Patents by Inventor W. Douglas Sheffield
W. Douglas Sheffield 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).
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Patent number: 11786729Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc.Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Publication number: 20210308456Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2021Publication date: October 7, 2021Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Patent number: 11065449Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2017Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc.Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Publication number: 20180359332Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2017Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Publication number: 20180167482Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2017Publication date: June 14, 2018Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Patent number: 9808627Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2015Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: ADVANCED NEUROMODULATION SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Patent number: 9643019Abstract: A system for providing alerts of neurological events occurring in a human subject is provided. The system includes: a monitoring module adapted to detect and sample a neurological signal; an event detection module coupled to the monitoring module for detecting one or more types of predetermined reportable events based on the detected neurological signal; and an alert module coupled to the event detection module, wherein upon the detection of a reportable event by the event detection module, said alert module selects a first alert contact from a plurality of contacts contained in a contact list, and generates a first alert communication to the first alert contact.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2011Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: CYBERONICS, INC.Inventors: Jason A. Higgins, Michael Bland, Kent W. Leyde, W. Douglas Sheffield, John F. Harris, David M. Himes
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Publication number: 20160067496Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2015Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Patent number: 9186510Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2013Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: ADVANCED NEUROMODULATION SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Publication number: 20140222113Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2013Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc., d/b/a St. Jude Medical Neuromodulation DivisionInventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Patent number: 8606361Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2011Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc.Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Publication number: 20120041498Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2011Publication date: February 16, 2012Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Patent number: 8073546Abstract: The following disclosure describes several methods and apparatus for electrical stimulation to treat or otherwise effectuate a change in neural-functions of a patient. For example, the method can include selecting a stimulation site by generating an intended neural activity by triggering a neural signal in or from the impaired body part and detecting a region of the brain in which a response neural activity occurs in reaction to the neural signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2010Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc.Inventors: W. Douglas Sheffield, Andrew D. Firlik
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Patent number: 8050767Abstract: Methods for treating and/or collecting information regarding neurological disorders, including language disorders, are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment directing a patient to perform a language-based task, directing information to be collected, with the information corresponding to a level of neural activity in the patient's brain while the patient performs the language-based task, and, based at least in part on the information, selecting a stimulation site within the patient's skull for receiving an electrode coupleable to an electrical current. In further embodiments, at least one electrode can be placed at the stimulation site, and the patient's language disorder can be reduced by applying electrical stimulation directly to the stimulation site via the at least one electrode.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc.Inventors: W. Douglas Sheffield, Alvaro Pascual-Leone
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Publication number: 20110201944Abstract: A system for providing alerts of neurological events occurring in a human subject is provided. The system includes: a monitoring module adapted to detect and sample a neurological signal; an event detection module coupled to the monitoring module for detecting one or more types of predetermined reportable events based on the detected neurological signal; and an alert module coupled to the event detection module, wherein upon the detection of a reportable event by the event detection module, said alert module selects a first alert contact from a plurality of contacts contained in a contact list, and generates a first alert communication to the first alert contact.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2011Publication date: August 18, 2011Inventors: Jason A. Higgins, Michael Bland, Kent W. Leyde, W. Douglas Sheffield, John F. Harris, David M. Himes
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Patent number: 7983762Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient's nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2008Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc.Inventors: Bradford Evan Gliner, Allen Wyler, Brad Fowler, W. Douglas Sheffield, Richard Kuntz, Kent Leyde, Leif R. Sloan
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Publication number: 20110092882Abstract: Systems and methods for patient interactive neural stimulation and/or chemical substance delivery are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes affecting a target neural population of the patient by providing to the patient at least one of an electromagnetic signal and a chemical substance. The method can further include detecting at least one characteristic of the patient, with the characteristic at least correlated with the patient's performance of an adjunctive therapy task that is performed in association with affecting the target neural population. The method can still further include controlling at least one parameter in accordance with which the target neural population is affected, based at least in part on the detected characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Inventors: Andrew D. Firlik, Bradford Evan Gliner, W. Douglas Sheffield, Leif R. Sloan
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Publication number: 20110004270Abstract: The following disclosure describes several methods and apparatus for intracranial electrical stimulation to treat or otherwise effectuate a change in neural-functions of a patient. Several embodiments of methods in accordance with the invention are directed toward enhancing or otherwise inducing a lasting change in neural activity to effectuate a particular neural-function. Such lasting change in neural activity is defined as “neuroplasticity.” The methods in accordance with the invention can be used to treat brain damage (e.g., stroke, trauma, etc.), brain disease (e.g., Alzheimer's, Pick's, Parkinson's, etc.), and/or brain disorders (e.g., epilepsy, depression, etc.). The methods in accordance with the invention can also be used to enhance neural-function of normal, healthy brains (e.g., learning, memory, etc.), or to control sensory functions (e.g., pain).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2010Publication date: January 6, 2011Inventors: W. Douglas Sheffield, Andrew D. Firlik
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Patent number: 7856264Abstract: Systems and methods for patient interactive neural stimulation and/or chemical substance delivery are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes affecting a target neural population of the patient by providing to the patient at least one of an electromagnetic signal and a chemical substance. The method can further include detecting at least one characteristic of the patient, with the characteristic at least correlated with the patient's performance of an adjunctive therapy task that is performed in association with affecting the target neural population. The method can still further include controlling at least one parameter in accordance with which the target neural population is affected, based at least in part on the detected characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2005Date of Patent: December 21, 2010Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc.Inventors: Andrew D. Firlik, Bradford Evan Gliner, W. Douglas Sheffield, Leif R. Sloan
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Patent number: 7756584Abstract: The following disclosure is drawn to methods of electrically stimulating areas of the brain in which neuroplasticity are occurring. The stimulation site may be different than the region in the brain where neural activity is typically present to perform the particular neural function according to the functional organization of the brain. The disclosure provides methods of identify the location in which neuroplasticity is occurring, not occurring or expected to occur.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2002Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc.Inventors: W. Douglas Sheffield, Andrew D. Firlik, Katrina S. Firlik