising the procedural field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards
  • Publication number: 20220110706
    Abstract: Disclosed are disinfecting covers for optical-fiber connectors. For example, a male disinfecting cover can include a plug, a bore of the plug, an absorbent disposed in the bore, and a disinfectant absorbed by the absorbent. The plug is configured to insert into a receptacle of a female optical-fiber connector. A female disinfecting cover can include a body, a receptacle in the body, an absorbent disposed in the receptacle, and a disinfectant absorbed by the absorbent. The receptacle is configured to accept a male optical-fiber connector. Whether the disinfecting cover is male or female, the absorbent is configured to contact the ferrule and the optical fiber disposed of the optical-fiber connector. Methods can include at least a method of using the male or female disinfecting cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards
  • Publication number: 20220110695
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to placing a medical instrument in a vasculature of a patient body. The optical fiber includes one or more core fibers. The system also includes a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing an incident light signal to the optical fiber, where the optical fiber is coupled to a deployable medical device, receiving a reflected light signal of the incident light, and processing the reflected light signal to determine deployment information pertaining to deployment of the deployable medical device. The medical device may be a balloon, a filter, a stent or a valve, and the deployment information may include a location of the deployment, a status of the deployment, measurements of the deployable medical device in a deployed state or a shape of the deployed medical device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20220110707
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are portal-establishing devices and methods thereof for establishing portals in procedural barriers. For example, a portal-establishing device includes a portal and a breaching mechanism. The portal includes a portal barrier in a protruding-end portion thereof. The portal is configured to enable one or more functional connections such as an optical connection or an electrical connection across a procedural barrier between a single-use medical device on a clinician-facing side of the procedural barrier and another medical device on a patient-facing side of the procedural barrier. The breaching mechanism is configured to breach the procedural barrier and place the portal over a breach in the procedural barrier. Methods of the portal-establishing devices include methods of using the portal-establishing devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20220096796
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to placing a medical instrument in a vasculature of a patient body, including an optical fiber with one or more core fibers. The system can include a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing an incident light signal to the optical fiber, receiving a reflected light signal of the incident light, wherein the reflected light signal is reflected from at least one of red blood cells or tissue within the patient body, processing the reflected light signal to determine an oxygen level within the patient body near a distal tip of the optical fiber. The method may further include determining a location of the distal tip of the optical fiber within the patient body at least based on the oxygen level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: William Robert McLaughlin, Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener, Shayne Messerly
  • Publication number: 20220101991
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are RFID enabled medical device systems including an RFID emitter configured to provide an interrogation signal that impinges on an RFID tag associated with a medical device to trigger a response signal. The response signal can indicate and presence or absence of the medical device proximate to the RFID emitter. A console communicatively coupled to the RFID emitter can determine, record, and analyze procedural or usage information about the medical device. Further information about the medical device can be encoded within the response signal and provided to the console. Console settings can be automatically updated based on the information within the response signal. Additional modalities are also contemplated including optical image recognition of medical device kits. Further AR viewers can provide image overlays to guide a user in correct procedure. Procedural compliance can be automatically recorded and monitored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin, Anthony K. Misener, Shayne Messerly