Medtronic Vascular, Inc.

American Technology Corporation

Fujitsu Corporation

The Torrington Company

Transvascular, Inc.

Dynatronics Laser Corporation

Alan Robert Selfridge

Joshua Makower

J Christopher Flaherty

Timothy R Machold

Philip Christopher Evard

John T Garibotto

Jason Brian Whitt

Margaret W Tumas

Patrick Edward Macaulay

Pierre Khuri-Yakub

James J Croft, Iii

David T Nguyen

Duane O Hall

Edwin F Johnson

Mark I Jurras, Iii

John P Fairbanks

Joseph O Norris

Richard L Lemoine

Robert Domnitz

Richard W Browner

James D Cummins

Robert W Parry

Verne H Wilson

Patrick Edward Macauley

James A Kriewall

John Thomas Garibotto

Christopher J c/o Proteus Biomedical Inc Flaherty

The inventions described in this patent application include i) a torqueable introducer sheath which is useable in conjunction with a transvascular passageway forming catheter to effect precise rotational control of the catheter; ii) an anchorable guide catheter which is useable in conjunction with an intravascular imaging catheter and a transvascular passageway-forming catheter to effect precise positioning and aiming of the passageway-forming catheter; iii) a passageway forming catheter having a torqueable proximal portion to facilitate precise rotational positioning of the distal portion of the catheter; iv) a deflectable-tipped passageway forming catheter, v) various markers and other apparatus useable in conjunction with any of the passageway-forming catheters to facilitate precise positioning and aiming of the catheter, and vi) an apparatus which may be formed within a catheter to prevent a member, apparatus of flow of material from being inadvertently advanced through a lumen of the catheter.

Catheters and related devices for forming passageways between blood vessels or other anatomical structures

A speaker device for emitting subsonic, sonic or ultrasonic compression waves comprising a generally hollow drum, a rigid emitter plate attached to the drum, and a plurality of apertures formed within the plate which are covered by a thin piezoelectric film disposed across the emitter plate. A pressure source is coupled to the drum for developing a biasing pressure with respect to the thin film at the apertures to distend the film into an arcuate emitter configuration capable of constricting and extending in response to variations in the applied electrical input at the piezoelectric film to thereby create a compression wave in a surrounding environment. Parametric ultrasonic frequency input is supplied to the piezoelectric film to propagate multiple ultrasonic frequencies having a difference component corresponding to the desired subsonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency range.

Piezoelectric film sonic emitter

A speaker device for emitting subsonic, sonic or ultrasonic compression waves comprising a a rigid emitter plate attached to the drum, and a plurality of apertures formed within the plate which are covered by a thin piezoelectric film disposed across the emitter plate. The thin film at the apertures distends into an arcuate emitter configuration capable of constricting and extending in response to variations in the applied electrical input at the piezoelectric film to thereby create a compression wave in a surrounding environment. Parametric ultrasonic frequency input is supplied to the piezoelectric film to propagate multiple ultrasonic frequencies having a difference component corresponding to the desired subsonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency range.

An acoustic signal unit comprises a signal generation unit to generate a first electrical signal, a first transducer to generate an acoustic signal in response to the first electrical signal, and a second transducer to generate a second electrical signal in response to the received acoustic signal. A calculation unit is provided to compare the first and second electrical signals to determine the time of flight of the acoustic signal, wherein the time of flight corresponds to the stress in the rolling element bearing. The stress may be calculated according to a formula or by multiplying an acoustic time constant for the rolling element bearing by the distance traveled by the acoustic signal across the rolling element bearing, and by the time of flight determined by said comparison unit.

Method and apparatus to provide dynamic ultrasonic measurement of rolling element bearing parameters

A digitizer uses acoustic waves originating from a stylus to determine the position of the stylus on a plate. The acoustic waves are introduced into the plate from the tip of the stylus and are detected by a plurality of detectors positioned at various points along the periphery of the plate. By sensing differences in the arrival times of the acoustic waves at the detectors, a microprocessor calculates the position of the stylus. In a preferred embodiment using a non-tethered stylus, four detectors are positioned at the corners of a rectangle, and the time differences are used as addresses in a lookup table, which is programmed to contain x and y coordinates corresponding to the time differences, Different embodiments may detect only the 'fast' symmetrical waves or only the 'slow' antisymmetrical waves generated in the plate, or may use the arrival times of both types of waves to determine the stylus position.

Stylus position digitizer using acoustic waves

An ultrasound therapy system and method for providing therapeutic treatment to tissues using multiple, user-selectable frequencies generated from a single applicator sound head. The multi-frequency ultrasound therapy system and method includes a generator/control unit having a microprocessor for controlling and monitoring the generation and output of ultrasonic energy. A precision oscillator is connected to the microprocessor, and wave shaping circuitry is also provided to generate a wave-form for amplification by an output amplifier. The amplified high frequency wave-form is supplied to and drives an applicator sound head at an appropriate frequency for producing the desired therapeutic ultrasonic waves for treatment. Bonded to a cup member and positioned within the applicator sound head is a transducer crystal which converts high frequency wave-forms into mechanical (acoustic) vibrations, thus producing thermal energy in the form of heat for penetration into tissues under treatment. Both the transducer crystal and the applicator cup are designed with the capability of providing at least three different output frequencies from a single applicator sound head, while supplying three different penetration depths for treating a patient's tissues.

Multi-frequency ultrasound therapy systems and methods

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Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Alan Robert Selfridge