Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110046678 | Facet Joint Prosthesis - Various methods and devices are provided for a facet replacement device. In one embodiment of the invention, a facet replacement device is provided and includes an elongate member matable to a first vertebra and a housing. The housing can have a connector formed thereon and matable to an adjacent second vertebra and an inner lumen formed therein. The housing can also include a deformable member disposed within the inner lumen and having an opening formed therein for slidably receiving at least a portion of the elongate member such that the elongate member can be angularly oriented relative to a longitudinal axis of the lumen. | 02-24-2011 |
20110060338 | VERTEBRAL STAPLES AND INSERTION TOOLS - Implantable vertebral staples and tools for use with the same are provided. In general, an exemplary vertebral staple according to the present invention includes a staple body having at least one long spike formed thereon for allowing rotation of the body when the long spike is partially inserted in bone. The staple body can also include one or more short spikes formed thereon and adapted to prevent rotation of the body when the long and short spikes are fully inserted into bone. The present invention also provides an inserter tool that can be used to implant the vertebral staple, and also a drill guide that can be used, preferably in combination with the inserter tool, to drill holes through the bone in alignment with one or more holes formed in the vertebral staple. | 03-10-2011 |
20110118787 | ARTIFICIAL FACET JOINT - Various methods and devices for replacing damaged, injured, diseased, or otherwise unhealthy posterior elements, such as the facet joints, the lamina, the posterior ligaments, and/or other features of a patient's spinal column, are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the methods and devices are effective to mimic the natural function of the spine by allowing flexion, extension, and lateral bending of the spine, while substantially restricting posterior-anterior shear and rotation of the spine. | 05-19-2011 |
20110172722 | Motion Segment Repair Systems and Methods - Various methods and devices are provided for implanting a motion segment repair system. In particular, exemplary methods and devices are provided for implanting a spinal disc implant and/or a PDS device using a posterior surgical approach, including methods and devices for distracting adjacent vertebrae using a posterior surgical approach, methods and devices for posteriorly introducing a spinal implant into a disc space between adjacent vertebrae, and methods and devices for coupling a PDS device to the adjacent vertebrae to provide a complete motion segment repair system that is implanted using a posterior surgical approach. | 07-14-2011 |
20130197583 | Spinal Anchoring Screw - A spine stabilization system includes at least one bone anchor assembly, the bone anchor assembly including a bone engaging member and a receiver member, wherein the receiver member includes a connecting member cavity, and an elongated connecting member inserted into the connecting member cavity and connected to the receiver member, wherein the connecting member comprises locking features configured to secure the connecting member to the receiver member without the use of a fixation screw extending through a top portion of the receiver member. | 08-01-2013 |
20150088207 | Method of Using Spine Stabilization System With Dynamic Screw - A method of using a spine stabilization system in one embodiment includes inserting a bone fastener shank through a receiver structure cavity and then through a distal opening of the receiver member, positioning a head of the fastener against a bearing surface of the receiver structure, positioning a bearing member on an upper portion of the head, positioning a first pivot bearing portion of a pivot member above the positioned bearing member, positioning a pivot portion of a connector assembly on the positioned first pivot bearing portion, positioning a second pivot bearing portion of the pivot member on an upper portion of the pivot portion, and threading a fixation screw into a threaded portion of the receiver structure, thereby (i) causing the pivot member to clamp the pivot portion, and (ii) clamping the head of the screw between the first bearing and the bearing surface. | 03-26-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100004654 | ACCESS AND TISSUE MODIFICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Described herein are methods and systems for precisely placing and/or manipulating devices within the body by first positioning a guidewire or pullwire through the body from a first location, around a curved pathway, and out of the body through a second location, so that the distal and proximal ends of the guidewire extend from the body, then pulling a device into position using the guidewire. The device to be positioned within the body is coupled to the proximal end of the guidewire, and the device is pulled into the body by pulling on the distal end of the guidewire that extends from the body. The device may be bimanually manipulated by pulling the guidewire distally, and an attachment to the device that extends proximally, allowing control of both the proximal and the distal ends. In this manner devices (and particularly implants such as innerspinous distracters, stimulating leads, and disc slings) may be positioned and/or manipulated within the body. Devices to modify tissue may also be positioned or manipulated so that a target tissue within the body is modified. | 01-07-2010 |
20100331883 | ACCESS AND TISSUE MODIFICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Described herein are methods and systems for precisely placing and/or manipulating devices within the body by first positioning a guidewire or pullwire through the body from a first location, around a curved pathway, and out of the body through a second location, so that the distal and proximal ends of the guidewire extend from the body, then pulling a device into position using the guidewire. The device to be positioned within the body is coupled to the proximal end of the guidewire, and the device is pulled into the body by pulling on the distal end of the guidewire that extends from the body. The device may be bimanually manipulated by pulling the guidewire distally, and an attachment to the device that extends proximally, allowing control of both the proximal and the distal ends. In this manner devices (and particularly implants such as innerspinous distracters, stimulating leads, and disc slings) may be positioned and/or manipulated within the body. Devices to modify tissue may also be positioned or manipulated so that a target tissue within the body is modified. | 12-30-2010 |
20130053851 | ACCESS AND TISSUE MODIFICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Described herein are methods and systems for precisely placing and/or manipulating devices within the body by first positioning a guidewire or pullwire. The device to be positioned within the body is coupled to the proximal end of the guidewire, and the device is pulled into the body by pulling on the distal end of the guidewire that extends from the body. The device may be bimanually manipulated by pulling the guidewire distally, and an attachment to a device that extends proximally, allowing control of both the proximal and the distal ends. In this manner devices (and particularly implants such as innerspinous distracters, stimulating leads, and disc slings) may be positioned and/or manipulated within the body. Guidewire exchange systems, devices and methods are also described. A guidewire may be exchanged between different surgical devices and may be releaseably or permanently coupled. | 02-28-2013 |
20130150856 | TISSUE MODIFICATION DEVICES AND METHODS - Devices and methods for cutting tissue in a patient. In some embodiments, a bimanually controlled device may include a tissue modification region; one or more (e.g., two) flexible elongate length of cable that extend proximally to distally, a tissue modification region along a portion of the length of cable; and a guidewire coupler at the distal end of the device for attaching the distal end of the tissue modification device to the proximal end of a guidewire. Method of using these devices (including devices having two or more parallel length of cutting regions) to cut tissue (e.g., spinal lamina) are also described. | 06-13-2013 |
20140107709 | ACCESS AND TISSUE MODIFICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Described herein are methods and systems for precisely placing and/or manipulating devices within the body by first positioning a guidewire or pullwire. The device to be positioned within the body is coupled to the proximal end of the guidewire, and the device is pulled into the body by pulling on the distal end of the guidewire that extends from the body. The device may be bimanually manipulated by pulling the guidewire distally, and an attachment to a device that extends proximally, allowing control of both the proximal and the distal ends. In this manner devices (and particularly implants such as innerspinous distracters, stimulating leads, and disc slings) may be positioned and/or manipulated within the body. Guidewire exchange systems, devices and methods are also described. A guidewire may be exchanged between different surgical devices and may be releaseably or permanently coupled. | 04-17-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140270226 | ADAPTIVE MODULATION FILTERING FOR SPECTRAL FEATURE ENHANCEMENT - Techniques described herein are directed to the enhancement of spectral features of an audio signal via adaptive modulation filtering. The adaptive modulation filtering process is based on observed modulation envelope autocorrelation coefficients obtained from the audio signal. The modulation envelope autocorrelation coefficients are used to determine parameters of an adaptive filter configured to filter the spectral features of the audio signal to provide filtered spectral features. The parameters are updated based on the observed modulation envelope autocorrelation coefficients to adapt to changing acoustic conditions, such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or reverberation time. Accordingly, such acoustic conditions are not required to be estimated explicitly. Techniques described herein also allow for the estimation of useful side information, e.g., signal-to-noise ratios, based on the observed spectral features of the audio signal and the filtered spectral features, which can be used to improve speaker identification algorithms and/or other audio processing algorithms. | 09-18-2014 |
20140278397 | SPEAKER-IDENTIFICATION-ASSISTED UPLINK SPEECH PROCESSING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for performing speaker-identification-assisted speech processing in an uplink path of a communication device. In accordance with certain embodiments, a communication device includes speaker identification (SID) logic that is configured to identify the identity of a near-end speaker. Knowledge of the identity of the near-end speaker is then used to improve the performance of one or more uplink speech processing algorithms implemented on the communication device. | 09-18-2014 |
20140278417 | SPEAKER-IDENTIFICATION-ASSISTED SPEECH PROCESSING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for performing speaker-identification-assisted speech processing. In accordance with certain embodiments, a communication device includes speaker identification (SID) logic that is configured to identify a user of the communication device and/or the identity of a far-end speaker participating in a voice call with a user of the communication device. Knowledge of the identity of the user and/or far-end speaker is then used to improve the performance of one or more speech processing algorithms implemented on the communication device. | 09-18-2014 |
20140278418 | SPEAKER-IDENTIFICATION-ASSISTED DOWNLINK SPEECH PROCESSING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for performing speaker-identification-assisted speech processing in a downlink path of a communication device. In accordance with certain embodiments, a communication device includes speaker identification (SID) logic that is configured to identify the identity of a far-end speaker participating in a voice call with a user of the communication device. Knowledge of the identity of the far-end speaker is then used to improve the performance of one or more downlink speech processing algorithms implemented on the communication device. | 09-18-2014 |
20140286497 | MULTI-MICROPHONE SOURCE TRACKING AND NOISE SUPPRESSION - Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for improved multi-microphone source tracking and noise suppression. In multi-microphone devices and systems, frequency domain acoustic echo cancellation is performed on each microphone input, and microphone levels and sensitivity are normalized. Methods, systems, and apparatuses are also described for improved acoustic scene analysis and source tracking using steered null error transforms, on-line adaptive acoustic scene modeling, and speaker-dependent information. Switched super-directive beamforming reinforces desired audio sources and closed-form blocking matrices suppress desired audio sources based on spatial information derived from microphone pairings. Underlying statistics are tracked and used to updated filters and models. Automatic detection of single-user and multi-user scenarios, and single-channel suppression using spatial information, non-spatial information, and residual echo are also described. | 09-25-2014 |
20150071461 | SINGLE-CHANNEL SUPPRESSION OF INTEFERING SOURCES - Techniques described herein are directed to performing back-end single-channel suppression of one or more types of interfering sources (e.g., additive noise) in an uplink path of a communication device. The back-end single-channel suppression techniques may suppress types(s) of additive noise using one or more suppression branches (e.g., a non-spatial (or stationary noise) branch, a spatial (or non-stationary noise) branch, a residual echo suppression branch, etc.). The non-spatial branch may be configured to suppress stationary noise from the single-channel audio signal, the spatial branch may be configured to suppress non-stationary noise from the single-channel audio signal and the residual echo suppression branch may be configured to suppress residual echo from the signal-channel audio signal. The spatial branch may be disabled based on an operational mode (e.g., single-user speakerphone mode or a conference speakerphone mode) of the communication device or based on a determination that spatial information is ambiguous. | 03-12-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090215722 | Inhibition of Antigen Presentation with Poorly Catabolized Polymers - Methods to prevent the rejection of immunogenic tissues in an animal by administering a non-immunogenic, poorly catabolized molecule in an amount sufficient to inhibit an immune response are described herein. Also described are compositions that are useful for inhibiting immune responses in animals that are recipients of cellular transplants. For example, these methods and compositions can be used to prevent the rejection of xenografted and allografted tissues in an animal. | 08-27-2009 |
20100184845 | Myeloid Colony Stimulating Factor and Uses Thereof - The identification of the HYAL1 hyaluronidase enzyme as a human plasma-derived myeloid colony-stimulating factor (CSF), herein designated CSF5-hyaluronidase, its recombinant production and methods of use are described. This protein may be used for the treatment of myelosuppression as may occur after irradiation, chemotherapy or other diseases where an increase in leukocyte levels may be beneficial. For example, CSF5- may be used to enhance the immune response to viral infection or other diseases associated with immune suppression. | 07-22-2010 |
20100331279 | Inhibition of Antigen Presentation with Poorly Catabolized Polymers - Methods to prevent the rejection of immunogenic tissues in an animal by administering a non-immunogenic, poorly catabolized molecule in an amount sufficient to inhibit an immune response are described herein. Also described are compositions that are useful for inhibiting immune responses in animals that are recipients of cellular transplants. For example, these methods and compositions can be used to prevent the rejection of xenografted and allografted tissues in an animal. | 12-30-2010 |
20110173709 | ECTOPIC, ORTHOTOPIC MODEL FOR REVASCULARIZATION AND TUMOR ASSESSMENT - Improved vascularization and tumor models, comprising a test animal having a dorsal skin window chamber, and an exogenous tissue sample implanted ectopically in the skin within the window chamber, are described, as are methods of using the models. | 07-14-2011 |
20110212074 | Myeloid colony stimulating factor and uses thereof - The identification of the HYAL 1 hyaluronidase enzyme as a human plasma-derived myeloid colony-stimulating factor (CSF), herein designated CSF5-hyaluronidase, its recombinant production and methods of use are described. This protein may be used for the treatment of myelosuppression as may occur after irradiation, chemotherapy or other diseases where an increase in leukocyte levels may be beneficial. For example, CSF5-may be used to enhance the immune response to viral infection or other diseases associated with immune suppression. | 09-01-2011 |
20130219528 | NOVEL TREATMENT OF PROSTATE CARCINOMA - Disclosed herein are naphthoquinone analogs, such as plumbagin, pharmaceutical compositions that include naphthoquinone analogs, such as plumbagin, and methods of treating diseases and/or conditions such as cancer with naphthoquinone analogs, such as plumbagin. Also included are combination therapies wherein a naphthoquinone analog, such as plumbagin, and a hormone therapy agent are provided to a subject suffering from a condition such as cancer. | 08-22-2013 |