Stephen Q Howell

US Patent:

8221430, Jul 17, 2012

Filed:

Dec 18, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/959344

Inventors:

Ilwhan Park - Walnut Creek CA, US
Stephen M. Howell - Elk Grove CA, US

Assignee:

OtisMed Corporation - Alameda CA

International Classification:

A61B 17/58
A61B 17/60
A61F 2/00

US Classification:

606 88

Abstract:

Disclosed herein is a method of computer generating a three-dimensional surface model of an arthroplasty target region of a bone forming a joint. The method may include: generating two-dimensional images of at least a portion of the bone; generating an open-loop contour line along the arthroplasty target region in at least some of the two-dimensional images; and generating the three-dimensional model of the arthroplasty target region from the open-loop contour lines.

US Patent:

8480679, Jul 9, 2013

Filed:

Apr 29, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/111924

Inventors:

Ilwhan Park - Walnut Creek CA, US
Charlie W. Chi - San Francisco CA, US
Stephen M. Howell - Elk Grove CA, US

Assignee:

OtisMed Corporation - Alameda CA

International Classification:

A61F 5/00

US Classification:

606 87

Abstract:

Disclosed herein is a method of generating a computerized bone model representative of at least a portion of a patient bone in a pre-degenerated state. The method includes: generating at least one image of the patient bone in a degenerated state; identifying a reference portion associated with a generally non-degenerated portion of the patient bone; identifying a degenerated portion associated with a generally degenerated portion of the patient bone; and using information from at least one image associated with the reference portion to modify at least one aspect associated with at least one image associated the generally degenerated portion. The method may further include employing the computerized bone model representative of the at least a portion of the patient bone in the pre-degenerated state in defining manufacturing instructions for the manufacture of a customized arthroplasty jig. Also disclosed herein is a customized arthroplasty jig manufactured according to the above-described method. The customized arthroplasty jig is configured to facilitate a prosthetic implant restoring a patient joint to a natural alignment.

US Patent:

8545509, Oct 1, 2013

Filed:

Sep 21, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/563809

Inventors:

Ilwhan Park - Walnut Creek CA, US
Charlie W. Chi - San Francisco CA, US
Stephen M. Howell - Elk Grove CA, US

Assignee:

OtisMed Corporation - Alameda CA

International Classification:

A61B 17/58
A61B 17/60
A61F 2/00
G06F 19/00

US Classification:

606 88, 700 98

Abstract:

A method of manufacturing an arthroplasty jig is disclosed herein. The method may include the following: generate a bone model, wherein the bone model includes a three dimensional computer model of at least a portion of a joint surface of a bone of a patient joint to undergo an arthroplasty procedure; generate an implant model, wherein the implant model includes a three dimensional computer model of at least a portion of a joint surface of an arthroplasty implant to be used in the arthroplasty procedure; assess a characteristic associated with the patient joint; generate a modified joint surface of the implant model by modifying at least a portion of a joint surface of the implant model according to the characteristic; and shape match the modified joint surface of the implant model and a corresponding joint surface of the bone model.

US Patent:

20070226986, Oct 4, 2007

Filed:

Jan 19, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/656323

Inventors:

Ilwhan Park - Walnut Creek CA, US
Stephen Howell - Elk Grove CA, US
Charlie Chi - Milpitas CA, US

International Classification:

B23P 17/04

US Classification:

029592000

Abstract:

Arthroplasty jigs, arthroplasty jig blanks, and related methods and devices are disclosed. Some variations of the methods comprise forming an arthroplasty jig from a near-shape arthroplasty jig blank, where the near-shape arthroplasty jig blank has at least one feature specific to a target site to be matched by the arthroplasty jig. Certain of the methods comprise forming an arthroplasty jig having a first configuration from a near-shape arthroplasty jig blank having a second configuration approximating the first configuration. Some of the methods comprise forming a near-shape arthroplasty jig blank, where the near-shape arthroplasty jig blank is configured to be formed into an arthroplasty jig, and the near-shape arthroplasty jig blank has at least one feature specific to a target site to be matched by the arthroplasty jig.

US Patent:

20090138020, May 28, 2009

Filed:

Nov 27, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/946002

Inventors:

Ilwhan Park - Walnut Creek CA, US
Stephen M. Howell - Elk Grove CA, US

Assignee:

OtisMed Corporation - Hayward CA

International Classification:

A61B 17/58
A61B 5/055

US Classification:

606 88, 600410, 382131

Abstract:

Disclosed herein is a method of creating a customized arthroplasty jig. The method may include: generating two-dimensional MRI images of a patient's joint area to undergo arthroplasty; electronically orienting the two dimensional MRI image slices to account for the patient's joint area being randomly physically oriented in a scanning area of a MRI machine; generating a three-dimensional bone image of at least a portion of a bone of the patient's joint area from the generated two-dimensional MRI images; using the three-dimensional bone image to generate data pertaining to the customized arthroplasty jig, wherein the data includes bone surface information; providing the data to at least one manufacturing device; and employing the bone surface information to cause the at least one manufacturing device to create a surface on the arthroplasty jig configured to matingly receive a surface of the bone.

US Patent:

20120310400, Dec 6, 2012

Filed:

Jun 5, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/488505

Inventors:

Ilwhan Park - Walnut Creek CA, US
Stephen M. Howell - Elk Grove CA, US

Assignee:

OtisMed Corporation - Alameda CA

International Classification:

G06F 19/00

US Classification:

700 98, 700117

Abstract:

Disclosed herein is a method of computer generating a three-dimensional surface model of an arthroplasty target region of a bone forming a joint. The method may include: generating two-dimensional images of at least a portion of the bone; generating an open-loop contour line along the arthroplasty target region in at least some of the two-dimensional images; and generating the three-dimensional model of the arthroplasty target region from the open-loop contour lines.

US Patent:

20130345845, Dec 26, 2013

Filed:

Aug 28, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/011998

Inventors:

Charlie W. Chi - San Francisco CA, US
Stephen M. Howell - Elk Grove CA, US

Assignee:

OtisMed Corporation - Alameda CA

International Classification:

A61B 19/00

US Classification:

700 98, 700 97

Abstract:

A method of manufacturing an arthroplasty jig is disclosed herein. The method may include the following: generate a bone model, wherein the bone model includes a three dimensional computer model of at least a portion of a joint surface of a bone of a patient joint to undergo an arthroplasty procedure; generate an implant model, wherein the implant model includes a three dimensional computer model of at least a portion of a joint surface of an arthroplasty implant to be used in the arthroplasty procedure; assess a characteristic associated with the patient joint; generate a modified joint surface of the implant model by modifying at least a portion of a joint surface of the implant model according to the characteristic; and shape match the modified joint surface of the implant model and a corresponding joint surface of the bone model.

US Patent:

56944900, Dec 2, 1997

Filed:

Nov 27, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/563066

Inventors:

Stephen K. Howell - Santa Clara CA
Liang He - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G06K 900

US Classification:

382260

Abstract:

A system and method for a simultaneous multi-band block-stop filter is disclosed. The block-stop filter provides rapid filtering of an input data stream by simultaneously comparing a plurality of data band components to the low threshold, associated with the band of which the particular data band component is a member, and then simultaneously comparing the plurality of data band components to an associated high threshold. The block-stop filter can also improve performance by parallelizing the act of storing the filtered data band components into the output data stream.