Combined Cardioverting/defibrillating And Pacing Patents (Class 607/4)
  • Patent number: 9925385
    Abstract: Timing channel circuitry for controlling stimulation circuitry in an implantable stimulator is disclosed. The timing channel circuitry comprises a addressable memory. Data for the various phases of a desired pulse are stored in the memory using different numbers of words, including a command indicative of the number of words in the phase, a next address for the next phase stored in the memory, and a pulse width or duration of the current phase, control data for the stimulation circuitry, pulse amplitude, and electrode data. The command data is used to address through the words in the current phase via the address bus, which words are sent to a control register for the stimulation circuitry. After the duration of the pulse width for the current phase has passed, the stored next address is used to access the data for the next phase stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventors: Paul J. Griffith, Goran N. Marnfeldt, Jordi Parramon
  • Patent number: 9918677
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to systems and methods for optimizing the performance and minimizing complications related to implanted sensors, such as pressure sensors, for the purposes of detecting, diagnosing and treating cardiovascular disease in a medical patient. Systems and methods for anchoring implanted sensors to various body structures is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal L. Eigler, Brian M. Mann, James S. Whiting, Werner Hafelfinger
  • Patent number: 9867993
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is system and method for generating, storing and transmitting electrical charge from heart's electrical conduction system to power implantable medical devices. An intelligent monitoring module in the system monitors amount of nerve impulses that are generated at the Sinoatrial (SA) node of the heart and continuously compares number of the generated nerve impulses with a threshold nerve impulse value. If excess impulses are detected, the intelligent monitoring module routes the excess nerve impulses to a battery management module which generates charge by converting the excess nerve impulses to electric charge. This charge may be further used to power up the implantable medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: HCL TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Shyam Thangaraju, Siva Sakthivel, Vishal Chaudhary
  • Patent number: 9855430
    Abstract: A medical device system for controlling ventricular pacing therapy during cardiac resynchronization therapy that includes a sensing device to sense a cardiac signal and emit a trigger signal in response to the sensed cardiac signal, a therapy delivery device to deliver the ventricular pacing in response to the emitted trigger signal, and a processor configured to identify a fiducial point of the cardiac signal sensed in real-time, set a window comprising a start point positioned a first distance prior to the fiducial point and an endpoint positioned a second distance less than the first distance subsequent to the fiducial point, determine a signal characteristic of the cardiac signal within the window, determine whether a P-wave is detected in response to the signal characteristic, determine whether an atrio-ventricular interval timer has expired, and emit a trigger signal to deliver the ventricular pacing timed off of the local maximum in response to the P-wave being detected and not timed off of the local m
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Subham Ghosh, Kushagr Gupta
  • Patent number: 9849285
    Abstract: A method, electrical tissue stimulation system, and programmer for providing therapy to a patient are provided. Electrodes are placed adjacent tissue (e.g., spinal cord tissue) of the patient, electrical stimulation energy is delivered from the electrodes to the tissue in accordance with a defined waveform, and a pulse shape of the defined waveform is modified, thereby changing the characteristics of the electrical stimulation energy delivered from the electrode(s) to the tissue. The pulse shape may be modified by selecting one of a plurality of different pulse shape types or by adjusting a time constant of the pulse shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventors: Dongchul Lee, Michael A. Moffitt, Christopher Ewan Gillespie, Kerry Bradley
  • Patent number: 9844675
    Abstract: An implantable medical device comprising a signal generator configured to generate and deliver anti-tachyarrhythmia pacing (ATP) to a heart of a patient and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to detect an enable event, responsive to detecting the enable event, enable the delivery of ATP by the signal generator, detect a disable event indicating that another implantable medical device cannot be relied upon to deliver an anti-tachyarrhythmia shock, and responsive to detecting the disable event, disable delivery of ATP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Hareland, James K. Carney, James D. Reinke, Jon D. Schell, Barbara J. Schmid
  • Patent number: 9839784
    Abstract: A technique for identifying lead-related conditions, such as insulation breaches and/or externalization of lead conductors, includes analyzing characteristics of electrical signals generated on one or more electrode sensing vectors of the lead by a test signal to determine whether a lead-related condition exists. The characteristics of the electrical signals induced on the lead by the test signal may be significantly different on a lead having an insulation breach or externalized conductor than on a lead not having such lead-related conditions. As such, the implantable medical device may be subject to a known test signal and analyze the signals on the lead to detect lead-related conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Gunderson, Walter H. Olson, ShaileshKumar V. Musley, Jennifer P. Miller
  • Patent number: 9826939
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using stored physiologic information about a subject to detect a previous treatment event. Physiologic information can be sensed from a subject using one or more sensors. Using a detection circuit, a change in the sensed physiologic information, such as a change from reference physiologic information, can be used to identify a candidate previous treatment event. An alert or other information about the candidate treatment event can be provided to a patient or clinician. In an example, a candidate treatment event can include a heart failure or diuresis treatment that is identified using information about a change in one or more of a subject's circadian pattern, a subject's thoracic impedance, or a subject's respiration status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktoria A. Averina, Pramodsingh Hirasingh Thakur, Robert J. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 9782601
    Abstract: In an example, an apparatus is described that includes an implantable housing, a heart signal sensing circuit configured to sense intrinsic electrical heart signals, a ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT) detector circuit, operatively coupled to the heart signal sensing circuit, the detector circuit operable to detect a VT based on the sensed heart signals, a processor configured to control delivery of an anti-tachyarrhythmia pacing (ATP) therapy based on the detected VT, and an energy delivery circuit configured to deliver the ATP therapy in response to the detected VT, wherein the apparatus does not include a shock circuit capable of delivering a therapeutically-effective cardioverting or defibrillating shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventor: Jacob M. Ludwig
  • Patent number: 9737722
    Abstract: A system and method to deliver a therapeutic quantity of energy to a patient. The system includes a capacitor having a rated energy storage capacity substantially equal to the therapeutic quantity of energy, a boost converter coupled with the capacitor and constructed to release energy from the capacitor at a substantially constant current for a time interval, and an H-bridge circuit coupled with the boost converter and constructed to apply the substantially constant current in a biphasic voltage waveform to the patient. The method includes storing a quantity of energy substantially equal to the therapeutic quantity of energy in a capacitor, releasing the quantity of energy at a relatively constant current during a time interval using a boost converter coupled with the capacitor, and delivering a portion of the quantity energy in a direction to the patient using an H-bridge circuit coupled with the boost converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ZOLL MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: James G. Radzelovage
  • Patent number: 9713445
    Abstract: A wearable resuscitation system is used for resuscitating a patient. The system comprises at least two defibrillation electrodes adapted to be worn by the patient for extended periods of time; circuitry for monitoring the an ECG of the patient; at least one processor configured for analyzing the ECG of the patient, and determining whether electrical therapy should be delivered to the at least two defibrillation electrodes; circuitry for providing defibrillation pulses to the at least two defibrillation electrodes; and circuitry for providing resuscitation prompts, wherein at least the circuitry for monitoring the ECG, the processor configured for analyzing the ECG, and the circuitry for providing resuscitation prompts are contained in one or more devices adapted to be worn by the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: ZOLL Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Gary A. Freeman, Mark Totman
  • Patent number: 9694186
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a pacing rate in a dual-chamber, leadless pacemaker implanted in a heart may involve determining, with a leadless atrial pacemaker implanted in an atrium of the heart, that an intrinsic atrial contraction rate of the atrium is faster than a ventricular contraction rate, transmitting a first signal from the atrial pacemaker to a leadless ventricular pacemaker implanted in a ventricle of the heart to increase a ventricular pacing rate of the ventricular pacemaker, receiving the transmitted first signal with the ventricular pacemaker, and increasing the ventricular pacing rate, based on the received first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: James K. Carney, Saul E. Greenhut
  • Patent number: 9697336
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes acquiring electronic data indicative of a property of a mammal without making physical contact with the mammal. The method also includes extracting digital information indicative of a physiological characteristic of the mammal from the electronic data indicative of the property of the mammal. The method further includes choosing from an electronically accessible treatment database a neuromodulation treatment regimen for administration to the mammal in response to the information indicative of a physiological characteristic of the mammal. The method also includes electronically initiating an administration of the chosen neuromodulation treatment regimen to a nervous system component of the mammal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: GEARBOX, LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Eric C. Leuthardt, Dennis J. Rivet, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
  • Patent number: 9662073
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a present, or predicting a future, target physiologic event such as worsening heart failure (HF) are described. A system can comprise a patient information receiver circuit, at least two categorical risk analyzer circuits, and a categorical fusion circuit. The patient information receiver circuit receives physiologic signals and generates signal trends. The categorical risk analyzer circuit receives a category-specific input selected from the signal trends according to an associative physiologic condition indicative or correlative of the target event. The categorical risk analyzer circuit produces a signal trend metric indicating relative change in signal strength over time. The categorical risk analyzer circuit calculates a categorical risk index that indicates likelihood of the patient developing or presenting the associative physiologic condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Zhang, Pramodsingh Hirasingh Thakur, Qi An, Julie A. Thompson, Ramesh Wariar, Robert J. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 9642550
    Abstract: A method is provided of analyzing a cardiac electrogram using a computer. In one step, a determination is made as to a plurality of cycle lengths between a plurality of activation peaks of the cardiac electrogram. In another step, a determination is made as to whether a mean of the plurality of cycle lengths meets at least one criteria. The method may be used to iteratively adjust a detection threshold level for detecting atrial fibrillation based on the cardiac electrogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Inventor: Jason Ng
  • Patent number: 9616239
    Abstract: An apparatus may include an implantable therapy circuit that provides bi-ventricular pacing to a subject, a heart sound signal sensing circuit that produces a sensed heart sound signal that is representative of at least one heart sound associated with mechanical cardiac activity, a memory circuit to store one or more heart sound templates of cardiac capture, and a comparison circuit that compares a segment of the sensed heart sound signal to the one or more heart sound templates of cardiac capture to identify ventricles in which cardiac capture was induced by the bi-ventricular pacing. In some situations, an indication of the ventricles in which cardiac capture was induced may be generated according to the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Barun Maskara, Qi An, Pramodsingh Hirasingh Thakur, Julie A. Thompson
  • Patent number: 9610443
    Abstract: Various embodiments of and methods for providing external therapeutic electrical stimulation to a patient are disclosed and described. Therapeutic external electrical stimulation is provided to at least one location on a patient's skin, or through clothing or a layer disposed next to the patient's skin, and is configured to trigger or induce resonance or high amplitude oscillations in a cardiovascular system of the patient. Inducing such resonance can aid in training autonomic reflexes and improve their functioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventors: Steven G Dean, Frederick Muench
  • Patent number: 9610445
    Abstract: Devices and methods for detecting physiological target event such as events indicative of heart failure (HF) decompensation status are described. An ambulatory medical device (AMD) can detect device site maturation such as in a device encapsulation pocket, and classify the maturation status into one of two or more device site maturation states. The AMD can include an electrical impedance analyzer circuit that can measure a first maturation-insensitive impedance vector and a second maturation-sensitive impedance vector. At least one impedance vector can be selected or a composite impedance vector can be generated in accordance with the classified device site maturation state. The AMD can generate an impedance indicator using the selected or composite impedance vector, and detect a target physiologic event indicative of worsening of HF using the impedance indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Pramodsingh Hirasingh Thakur, Qi An, Viktoria A. Averina
  • Patent number: 9597523
    Abstract: In one example, an external medical device is provided. The external medical device includes a memory, at least one sensor to detect a cardiac condition in a patient monitored by the external medical device, and circuitry, in communication with the memory, to receive information indicative of the cardiac condition, detect whether the patient is asleep, and issue at least one alarm responsive to both receiving the information and detecting that the patient is asleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: ZOLL Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Kaib, Gary A. Freeman, Qing Tan
  • Patent number: 9585562
    Abstract: A method for integrating a medical device into a medical facility network by equipping the medical device with wireless communication device is disclosed. The medical device is provided into a medical treatment area within wireless range of the medical facility network. The medical facility network is configured to detect the medical device upon entry into the medical treatment area. The medical facility network is configured to thereafter transmit an initialization signal to the medical device. A system for integrating medical devices, a medical device capable of integration, and a medical facility network are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: CareFusion 303, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Andrew Sobie
  • Patent number: 9583954
    Abstract: A method for supplying power to detected devices coupled to a conductive backplane includes: supplying a plurality of sensing signals at a plurality of transmit impedance values to the conductive backplane; analyzing a plurality of return signals received from the conductive backplane, the return signals corresponding to the sensing signals; detecting the presence of a sink device coupled to the conductive backplane based on the analyzed return signals; and supplying power from a power supply to the sink device via the conductive backplane after detecting the presence of the sink device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: RAYTHEON BBN TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventors: Edin Insanic, Joshua Michael Cochin, Benjamin Phillip Bromberg, Will E. Leland
  • Patent number: 9579508
    Abstract: We disclose methods and medical device systems for selectively recruiting a nerve fiber type within a cranial nerve, a peripheral nerve or a spinal root. Such a method may comprise applying a first pressure, a heating, and/or a cooling to a second location of the nerve, the pressure, heating, or cooling sufficient to substantially block at least one of activation or conduction in at least one fiber population through the second location of the nerve for a blocking time period; and applying an electrical signal to a first location during the blocking time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Inventor: Ivan Osorio
  • Patent number: 9572991
    Abstract: Medical device systems and methods with multiple communication modes. An example medical device system may include a first medical device and a second medical device communicatively coupled to the first medical device. The first medical device may be configured to communicate information to the second medical device in a first communication mode. The first medical device may further be configured to communicate information to the second medical device in a second communication mode after determining that one or more of the communication pulses captured the heart of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Stahmann, Keith R. Maile, Brendan E. Koop, Michael J. Kane, Jacob M. Ludwig, Paul Huelskamp
  • Patent number: 9545514
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a connection with a part of a body to transfer an electromagnetic signal for a predetermined purpose, the apparatus including: a garment including one or more electrode capable of passing the signal to or from the part of the body; and a controller for controlling the nature of or processing the signal dependant on one or more parameters in order to vary the nature of the signal dependant on the purpose; wherein at least one parameter of the one or more parameters is stored on a data storage device included in the garment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: BMR Research & Development Limited
    Inventors: Conor Minogue, Michel Las-Saulzais, Joseph M. Rochford
  • Patent number: 9522284
    Abstract: Electrical circuit componentry is switchable into a defibrillator circuit to deliver a constant pacing current to a patient. The circuitry may include a constant current source inserted in a leg of the defibrillator circuit or a resistor of selected value inserted between a high voltage source and the high side of a defibrillator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: CAMERON HEALTH INC.
    Inventor: Alan H. Ostroff
  • Patent number: 9468771
    Abstract: Timing channel circuitry for controlling stimulation circuitry in an implantable stimulator is disclosed. The timing channel circuitry comprises a addressable memory. Data for the various phases of a desired pulse are stored in the memory using different numbers of words, including a command indicative of the number of words in the phase, a next address for the next phase stored in the memory, and a pulse width or duration of the current phase, control data for the stimulation circuitry, pulse amplitude, and electrode data. The command data is used to address through the words in the current phase via the address bus, which words are sent to a control register for the stimulation circuitry. After the duration of the pulse width for the current phase has passed, the stored next address is used to access the data for the next phase stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventors: Paul J. Griffith, Goran N. Marnfeldt, Jordi Parramon
  • Patent number: 9457182
    Abstract: A cardiac rhythm management system includes a first implantable medical device configured to monitor a patient's heart rhythm and provide therapy if appropriate, and a second implantable medical device that is configured to monitor the patient's heart rhythm and provide therapy if appropriate. The first implantable medical device is configured to detect a magnetic field indicative of an MRI machine and, upon detecting a magnetic field indicative of an MRI machine, is further configured to communicate the presence of the magnetic field indicative of the MRI machine to the second implantable medical device. The second implantable medical device may then enter an MRI-safe mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventor: Brendan E. Koop
  • Patent number: 9433791
    Abstract: The disclosure describes techniques for delivering electrical stimulation to decrease the ventricular rate response during an atrial tachyarrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation. AV nodal stimulation is employed during an atrial tachyarrhythmia episode with rapid ventricular conduction to distinguish ventricular tachyarrhythmia from supraventricular tachycardia and thereby prevent delivering inappropriate therapy to a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Eduardo N. Warman, John E. Burnes, Koen J. Michels, Paul D. Ziegler, Lilian Kornet
  • Patent number: 9380954
    Abstract: A method for physiological signal analysis and its system and a computer program product storing a physiological signal analysis program are provided. Physiological signals of a subject are collected for a user to provide a detection opinion for the physiological signals in order to generate syndrome recognition parameters and syndrome weight parameters such that the collected physiological signals are analyzed and determined. The invention performs detection determination by means of combining the physiological signals of the subject and referencing to an analysis opinion from the user. Therefore, an output detection result may be believed by both doctors and patients with effectively improved accuracy of analysis result to improve the efficiency of the user in diagnosis and treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONAL CHENG KUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shuenn-Yuh Lee, Shih-Yu Chang Chien
  • Patent number: 9364681
    Abstract: An implantable heart therapy device connected to at least one right-ventricular electrode and one left-ventricular electrode that sense and stimulate the heart. The at least one right-ventricular and left-ventricular electrodes are each connected to a tachycardia identification unit, wherein the identification unit identifies ventricular tachycardias, and simultaneously evaluates the heart rate at the right-ventricular and at the left-ventricular electrodes. The implantable heart therapy device includes a right-ventricular stimulation unit that delivers antitachycardia stimulation to the right-ventricular electrode, a left-ventricular stimulation unit that delivers antitachycardia stimulation to the left-ventricular electrode, and a therapy control unit that assigns the stimulation location for the antitachycardia stimulation to the slower ventricle side if a dissimilar tachycardia is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: BIOTRONIK SE & CO. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Doerr, Andreas Kucher
  • Patent number: 9355459
    Abstract: A method and system for characterizing cell motion comprising: receiving image data corresponding to a set of images of a cell culture captured at a set of time points; segmenting, from at least one image of the set of images, a cell subpopulation from the cell culture; determining a resting signal for the cell subpopulation; determining a single-peak motion signal based upon the set of images, the set of time points, and the resting signal; detrending the single-peak motion signal of the cell subpopulation based upon the resting signal; determining values of a set of motion features of the cell subpopulation, thereby characterizing cell motion; and clustering the cell subpopulation with at least one other cell subpopulation based upon at least one of the single-peak motion signal and a value of the set of motion features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Cellogy, Inc.
    Inventors: Seyyedeh Mahnaz Maddah, Kevin Loewke
  • Patent number: 9345417
    Abstract: An implantable medical device has an impedance processor for determining atrial impedance data reflective of the cardiogenic impedance of an atrium of a heart during diastole and/or systole of heart cycle. Ventricular impedance data reflective of the cardiogenic impedance of a ventricle during diastole and/or systole are also determined. The determined impedance data are processed by a representation processor for estimating a diastolic and/or a systolic atrial impedance representation and a diastolic and/or a systolic ventricular impedance representation. A condition processor determines the presence of any heart valve malfunction, such as valve regurgitation and/or stenosis, of at least one heart valve based on the estimated atrial and ventricular impedance representations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL AB
    Inventors: Karin Jarverud, Andreas Blomqvist
  • Patent number: 9345898
    Abstract: In embodiments, a wearable cardiac defibrillator system includes an energy storage module configured to store a charge. Two electrodes can be configured to be applied to respective locations of a patient. One or more reservoirs can store one or more conductive fluids. Respective fluid deploying mechanisms can be configured to cause the fluids to be released from one or more of the reservoirs, which decreases the impedance at the patient location, and decreases discomfort for the patient. In some embodiments an impedance is sensed between the two electrodes, and the stored charge is delivered when the sensed impedance meets a discharge condition. In some embodiments, different fluids are released for different patient treatments. In some embodiments, fluid release is controlled to be in at least two doses, with an intervening pause.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: WEST AFFUM HOLDINGS CORP.
    Inventors: Daniel Ralph Piha, Joseph Leo Sullivan, Phillip Dewey Foshee, Jr., Daniel Peter Finch, Isabelle Banville, Laura Marie Gustavson, Kenneth Frederick Cowan, Richard C. Nova, Robert Reuben Buchanan, Krystyna Szul, Gregory T. Kavounas
  • Patent number: 9326854
    Abstract: Medical device delivery assemblies are disclosed. The assembly may include a catheter-based delivery system. The assembly may include a pacing element to pace a patient's heart before, during, or after a procedure. The pacing element may be a detachable, implanting pacing element. The pacing element may be an implantable pacemaker and the implantable pacemaker may be disposed on a catheter-based delivery system. The assembly may include a prosthetic heart valve with one or more pacing elements on it. The pacing element may include a pacing strip or strips. These strips may be conductive or insulative. These strips may prevent, treat, or correct abnormal electrical communication in a heart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular Galway
    Inventors: Mark Casley, Declan Costello
  • Patent number: 9310420
    Abstract: An example embodiment includes a continuity testing method of a pixel in a liquid crystal on silicon integrated circuit. The method includes writing a first voltage to a pixel. The pixel is isolated and a wire that is selectively coupled to the pixel is discharged. The method also includes enabling a sensing amplifier configured to sense voltage on the wire. The pixel is electrically coupled to the wire and a resultant voltage on the wire is sensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: FINISAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan B. Ashbrook, Lionel Li, Brian R. Carey
  • Patent number: 9289597
    Abstract: A guide catheter system includes a guide catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall and a first, second and third electrode wherein the first, second and third electrodes are spaced longitudinally apart from each other on the outer wall of the catheter, and an electrical impulse generator connected to the guide catheter wherein the electrical impulse generator includes a circuit for selecting an adjacent pair of electrodes to use as a bipolar electrode system to send an electrical impulse and a method of use thereof to treat vasospasm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric A. Mokelke, Robert Shipley
  • Patent number: 9283380
    Abstract: An external pacemaker with at least one electrode temporarily connectable to the heart, and at the distal end of which is an active region, which makes contact with heart tissue, and at the proximal end is a contact plug. The electrode is for transmission of stimulation, defibrillation, and/or cardioversion pulses and is plugged into a pacemaker plug socket. The contact plug has first and second contact regions at its plug part. The plug socket matches the contact plug with two mating contacts, the first for transmitting stimulation pulses and the second for transmitting defibrillation and/or cardioversion pulses. In the plugged-in position, only the contact region on the plug part makes contact with the mating contact provided for transmitting the defibrillation and/or cardioversion pulses, such that no defibrillation and/or cardioversion pulse can be transmitted to electrodes which are unsuitable for defibrillation and/or cardioversion and have only a single-stage contact plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: OSYPKA AG
    Inventors: Thorsten Gottsche, Astrid Virnich, Maik Grafe
  • Patent number: 9278227
    Abstract: An implantable defibrillation arrangement comprising a defibrillation device having a sensing component and a defibrillation component, and an electrode lead comprising a lead body, a plug, a sensing electrode for sensing cardiac action potentials with a first electrode supply lead, and a defibrillation electrode for transmitting shock pulses to cardiac tissue with a second electrode supply lead, wherein a switching unit is provided to switch the sensing electrode to the potential of the defibrillation electrode in response to the output of a defibrillation shock by the defibrillation component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: BIOTRONIK SE & CO. KG
    Inventor: Thomas Doerr
  • Patent number: 9265937
    Abstract: An implantable electrode device designed for heart stimulation and/or cardioversion/defibrillation in connection with a pacemaker or a defibrillator. The electrode device comprises a large-surface area indifferent reference electrode pole permanently implanted in the atrial septum and in electrical communication with a pacemaker or defibrillator. The electrode pole is made from biocompatible metal braiding and has a tube like opening. The electrical communication is positioned from the pacemaker/defibrillator via the right atrium of the heart through the indifferent electrode pole into the left atrium via the opening. Thus allowing electrical pulses to be delivered to the electrode pole and stimulating the heart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Inventor: Peter Osypka
  • Patent number: 9259580
    Abstract: A system for harvesting of natural power of the heart movement to be deployed entirely inside or outside human heart. The means and the method for the system deployment/extraction are provided. The system is implemented as storage “satellite” container/housing/carrier unit for piezoelectric power generator, power storage and spare volume for transported cardio stimulator devices. The piezoelectric power generator comprises embedding circuits containing the diode bridge, controller, capacitor and a number of piezo-electric elastic ceramic rods—“leaflets”, originally strained asymmetrically with accordance to the heart 3D geometry in order to obtain high energy conversion efficiency and high sensitivity to the heart movement. The innovative construction of the piezoelectric generator is applied to piezoelectric transformer based on cantilever bending vibrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: PI-Harvest Holding AG
    Inventors: Alexander Brenner, Andrey Segalla
  • Patent number: 9248301
    Abstract: A system for communicating information between at least two medical devices implanted within the body of a subject using volume conduction of electrical signals as a means of communication and wherein one of the implanted medical devices is configured to provide electrical stimulation to the tissue is disclosed. The system comprises a first implant device having at least two transmit electrodes configured to transmit electrical stimulation pulses, wherein one of the electrodes may be a common return electrode, an encoding means configured to employ a channel as a transmitter transmission medium for stimulation pulses and encoding the information into the stimulation pulses, a second implant device having at least two receive electrodes configured to receive the transmitted stimulation pulses with encoded information, and a decoding means configured to decode the information encoded into the stimulation pulses. The disclosed system provides reliable and efficient communication between implantable devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Hubert Cécile François Martens, Franciscus Paulus Maria Budzelaar, Jeroen Jacob Arnold Tol
  • Patent number: 9242113
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a modular antitachyarrhythmia therapy system. In an example, a modular antitachyarrhythmia system includes at least two separate modules that coordinate delivery an antitachyarrhythmia therapy, such as defibrillation therapy. In another example, a modular antitachyarrhythmia therapy system includes a sensing module, an analysis module, and a therapy module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: CARDIAC PACEMARKERS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Smith, Richard Milton Dujmovic, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9191813
    Abstract: A method using a non-transitory processor for providing an application product including receiving an application profile, a key profile, a secure element (SE) profile, and a mobile terminal profile; establishing a link between the received profiles, in which the link is established for assembling the application product; and applying a limitation to the application product, in which the applied limitation determines whether the application product is accessible to a user. A method using a non-transitory processor for data preparation in a Trusted Service Manager (TSM) including receiving data from a service provider, in which the received data is in a Data Grouping Identifier (DGI) format or a raw data format; and processing the data using at least one of a logical data preparation and a physical data preparation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: MOZIDO CORFIRE—KOREA, LTD.
    Inventors: Jaemin Lim, Daeman Kwon, Donghyun Kim, Byungkwon Jeon
  • Patent number: 9168383
    Abstract: A leadless pacemaker for pacing a heart of a human includes a hermetic housing and at least two electrodes on or near the hermetic housing. The at least two electrodes are configured to deliver energy to stimulate the heart and to transfer information to or from at least one external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter M. Jacobson, Alan Ostroff, Timothy E. Ciciarelli
  • Patent number: 9144679
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for defining a stimulation program for electrical stimulation of a patient, the method comprising: providing a single screen user interface that comprises a first plurality of controls and a second plurality of controls, the first plurality of controls allowing selection of multiple stimulation parameters for a plurality of stimulation sets, the second plurality of controls allowing selection of multiple stimulation parameters defining burst stimulation and tonic stimulation; receiving user input in one or more of the second plurality of controls; and automatically modifying parameters for one or more stimulation sets in response to receiving the user input in one or more of the second plurality of controls and modifying values displayed in one or more controls of the first plurality of controls according to the modified parameters, the modified parameters reflecting a stimulation program that includes an interleaved pattern of burst stimulation and tonic stimulation for delivery t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick M. Cullen, John H. Erickson
  • Patent number: 9138159
    Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for determining an AF complexity value. The method includes applying a template matching algorithm to an ECG signal to obtain a set of candidate deflections and identifying intrinsic deflections within the set of candidate deflections. The method further includes determining a number of intrinsic deflections and a number of far-field deflections within the set of candidate deflections, based on the identified intrinsic deflections, and determining the AF complexity value as a ratio between the number of far-field deflections and the number of intrinsic deflections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Maastricht University
    Inventors: Ulrich Schotten, Stef Zeemering, Bart Maesen
  • Patent number: 9119545
    Abstract: An implantable medical device, is designed to collect a signal representative of the electric activity of the heart and determine a cardiogenic impedance signal for at least a portion of the heart. An R-wave detector of the IMD detects the timing of an R-wave during a cardiac cycle based on the signal representative of the electric activity. A minimum detector detects the timing of a cardiogenic impedance minimum in the cardiogenic impedance signal and within a systolic time window of the cardiac cycle. A detected arrhythmia is then classified by the IMD based on the timing of the R-wave detected by the R-wave detector and the timing of the cardiogenic impedance minimum detected by the minimum detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, AB
    Inventors: Anders Bjorling, Malin Hollmark, Tomas Svensson, Stefan Hjelm, Kjell Noren, Karin Jarverud
  • Patent number: 9117833
    Abstract: A method for detecting an attack, such as by laser, on an electronic microcircuit from a backside of a substrate includes forming the microcircuit on the semiconductor substrate, the microcircuit comprising a circuit to be protected against attacks, forming photodiodes between components of the circuit to be protected, forming a circuit for comparing a signal supplied by each photodiode with a threshold value, and forming a circuit for activating a detection signal when a signal at output of one of the photodiodes crosses the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventors: Stephane Mougin, Cedric Tubert
  • Patent number: 9113842
    Abstract: A biological information measuring device provided with a belt which includes at least one electrode detecting a voltage based on biological information in accordance with contact between the at least one electrode and a human body; a supporting member which supports a tank where a predetermined fluid is stored; an attachment which attaches the belt to the supporting member and has a fluid supply portion supplying the fluid to the at least one electrode; and a biological information circuit which measures biological information based on the voltage detected by the at least one electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroki Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 9101781
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for protecting against effects of magnetic fields are provided. One implantable medical device includes a lead including a first conductor and a second conductor. The device further includes a generator including an electronic circuit, a metal housing that has a ground potential, and one or more switching devices. The switching devices, in a safekeeping configuration, are configured to disconnect the second conductor from the electronic circuit and to connect the second conductor to the ground potential of the metal housing. The first conductor is connected to the electronic circuit in the safekeeping configuration. The switching devices, in the safekeeping configuration, are configured to cause the second conductor to shield the first conductor from at least a portion of the effects of the magnetic field while the first conductor remains connected to the electronic circuit for use in performing a sensing operation and/or a stimulation operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: SORIN CRM S.A.S.
    Inventor: Thierry Legay