Patents by Inventor Thomas Merics

Thomas Merics 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: 20240082466
    Abstract: A dialysis machine includes a user interface for providing visual information and/or spoken information to a user. For example, in some implementations, the user interface may be configured to provide visual information related to an action, such as showing the action being partially or fully completed, and a speaker can provide spoken instructions to assist the user in machine set-up, calibration and/or operation. Such instructions can be particularly useful in a home dialysis setting. In some implementations, the speaker can provide spoken alarms that are related to alarm conditions. The spoken alarms may include patient and/or dialysis machine identifying information. The verbosity of the spoken instructions and/or the spoken alarms may be adjustable, and both may be accompanied by visual information displayed by the dialysis machine (e.g. visual alarms, images and/or video).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Lee Daniel Tanenbaum, Fei Wang, Mario Gumina, Thomas Merics, Eric Hoffstetter, Matthew J. Doyle, Aleo Nobel Mok, Wayne Raiford
  • Patent number: 11786643
    Abstract: A dialysis system, comprising: a dialysis machine; a voice recognition component configured to identify a voice command in audio information received by a microphone of the dialysis system; an authentication component configured to determine a source of the voice command; and a processor configured to perform a function determined based on the voice command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Daniel Tanenbaum, Fei Wang, Mario Gumina, Thomas Merics, Eric Hoffstetter, Matthew Doyle, Aleo Nobel Mok, Wayne Raiford
  • Publication number: 20210213187
    Abstract: A dialysis system, comprising: a dialysis machine; a voice recognition component configured to identify a voice command in audio information received by a microphone of the dialysis system; an authentication component configured to determine a source of the voice command; and a processor configured to perform a function determined based on the voice command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Lee Daniel Tanenbaum, Fei Wang, Mario Gumina, Thomas Merics, Eric Hoffstetter, Matthew Doyle, Aleo Nobel Mok, Wayne Raiford
  • Patent number: 10987457
    Abstract: A dialysis system, comprising: a dialysis machine; a voice recognition component configured to identify a voice command in audio information received by a microphone of the dialysis system; an authentication component configured to determine a source of the voice command; and a processor configured to perform a function determined based on the voice command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Daniel Tanenbaum, Fei Wang, Mario Gumina, Thomas Merics, Eric Hoffstetter, Matthew Doyle, Aleo Nobel Mok, Wayne Raiford
  • Publication number: 20210093764
    Abstract: A dialysis system may include a dialysis machine (e.g., a hemodialysis (HD) machine or a peritoneal dialysis (PD) machine) that is configured to communicate with a secure access card having onboard biometric processing capabilities and using a wireless connection established according to a wireless communication protocol. Implementations of the wireless connection may include a short-range wireless technology protocol, such as, for example, Near Field Communication (NFC), WiFi and/or Bluetooth technology protocols. The secure access card may include biometric security features, such as a biometric sensor and/or a biometric verification module, to provide and control secure biometric access to the dialysis machine when the secure access card is brought into proximity of the dialysis machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Merics, Fei Wang, Fred Rodriguez
  • Publication number: 20190388599
    Abstract: A dialysis system, comprising: a dialysis machine; a voice recognition component configured to identify a voice command in audio information received by a microphone of the dialysis system; an authentication component configured to determine a source of the voice command; and a processor configured to perform a function determined based on the voice command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Lee Daniel Tanenbaum, Fei Wang, Mario Gumina, Thomas Merics, Eric Hoffstetter, Matthew Doyle, Aleo Nobel Mok, Wayne Raiford
  • Patent number: 10441696
    Abstract: A dialysis system, comprising: a dialysis machine; an authentication component configured to determine that a source of a voice command received by the dialysis system is an authorized user of the dialysis system; and a processor configured to carry out a function determined based on the voice command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Daniel Tanenbaum, Fei Wang, Mario Gumina, Thomas Merics, Eric Hoffstetter, Matthew Doyle, Aleo Nobel Mok, Wayne Raiford
  • Patent number: 10332482
    Abstract: A medical device, such as a peritoneal dialysis machine, includes a sensor for sensing motion and/or user proximity in the vicinity of the medical device for the purpose of automated dimming a display of the medical device. In the event of a lack of user-activity on a machine interface and a lack of movement detected by the proximity sensor, the machine display is automatically dimmed to minimize power-consumption and provide an enhanced medical device for night therapies in a home or clinic environment. The machine display may be dimmed in the event of an alarm-free machine condition, where no machine activity is detected and/or where no movement is detected by the sensor over one or more time periods. When machine activity is detected, when movement is detected by the proximity sensor, and/or in the event of a machine alarm or warning, the machine display may be automatically undimmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Kelly Yik, Matthew Doyle, Aiyuan Wang, Thomas Merics
  • Publication number: 20180064865
    Abstract: A dialysis system, comprising: a dialysis machine; an authentication component configured to determine that a source of a voice command received by the dialysis system is an authorized user of the dialysis system; and a processor configured to carry out a function determined based on the voice command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Lee Daniel Tanenbaum, Fei Wang, Mario Gumina, Thomas Merics, Eric Hoffstetter, Matthew Doyle, Aleo Nobel Mok, Wayne Raiford
  • Publication number: 20170092227
    Abstract: A medical device, such as a peritoneal dialysis machine, includes a sensor for sensing motion and/or user proximity in the vicinity of the medical device for the purpose of automated dimming a display of the medical device. In the event of a lack of user-activity on a machine interface and a lack of movement detected by the proximity sensor, the machine display is automatically dimmed to minimize power-consumption and provide an enhanced medical device for night therapies in a home or clinic environment. The machine display may be dimmed in the event of an alarm-free machine condition, where no machine activity is detected and/or where no movement is detected by the sensor over one or more time periods. When machine activity is detected, when movement is detected by the proximity sensor, and/or in the event of a machine alarm or warning, the machine display may be automatically undimmed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Kelly Yik, Matthew Doyle, Aiyuan Wang, Thomas Merics
  • Publication number: 20150253860
    Abstract: A system provides non-contact electric field (E-field) gesture interfacing with a medical device, such as a dialysis machine. A E-field device provides for gesture detection and command recognition of the gesture by a user, such as a health care practitioner (HCP), in connection with navigating and activating screens of a dialysis machine during a dialysis treatment without requiring the HCP to physically contact the dialysis machine. With the described system, the HCP does not need to re-glove each time a change is made to an on-going dialysis treatment when interfacing with a graphical display of the dialysis machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Merics, Alexander Brown, Lee Tanenbaum, Colin Weaver