Patents by Inventor Wennan Zhao

Wennan Zhao 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).

  • Two-phase instrument guidance for accurate endoscopic surgical procedures
    Patent number: 12349859
    Abstract: A two-stage method for guiding an endoscope and second device toward a target destination near the ROI includes navigation and localization. The endoscope is navigated near the vicinity of the ROI according to a pre-procedure plan. When the ROI location is reached, the second device's tip is pushed far enough through the endoscope so that its tip is outside the endoscope and in the endoscope's video view. Then a two-phase registration mechanism is used: i. Phase 1: Align the endoscope by registering the endoscope's video to a virtual bronchoscope's simulated video stream; ii. Phase 2: Align the second device by registering the second device's shape in the endoscope's video to a virtual second device model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: William E. Higgins, Wennan Zhao
  • TWO-PHASE INSTRUMENT GUIDANCE FOR ACCURATE ENDOSCOPIC SURGICAL PROCEDURES
    Publication number: 20250134347
    Abstract: A two-stage method for guiding an endoscope and second device toward a target destination near the ROI includes navigation and localization. The endoscope is navigated near the vicinity of the ROI according to a pre-procedure plan. When the ROI location is reached, the second device's tip is pushed far enough through the endoscope so that its tip is outside the endoscope and in the endoscope's video view. Then a two-phase registration mechanism is used: i. Phase 1: Align the endoscope by registering the endoscope's video to a virtual bronchoscope's simulated video stream; ii. Phase 2: Align the second device by registering the second device's shape in the endoscope's video to a virtual second device model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: William E. Higgins, Wennan Zhao
  • NON-IONIC VESICLE FORMULATIONS OF CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS
    Publication number: 20150141404
    Abstract: Disclosed are non-ionic surfactant vesicle formulations of calcium channel blockers, such as diltiazem, and methods of using the formulations for treating anal disorders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Rajiv Mathur, Nidhi Parikh, Wennan Zhao, Meng Zhou