Granted Patent B2

US 12,303,696 · App. 17/939,671 · Granted May 20, 2025

Inventors: Rick Sanghera (San Clemente, CA); Alan Marcovecchio (San Clemente, CA); Sean P. McGeehan (Rancho Santa Fe, CA)

Assignee: AtaCor Medical, Inc.

A61N1/36585A61N1/0504A61N1/0587A61N1/059A61N1/362A61N1/3752A61N1/36535

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A system comprising:

a pulse generator including a housing, the pulse generator configured to generate therapeutic electrical pulses;

at least one lead configured to electrically couple with the pulse generator, the at least one lead including an electrode;

sensors configured to monitor a physiological characteristic of a patient; and

a controller configured to:

receive input signals from the sensors;

apply a signal selection algorithm to select from the input signals the input signal(s) that result in the highest sensitivity or specificity for detecting a heartbeat, the applying generating selected signal(s); and

generate the therapeutic electrical pulses based at least partially on the selected signal(s).

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors are configured to monitor the patient's electrocardiogram, respiration, blood oximetry, or temperature.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input signals comprise multiple signals for the same physiological characteristic.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the multiple signals are respiratory rate signals from two different sensors.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal selection algorithm applies greater weight to the input signal(s) that are more deterministic for heartbeat detections.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the application of the greater weight is based on a predetermined preference order.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the application of the greater weight is based on signal amplitude, signal-to-noise ratio, signal width, and/or timing ratios.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the generation of the selected signal(s) includes combining two or more of the input signals.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the generation of the selected signal(s) includes applying mathematical processes to the input signals.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the mathematical processes include one or more of summing/subtracting the input signals, multiplying or dividing one input signal from another input signal, combining a differentiated or integrated input signal from other of the input signals.

11. The system of claim 1 , the controller further configured to:

compare the input signals against acceptability requirements comprising one or more of signal amplitudes, signal-to-noise ratios, signal widths, frequency spectrum, or timing ratios; and

discard any of the input signals that are below the acceptability requirements.

12. The system of claim 11 , the controller further configured to modify the acceptability requirements based on heart rate, posture, or time of day.

13. A non-transitory, machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving input signals from sensors configured to monitor a physiological characteristic of a patient;

applying a signal selection algorithm to select from the input signals the input signal(s) that result in the highest sensitivity or specificity for detecting a heartbeat, the applying generating selected signal(s); and

generating therapeutic electrical pulses based at least partially on the selected signal(s), the therapeutic electrical pulses generated by a pulse generator.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13 , the operations further comprising applying, by the signal selection algorithm, greater weight to the input signal(s) that are more deterministic for heartbeat detections.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 13 , the operations further comprising:

comparing the input signals against acceptability requirements comprising one or more of signal amplitudes, signal-to-noise ratios, signal widths, frequency spectrum, or timing ratios; and

discarding any of the input signals that are below the acceptability requirements.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising modifying the acceptability requirements based on heart rate, posture, or time of day.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (10)

References Cited (400)