Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140262814 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RECOVERY OF COBALT METAL AND IONIC COBALT - Various embodiments provide a method comprising electrowinning a first portion of a conditioned cobalt bearing solution to yield cobalt metal, subjecting a second portion of a conditioned cobalt bearing solution to a first ion exchange to yield a second conditioned cobalt bearing solution, performing cobalt selective solution extraction on the second conditioned cobalt bearing solution to yield a refined cobalt containing liquid and, precipitating a cobalt salt by adding a precipitating agent to a first portion of the refined cobalt containing liquid. | 09-18-2014 |
20140262815 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COBALT RECOVERY - Various embodiments provide a method comprising producing a cobalt hydroxide bearing material, leaching the cobalt hydroxide hearing material to form a slurry, filtering the slurry to yield solids and a cobalt bearing liquid phase, performing a solution extraction of the cobalt bearing liquid phase to yield a purified cobalt bearing liquid phase, conditioning a first portion of the purified cobalt bearing liquid phase to yield a conditioned cobalt bearing solution and, electrowinning the conditioned cobalt bearing solution to yield cobalt metal. | 09-18-2014 |
20140262817 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SELECTIVE PROXIMITY COBALT RECOVERY - Various embodiments provide a method comprising leaching a cobalt bearing material to form a slurry, filtering the slurry to yield solids and a cobalt bearing liquid phase, and forwarding the solids to a second leaching operation. | 09-18-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120035493 | NEAR FIELD-BASED SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSESSING IMPEDANCE AND ADMITTANCE FOR USE WITH AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - A new model is provided for understanding and exploiting impedance or admittance values measured by implantable medical devices, such as pacemakers or cardiac resynchronization devices (CRTs.) The device measures impedance along vectors extending through tissues of the patient between various pairs of electrodes. The device then converts the vector-based impedance measurements into near-field individual electrode-based impedance values. This is accomplished, in at least some examples, by converting the vector-based impedance measurements into a set of linear equations to be solved while ignoring far-field contributions to the impedance measurements. The device solves the linear equations to determine the near-field impedance values for the individual electrodes, which are representative of the impedance of tissues in the vicinity of the electrodes. The device then performs or controls various device functions based on the near-field values, such as analyzing selected near-field values to detect heart failure or pulmonary edema. | 02-09-2012 |
20120035495 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXPLOITING NEAR-FIELD IMPEDANCE AND ADMITTANCE FOR USE WITH IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES - Various techniques are provided for use with an implantable medical device for exploiting near-field impedance/admittance. Examples include techniques for assessing heart chamber disequilibrium, detecting chamber volumes and pressures, calibrating near-field-based left atrial pressure (LAP) estimation procedures and for assessing the recovery from injury at the electrode-tissue interface. In one particular example, the implantable device assesses the degree of concordance between the left ventricle (LV) and the right ventricle (RV) by quantifying a degree of scatter between LV and RV near-field admittance values. An increase in RV admittance is indicative of RV failure, an increase in LV admittance is indicative of LV failure, and an increase in both LV and RV admittance is indicative of biventricular failure. | 02-09-2012 |
20120035681 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ESTIMATING LEFT ATRIAL PRESSURE (LAP) IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MITRAL VALVE REGURGITATION FOR USE BY AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - Various techniques are provided for use with an implantable medical device for estimating cardiac pressure within a patient based on admittance (or related electrical values such as impedance or conductance) that takes into account the presence of acute MR within the patient. Briefly, the device detects an indication of acute MR, if occurring within the patient. The device also applies electrical fields to tissues of the patient and measures electrical parameters influenced by the electrical field, such as admittance, impedance or conductance. The device then estimates cardiac pressure within the patient based on the measured electrical parameter and the indication of acute MR. In one example, different linear correlation functions are used to convert admittance values to left atrial pressure (LAP) values depending upon the presence or absence of acute MR within the patient. | 02-09-2012 |
20120046564 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO MONITOR AND IDENTIFY TRANSIENT ISCHEMIA - A system and method are provided for monitoring ischemic development. The system and method identify a non-physiologic event and obtain cardiac signals along multiple sensing vectors, wherein at least a portion of the sensing vectors extend to or from electrodes located proximate to the left ventricle. The system and method monitor a segment of interest in the cardiac signals obtained along the multiple sensing vectors to identify deviations in the segment of interest from a baseline. The system and method record at least one of timing or segment shift information associated with the deviations in the segments of interest; and identify at least one of size, direction of development or rate of progression of an ischemia region based on the at least one of timing or segment shift information. | 02-23-2012 |
20120184859 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CORROBORATING IMPEDANCE-BASED LEFT ATRIAL PRESSURE (LAP) ESTIMATES FOR USE BY AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - Various techniques are provided for assessing the reliability of left atrial pressure (LAP) estimates made by an implantable medical device based on impedance values or related electrical values. In one example, various cardioelectric and cardiomechanical parameters are used to corroborate LAP estimation in circumstances where the LAP estimates deviate from an acceptable, satisfactory or otherwise healthy range. The cardioelectric parameters include, e.g.: ST elevation; heart rate (HR); heart rate variability (HRV); T-wave alternans (TWA); QRS waveform parameters; P-wave duration; evoked response (ER) parameters; and intrinsic PV/AV/VV conduction delays. The cardiomechanical parameters include, e.g.: heart rate turbulence (HRT); cardiogenic impedance signals; heart sounds; and non-LAP blood pressure measurements, such as aortic pressure measurements. The device compares the cardioelectric and cardiomechanical parameters against corresponding baseline values to determine whether variations in the parameters corroborate the LAP estimates. If not, the LAP estimates are selectively cancelled or suspended, or the overall procedure is re-calibrated. | 07-19-2012 |
20130041274 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USE BY IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES FOR DETECTING AND DISCRIMINATING STROKE AND CARDIAC ISCHEMIA USING ELECTROCARDIAC SIGNALS - Techniques are provided for detecting and distinguishing stroke and cardiac ischemia based on electrocardiac signals. In one example, the device senses atrial and ventricular signals within the patient along a set of unipolar sensing vectors and identifies certain morphological features within the signals such as PR intervals, ST intervals, QT intervals, T-waves, etc. The device detects changes, if any, within the morphological features such as significant shifts in ST interval elevation or an inversion in T-wave shape, which are indicative of stroke or cardiac ischemia. By selectively comparing changes detected along different unipolar sensing vectors, the device distinguishes or discriminates stroke from cardiac ischemia within the patient. The discrimination may be corroborated using various physiological and hemodynamic parameters. In some examples, the device further identifies the location of the ischemia within the heart. In still other examples, the device detects cardiac ischemia occurring during stroke. | 02-14-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100292586 | Wireless automatic ankle-brachial index (AABI) measurement system - A central processor controlled system and test procedure for independently, contemporaneously and plethysmographically monitoring arterial blood pressure at a subject's arms and legs. Micro-controlled occluding and sensing cuffs containing sensors are inflated and deflated at each limb of a supine patient. Sensed AC and DC pressure data is wirelessly linked to the central processor where the DC sensor data is sampled to derive median filtered, fitted and derivative waveforms that are iteratively processed and scored to determine a table of sample indices indicative of lowest pressure point. Second scoring and fittings about the lowest pressure point at the DC sensor data and original occluding cuff pressure data identify each limb's systolic pressure. The derived systolic limb pressure values are then processed to determine right and left ABI values. | 11-18-2010 |
20100292591 | Venous measurement system - A system and plethysmographic test procedure for evaluating venous blood volume/flow at a subject's legs. Occluding and sensing cuffs mounted to a subject's thighs and calves/ankles are inflated and deflated relative to controlled movement of a supporting chair. The chair provides hinged backrest, seat and footrest pieces and is controlled to manipulate the subject during several test phases as blood volume/flow is monitored. The chair is manipulated between a 1) baseline calibration position with the subject's back upright, seat horizontal to floor and feet lowered, 2) an outflow position with the subject's back tipped back flat and legs elevated above the heart, 3) a dependent filling position, rapid return of subject to back upright, seat horizontal to floor and feet lowered, and 4) an exercise position wherein the ankles are flexed with the back upright, seat horizontal to the floor and feet lowered. “Outflow”, “dependent filling”, “exercise” and “ejection fraction” flow values are determined relative to measured tracings exhibiting venous volume/flow changes in the legs. | 11-18-2010 |
20130046331 | BODY LUMEN OCCLUSION APPARATUS AND METHODS - Body lumen occlusion apparatus and methods are described. | 02-21-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120166262 | ENGAGEMENT AND PAYMENT PROCESSING PLATFORM - An engagement and payment processing platform is disclosed. Within the platform, entities and processes interact with an engagement management system to manage transactions, compensation events, consumer profiles, etc. | 06-28-2012 |
20130110604 | OFFER MANAGEMENT AND SETTLEMENT IN A PAYMENT NETWORK | 05-02-2013 |
20130117084 | ENGAGEMENT REWARD AND REDEMPTION SYSTEM - An engagement reward and redemption system is disclosed. Within the platform, consumers, entities and processes interact with an engagement management system to manage transactions, compensation events, consumer profiles, etc. | 05-09-2013 |
20130126605 | OFFER MANAGEMENT AND SETTLEMENT IN A PAYMENT NETWORK WITH A PAYMENT PROCESSOR - A payment network for facilitating transactions involves management of offers and accounts associated with a consumer. During a transaction, the payment network can associate one or more offers and accounts in settling a transaction. Once the offer and accounts have been associated with the transaction, the payment network can adjust a transaction amount and/or identify amounts to be debited for each account associated with the transaction. | 05-23-2013 |
20130132176 | OFFER MANAGEMENT AND SETTLEMENT IN A PAYMENT NETWORK WITH PURCHASE CODE - A payment network for facilitating transactions involves management of offers and accounts associated with a consumer. During a transaction, the payment network can associate one or more offers and accounts in settling a transaction. Once the offer and accounts have been associated with the transaction, the payment network can adjust a transaction amount and/or identify amounts to be debited for each account associated with the transaction. | 05-23-2013 |
20130218653 | OFFER MANAGEMENT AND SETTLEMENT IN A PAYMENT NETWORK WITH TRANSACTION DATA - A payment network for facilitating transactions involves management of offers and accounts associated with a consumer. During a transaction, the payment network can associate one or more offers and accounts in settling a transaction. Once the offer and accounts have been associated with the transaction, the payment network can adjust a transaction amount and/or identify amounts to be debited for each account associated with the transaction. | 08-22-2013 |