Patents by Inventor Yunlong Zhang

Yunlong Zhang 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: 7496402
    Abstract: A method and system for delivering anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) is disclosed. During delivery of an ATP burst, an implantable cardiac rhythm management device is programmed to sense evoked responses and determine whether or not the ATP burst has entrained the heart by counting the number of successive pacing pulses achieving capture. This information may then be used by the device to adjust the manner in which the ATP therapy is delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventor: Yunlong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20090043289
    Abstract: A method for titrating a drug to provide a medical therapy to a patient. The method includes the steps of providing an implantable medical device having a controller, providing one or more implantable sensors configured to sense physical parameters of the patient and configured to transmit signals to the controller. The method further includes the step of receiving signals from the one or more sensors at the controller. The method additionally includes processing the received signals to determine at least two cardiopulmonary characteristics of the patient. The method also includes determining a composite index based on the at least two cardiopulmonary characteristics. In addition, the method includes generating a signal based on the composite index. Medical device systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: CARDIAC PACEMAKERS, INC.
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, Yi Zhang
  • Publication number: 20090036777
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring lung edema fluid status, such as monitoring the presence or absence of pulmonary edema, in a subject using information about responsive acoustic energy echoes from a lung are described. The system comprises, among other things, an implantable device including an acoustic transducer configured to emit acoustic energy to a lung and to receive one or more responsive acoustic energy echoes from a lung. In an example, the implantable device includes a cardiac function management device having an acoustic window in a body thereof. In another example, the implantable device includes one or more subcutaneous leads. An implantable or external processor circuit is configured to receive information about the acoustic energy echoes to compute and provide a lung edema fluid status indication; such information may include an increased number or special pattern of acoustic energy echoes received or a decreased time between successively received echoes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, Yongxing Zhang, Paul E. Zarembo
  • Publication number: 20090025459
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an implantable acoustic viscosity sensor configured to acoustically obtain a viscosity signal indicative of a viscosity of a fluid in contact with the viscosity sensor. A viscosity measurement circuit produces a viscosity measurement from the viscosity signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, Bin Mi
  • Patent number: 7477942
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering therapy to treat ventricular tachyarrhythmias is described. A ventricular tachyarrhythmia can be classified into tachycardia or fibrillation zones using a rate criterion so that the tachyarrhythmia can be treated with either anti-tachycardia pacing or shock therapy, respectively. Rate stability and morphology criteria are employed to determine if a tachyarrhythmia in the fibrillation zone is actually monomorphic ventricular tachycardia which can be treated with ATP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventor: Yunlong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20090005829
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are related to implantable devices including movement sensors and related methods for measuring cardiac performance, amongst other things. In an embodiment, the invention includes an implantable electrical stimulation lead. The electrical stimulation lead can include a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end and a sheath defining a central lumen. The lead body can further include an electrical conductor disposed within the central lumen of the sheath. The stimulation lead can further include a stimulation electrode positioned at the distal end of the lead body, the stimulation electrode in electrical communication with the electrical conductor. The electrical stimulation lead can include an flexion sensor coupled to the lead body, the movement sensor configured to generate a signal in response to movement of the lead body. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method of monitoring the condition of a heart failure patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: CARDIAC PACEMAKERS, INC.
    Inventors: Bin Mi, Yongxing Zhang, Yunlong Zhang, James O. Gilkerson
  • Publication number: 20080288030
    Abstract: A system delivers stimulation to volume receptors in the cardiovascular system to induce diuresis in a patient suffering volume overload. The system senses a volume signal indicative of a level of fluid retention in the patient's body and controls the delivery of the stimulation using the volume signal. In various embodiments, the stimulation includes one or more of electrical stimulation, which delivers electrical pulses to the volume receptors, and mechanical stimulation, which physically stretches the volume receptors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, James G. Bentsen, Yousufali Dalal
  • Publication number: 20080114258
    Abstract: An implantable medical device senses a plurality of electrograms from substantially different atrial locations, detects regional depolarizations from the electrograms, and analyzes timing relationships among the regional depolarizations. The timing relationships provide a basis for effective therapy control and/or prognosis of certain cardiac disorders. In one embodiment, an atrial activation sequence is mapped to show the order of occurrences of the regional depolarizations during an atrial depolarization for classifying a detected tachyarrhythmia by its origin. In another embodiment, conduction time between two atrial locations is measured for monitoring the development of an abnormal atrial conditions and/or the effect of a therapy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, Julie Thompson, James Gilkerson, Yongxing Zhang
  • Publication number: 20080114256
    Abstract: A method and apparatus permit sensing one or more forces exerted by one or more portions of a heart. A force transducer and displacement sensor are disclosed. A movement of one or more portions of a heart can be translated into one or more signals indicative of force. These signals can be used to provide information such as to diagnose or treat one or more conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongxing Zhang, Yunlong Zhang, Xuan Wei
  • Publication number: 20080058877
    Abstract: Systems and methods include sensing whether a shock to a heart is needed, and prior to delivering the shock, causing at least a partial contraction of a musculature in a chest, and delivering the shock while the musculature is at least partially contracted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, Mark Schwartz
  • Patent number: 7328063
    Abstract: An implantable medical device senses a plurality of electrograms from substantially different atrial locations, detects regional depolarizations from the electrograms, and analyzes timing relationships among the regional depolarizations. The timing relationships provide a basis for effective therapy control and/or prognosis of certain cardiac disorders. In one embodiment, an atrial activation sequence is mapped to show the order of occurrences of the regional depolarizations during an atrial depolarization for classifying a detected tachyarrhythmia by its origin. In another embodiment, conduction time between two atrial locations is measured for monitoring the development of an abnormal atrial conditions and/or the effect of a therapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, Julie Thompson, James O. Gilkerson, Yongxing Zhang
  • Patent number: 7313438
    Abstract: A method and system for delivering anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) is disclosed. By comparing the time intervals between senses from both ventricles, the origin of a ventricular tachyarrhythmia may be mapped to one or the other of the ventricles. The arrhythmic ventricle may then be paced with either single-ventricle or biventricular ATP pacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventor: Yunlong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20070293894
    Abstract: An implantable medical device controls an anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy by detecting a tachyarrhythmia episode from a cardiac signal and analyzing the detected tachyarrhythmia episode in a tachyarrhythmia detection and analysis process to determine whether the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy needs to be delivered. The tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process includes detection of inhibitory events each indicating that the tachyarrhythmia episode is of a type not to be treated by the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy or that the tachyarrhythmia episode is not sustaining. The detection of each of the inhibitory events causes the tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process to be restarted or extended, or the delivery of the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy to be withheld.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, Jaeho Kim
  • Patent number: 7308319
    Abstract: A delivery system and method for delivering a right ventricular lead into a right ventricle includes a delivery device having an inflatable balloon at a distal end. The device is inserted into the venous system, the balloon is inflated and the device is floated along a blood flow path within the venous system through the heart and into the pulmonary artery. The lead is delivered into the right ventricle using the device. In one embodiment, the device is a catheter that facilitates placement of a guide wire into the right ventricle for delivery of the lead. The catheter is then removed and the lead is inserted into the right ventricle over the guide wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric G. Lovett, Bruce A. Tockman, Yongxing Zhang, Yunlong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20070161912
    Abstract: A method involves implantably detecting changes in posture of a patient's body. Baroreflex responses to the posture changes are determined. An autonomic tone of the patient is determined based on the baroreflex responses. Based on the autonomic tone, various patient susceptibilities to disease may be determined, including susceptibilities to heart disease, arrhythmia, and/or sudden cardiac death.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, Mark Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20070129765
    Abstract: An implantable medical device for generating a cardiac pressure-volume loop, the implantable medical device comprising a pulse generator including control circuitry, a first cardiac lead including a proximal end and a distal end and coupled to the pulse generator at the proximal end, a first electrode located at the distal end of the cardiac lead and operatively coupled to the control circuitry, a sound sensor operatively coupled to the control circuitry, and a pressure sensor operatively coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the implantable medical device is adapted for measuring intracardiac impedance. A method of using the implantable medical device to optimize therapy delivered to the heart.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: James Gilkerson, Yongxing Zhang, Yunlong Zhang, Sophia Wang
  • Publication number: 20070066905
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, systems, devices, and methods for measuring cardiac impedances and producing one or more resynchronization index parameters each indicative of a cardiac synchrony or asynchrony using the measured cardiac impedances. In one example, the one or more resynchronization index parameters are used to adjust one or more pacing parameters of a cardiac resynchronization therapy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Yunlong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20070043394
    Abstract: A system to measure intracardiac impedance includes implantable electrodes and a medical device. The electrodes sense electrical signals of a heart of a subject. The medical device includes a cardiac signal sensing circuit coupled to the implantable electrodes, an impedance measurement circuit coupled to the same or different implantable electrodes, and a controller circuit coupled to the cardiac signal sensing circuit and the impedance measurement circuit. The cardiac signal sensing circuit provides a sensed cardiac signal. The impedance measurement circuit senses intracardiac impedance between the electrodes to obtain an intracardiac impedance signal. The controller circuit determines cardiac cycles of the subject using the sensed cardiac signal, and detects tachyarrhythmia using cardiac-cycle to cardiac-cycle changes in a plurality of intracardiac impedance parameters obtained from the intracardiac impedance signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, James Gilkerson, Yongxing Zhang, Boyce Moon
  • Publication number: 20060259085
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present subject matter relate to a method. According to various method embodiments, at least one lead is inserted through a pulmonary artery to securely position at least one electrode within the pulmonary artery. Neural stimulation is applied to a neural stimulation target using the at least one lead in the pulmonary artery. An atrial rhythm management activity, including at least one of capturing atrial tissue using the at least one lead and sensing an intrinsic atrial event, is performed using the at least one lead in the pulmonary artery. Other embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Yongxing Zhang, Yunlong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20060259084
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present subject matter relate to a lead. Various lead embodiments comprise a lead body including a first portion, a first branch and a second branch. The first portion has an end adapted to connect to an implantable medical device. The first branch and the second branch is connected to the first portion at a bifurcated region. The first branch includes a distal end adapted to be fed into a right pulmonary artery and to securely position at least one electrode within the right pulmonary artery. The second branch includes a distal end adapted to be fed into a left pulmonary artery and to securely position at least one electrode within the left pulmonary artery. Other embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Yongxing Zhang, Yunlong Zhang