Patents by Inventor William D. Faulkner
William D. Faulkner 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: 20190254736Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2018Publication date: August 22, 2019Inventors: ROBERT H. WHAM, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, DONALD L. TONN
-
Publication number: 20190216526Abstract: An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modeled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2019Publication date: July 18, 2019Inventors: DONALD W. HECKEL, KATHERINE WAGLE, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, KENNETH C. BROCKMANN
-
Publication number: 20190175249Abstract: An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modelled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: DONALD W. HECKEL, KATHERINE WAGLE, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, KENNETH C. BROCKMANN
-
Publication number: 20190125426Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods relate to detecting coupling or uncoupling of an external cable from an output port of an electrosurgical generator when a cable detection switch is unavailable or inoperable. The electrosurgical generator includes internal cabling having a first end portion connected to the output port and a second end portion. The disclosed technology includes supplying power from the electrosurgical generator, measuring current and voltage at the second end portion of the internal cabling within the electrosurgical generator, accessing one or more parameters associated with internal cable compensation corresponding to the internal cabling within the electrosurgical generator, and determining coupling or uncoupling of an external cable from the output port based on the measured current, the measured voltage, and the one or more parameters associated with internal cable compensation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2017Publication date: May 2, 2019Inventors: WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, ROBERT H. WHAM
-
Publication number: 20190132062Abstract: Methods and system are provided to mitigate RF interferences during operation of an electrosurgical system. An electrosurgical system configured to output therapeutic RF energy may refrain from outputting RF energy in order to measure an RF interference for a group of candidate frequencies, and to select a frequency from the group of candidate frequencies for which the measured RF interference is below a threshold value, and to produce a feedback signal (a control signal) at the selected frequency to control operation of the electrosurgical system. During operation of the electrosurgical system the feedback signal may be filtered by a BPF whose fundamental frequency is set to the selected frequency, to thus obtain an interference free feedback signal and, consequently, a reliable control of the electrosurgical system.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2017Publication date: May 2, 2019Inventors: DONALD W. HECKEL, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, DONALD L. TONN, FRED B. PELTON
-
Publication number: 20190090932Abstract: The present disclosure includes an electrosurgical generator that controls treatment energy to be provided in a coagulation mode, where the treatment energy has an adjustable voltage ramp rate which can be set to a ramp rate in a range of voltage ramp rates. The generator receives signals from an instrument over time relating to load impedance. When the load impedance is above a threshold, the generator sets the adjustable voltage ramp rate to a ramp rate in the range of voltage ramp rates, and decreases, at the adjustable voltage ramp rate, a voltage of the treatment energy. When the load impedance is below the threshold, the generator sets the adjustable voltage ramp rate to a ramp rate in the range of voltage ramp rates, and increases, at the adjustable voltage ramp rate, the voltage of the treatment energy.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventors: DONALD L. TONN, JAMES E. DUNNING, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, JENNIFER R. McHENRY, DEVON E. SCOTT-DRECHSEL, ERIC M. WESTRA
-
Publication number: 20190090931Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods relate to controlling the application of electrosurgical energy by an electrosurgical instrument to minimizing arcing and subsequent wear of electrosurgical instruments. An electrosurgical generator in accordance with the present disclosure includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventors: DONALD L. TONN, JAMES E. DUNNING, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, JENNIFER R. McHENRY, DEVON E. SCOTT-DRECHSEL, ERIC M. WESTRA
-
Publication number: 20190090930Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods relate to controlling the application of electrosurgical energy by an electrosurgical instrument. An electrosurgical generator in accordance with the present disclosure includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor. When the instructions are executed, they cause the generator to receive signals from the instrument over time relating to whether tissue is grasped by the instrument, receive an indication to provide an indicated treatment power to the instrument where the indicated treatment power is set by a user, determine based on the signals that tissue is currently grasped and that, for at least a predetermine length of time prior, no tissue had been grasped, and based on the determination, provide a treatment power surge to the instrument for a surge time period, where the treatment power surge is greater than the indicated treatment power.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventors: DONALD L. TONN, JAMES E. DUNNING, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, JENNIFER R. McHENRY, DEVON E. SCOTT-DRECHSEL, ERIC M. WESTRA
-
Patent number: 10172666Abstract: An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modelled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: COVIDIEN LPInventors: Donald W. Heckel, Katherine Wagle, William D. Faulkner, Kenneth C. Brockmann
-
Patent number: 10172665Abstract: An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modelled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: COVIDIEN LPInventors: Donald W. Heckel, Katherine Wagle, William D. Faulkner, Kenneth C. Brockmann
-
Patent number: 9782212Abstract: A method for operating an electrosurgical generator is disclosed, including receiving a high level algorithm at an electrosurgical generator including a processor, a power supply, and a radio frequency amplifier, the high level algorithm including an interpreted language script, processing the interpreted language script through an interpreter engine executed by the processor, selecting at least one of a plurality of configuration files stored in the electrosurgical generator based on the interpreted language script to effect a desired mode of operation, and executing the interpreted language script based on the selected one of the plurality of configuration files to generate instructions which cause the electrosurgical generator to control at least one of the power supply and the radio frequency amplifier to generate radio frequency energy according to the selected one of the plurality of configuration files.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2014Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: COVIDIEN LPInventors: Robert H. Wham, William D. Faulkner
-
Publication number: 20160310202Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: ROBERT H. WHAM, DONALD L. TONN, AARON MATTMILLER, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, EDWARD L. BRANNAN, MARK A. JOHNSTON
-
Publication number: 20160151107Abstract: A method for operating an electrosurgical generator is disclosed, including receiving a high level algorithm at an electrosurgical generator including a processor, a power supply, and a radio frequency amplifier, the high level algorithm including an interpreted language script, processing the interpreted language script through an interpreter engine executed by the processor, selecting at least one of a plurality of configuration files stored in the electrosurgical generator based on the interpreted language script to effect a desired mode of operation, and executing the interpreted language script based on the selected one of the plurality of configuration files to generate instructions which cause the electrosurgical generator to control at least one of the power supply and the radio frequency amplifier to generate radio frequency energy according to the selected one of the plurality of configuration files.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2014Publication date: June 2, 2016Inventors: ROBERT H. WHAM, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER
-
Publication number: 20160081739Abstract: An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modelled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2015Publication date: March 24, 2016Inventors: DONALD W. HECKEL, KATHERINE WAGLE, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, KENNETH C. BROCKMANN
-
Publication number: 20160081740Abstract: An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modelled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2015Publication date: March 24, 2016Inventors: DONALD W. HECKEL, KATHERINE WAGLE, WILLIAM D. FAULKNER, KENNETH C. BROCKMANN
-
Patent number: 8303580Abstract: A method and system are disclosed enabling configuration of a control system for an electrosurgical generator system for creating new surgical applications without changing the underlying software system. The electrosurgical generator system includes an RF stage to output at least one waveform of electrosurgical energy; a sensor module having at least one sensor to sense electrical or physical properties related to the output electrosurgical energy and generate sensor data; and at least one control module executable on at least one processor that controls at least one parameter of the output electrosurgical energy. The at least one control module includes an outer loop controller to generate a control signal in accordance with at least a first subset of the sensor data and an inner loop controller to generate a setpoint control signal and provide the setpoint control signal to the RF stage for controlling at least an amplitude of the energy output by the RF stage.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2010Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Covidien AGInventors: Robert H. Wham, Thomas A. Sturm, William D. Faulkner
-
Patent number: 8298223Abstract: A method and system are disclosed enabling configuration of a control system for an electrosurgical generator system for creating new surgical applications without changing the underlying software system. The programmable electrosurgical generator system has an RF output stage for outputting at least one RF operating waveform for performing an electrosurgical procedure. The programmable electrosurgical generator system includes an inner loop system to change at least one parameter of the at least one RF operating waveform; an outer loop system to provide at least one operating command to the inner loop system; and a configuration control system that modifies at least one of the inner and outer loop systems based on received data from a sensor module.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2010Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Covidien AGInventors: Robert H Wham, Thomas A Sturm, William D Faulkner
-
Patent number: 8267929Abstract: An electrosurgical generator system includes an electrical generator having an RF stage for outputting electrical energy having at least one waveform for performing an electrosurgical procedure. The system further includes at least one control module executable on at least one processor which controls at least one parameter of the outputted electrical energy and a configuration controller operably associated with the electrical generator which generates configuration data to configure the at least one control module to provide at least one modality of control of the outputted electrical energy based on the configuration data.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2011Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Covidien AGInventors: Robert H. Wham, Thomas A. Sturm, William D. Faulkner
-
Publication number: 20120089139Abstract: An electrosurgical generator system includes an electrical generator having an RF stage for outputting electrical energy having at least one waveform for performing an electrosurgical procedure. The system further includes at least one control module executable on at least one processor which controls at least one parameter of the outputted electrical energy and a configuration controller operably associated with the electrical generator which generates configuration data to configure the at least one control module to provide at least one modality of control of the outputted electrical energy based on the configuration data.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2011Publication date: April 12, 2012Inventors: Robert H. Wham, Thomas A. Sturm, William D. Faulkner
-
Patent number: 8080008Abstract: An electrosurgical generator system includes an electrical generator having an RF stage for outputting electrical energy having at least one waveform for performing an electrosurgical procedure. The system further includes at least one control module executable on at least one processor which controls at least one parameter of the outputted electrical energy and a configuration controller operably associated with the electrical generator which generates configuration data to configure the at least one control module to provide at least one modality of control of the outputted electrical energy based on the configuration data.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2007Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: Covidien AGInventors: Robert H. Wham, Thomas A. Sturm, William D. Faulkner