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).

  • Patent number: 8012150
    Abstract: 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 system includes an outer loop controller for generating a control signal in accordance with at least a first subset of sensor data from at least one sensor; an inner loop controller for generating a setpoint control signal which is provided to an RF stage in accordance with at least the control signal generated by the outer loop controller and a second subset of sensor data from the at least one sensor; and a configuration controller for generating configuration data and providing first and second configuration data sets of the configuration data to the inner loop and outer loop controllers, respectively, for configuration thereof to provide a type of control selectable from a variety of types of control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, Thomas A. Sturm, William D. Faulkner
  • Publication number: 20100211063
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, Thomas A. Sturm, William D. Faulkner
  • Publication number: 20100191233
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, Thomas A. Sturm, William D. Faulkner
  • Patent number: 7722601
    Abstract: 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 system includes an outer loop controller for generating a control signal in accordance with at least a first subset of sensor data from at least one sensor; an inner loop controller for generating a setpoint control signal which is provided to an RF stage in accordance with at least the control signal generated by the outer loop controller and a second subset of sensor data from the at least one sensor; and a configuration controller for generating configuration data and providing first and second configuration data sets of the configuration data to the inner loop and outer loop controllers, respectively, for configuration thereof to provide a type of control selectable from a variety of types of control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventors: Robert H. Wham, Thomas A. Sturm, William D. Faulkner