Endotronix, Inc.

Bradley University

Caterpillar Inc.

Symple Surgical, Inc.

Balamurugan Sundaram

Harry D Rowland

Michael L Nagy

Roger Dwight Watkins

Suresh Sundaram

Douglas A Nielsen

Roger Watkins

Sureshbabu Sundaram

In Soo Ahn

Prasad Narasimha Shastry

Shoji Tozawa

Everett Gene Brandt

Daniel Kasprzyk

David A Paul

Seth Crozier

Sohail Desai

Seppo Saario

Nicholas Chronos

Justin Preston

Brian Paul

Roger Dwight Walking

Bryan Paul

Michael Nagy

Douglas Nielsen

Disclosed are a reader device, system, and method for communicating with a wireless sensor. The reader device may be configured to analyze the strength of a response signal transmitted from the wireless sensor in response to an excitation pulse generated by the reader device. In one embodiment, the reader device may be configured to engage be placed in a plurality of modes to allow the reader to transmit a signal, such as a short pulse of energy or a short burst of radio frequency energy to cause the wireless sensor to output a resonant signal. The reader device may receive the resonant signal from the wireless sensor and evaluate it against predetermined values. The evaluated signals may be used to assess the strength and the proximity of the reader device relative to the wireless sensor as it is implanted in a patient.

Wireless sensor reader assembly

A wireless circuit includes a housing having at least one opening, and sensor connected to the housing at the opening. The sensor includes a first layer having a first dimension and a second layer having a second dimension shorter than the first dimension. The second layer may be positioned entirely within the housing and a surface of said first layer may be exposed to an exterior of the housing.

Pressure sensing implant

Disclosed is a reader device, system, and method for communicating with a wireless sensor. The reader device may be configured to communicate wirelessly with an implant device associated with a proprietary system provided by a first entity. An external device, that may not be associated with said first entity, is provided and is configured to be calibrated to communicate with the implant device that is located within a patient. The external device may be used in place of an existing reader device that was initially calibrated to communicate with the implant device prior to the implant device being placed within the patient. The external device may be particularly useful for implant devices that communicate wirelessly with external devices where said implant devices are intended to be located within the human body on a permanent or indefinite duration of time.

Method for communicating with implant devices

Disclosed is a self-test device and method for assessing the functional performance of a reader device that is configured to interface with a wireless sensor. The self-test device may be configured to analyze the accuracy of a signal transmitted from the reader device or the accuracy of a signal received by the reader device. In one embodiment, the reader device may be configured to engage the self-test device to allow the reader to transmit a signal, such as a short pulse of energy or a short burst of radio frequency energy to cause the self-test device to output a resonant signal. The self-test device may receive the transmit signal from the reader and evaluate it against predetermined values. The evaluated signals may be used to assess the accuracy of the transmit signal of the reader device to identify potential calibration issues and initiate remedial action by an automated system or human intervention if needed. The self-test device may be built into a docking station where the reader is placed when not in use.

Self test device and method for wireless sensor reader

A microwave ablation system and method is disclosed comprising a balloon catheter apparatus and a control system. The balloon catheter apparatus comprises a catheter configured to house a coaxial cable and one or more coolant channels, an inflatable balloon located at the distal end of the catheter, and an antenna positioned in the inflatable balloon and in communication with the coaxial cable. The control system comprises a fluid pump configured to introduce fluid into a proximal end of the catheter, a power amplifier capable of generating microwave energy for delivery to the target tissue zone for at least one energy application cycle ranging from 60 seconds to 600 seconds at a frequency ranging from 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz, and a computer system configured to monitor and/or regulate the delivery of microwave energy to the target tissue, the fluid pump, at least one sensor, and antenna reflected power.

Balloon catheter apparatus with microwave emitter

A wireless sensor reader is provided to interface with a wireless sensor. The wireless sensor reader transmits a narrowband, fixed frequency excitation pulse to cause the wireless sensor to generate a ring signal. The ring signal corresponds to the value of the physical parameter being sensed. The wireless sensor reader receives and amplifies the ring signal and sends the signal to a phase-locked loop. A voltage-controlled oscillator in the phase-locked loop locks onto the ring signal frequency and generates a count signal at a frequency related to the ring signal frequency. The voltage-controlled oscillator is placed into a hold mode where the control voltage is maintained constant to allow the count signal frequency to be determined. The low power, simple circuitry required to generate the excitation pulse allows the reader to be a small, battery operated unit. Alternative methods of frequency determination are also disclosed.

Wireless sensor reader

A wireless sensor reader is provided to interface with a wireless sensor. The wireless sensor reader transmits an excitation pulse to cause the wireless sensor to generate a ring signal. The wireless sensor reader receives and amplifies the ring signal and sends the signal to a phase-locked loop. A voltage-controlled oscillator in the phase-locked loop locks onto the ring signal frequency and generates a count signal at a frequency related to the ring signal frequency. The voltage-controlled oscillator is placed into a hold mode where the control voltage is maintained constant to allow the count signal frequency to be determined. The reader uses an ambient reading or other information to select a subset of the possible ring signal frequencies, and tunes or adjusts its circuits and algorithms to focus on that subset.

A wireless sensor reader is provided to interface with a wireless sensor. The wireless sensor reader transmits an excitation pulse to cause the wireless sensor to generate a ring signal. The wireless sensor reader receives and amplifies the ring signal and sends the signal to a phase-locked loop. A voltage-controlled oscillator in the phase-locked loop locks onto the ring signal frequency and generates a count signal at a frequency related to the ring signal frequency. The voltage-controlled oscillator is placed into a hold mode where the control voltage is maintained constant to allow the count signal frequency to be determined.

This invention provides a novel electronically tunable active duplexer for wireless transceiver applications. It relates to an active duplexer with full-duplex operation, permitting simultaneous transmission and reception of signals at same or different frequencies. Instead of incorporating fixed or mechanically adjustable capacitors, and even instead of incorporating varactor diodes, it incorporates one or more capacitance tuning circuit in phase shifting networks enabling one to electronically tune, with ease and precision, the frequency at which isolation is desired, over a band in both transmit and receive modes of operations.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Balamurugan Sundaram