ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 17 -- United States Patent no. 12,311,183, issued on May 27, was assigned to Medtronic Inc. (Minneapolis).
"Current steering for cardiac pacing" was invented by Randolph E. Crutchfield (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and James J. St. Martin (Blaine, Minn.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The disclosure describes capturing the cardiac tissue using current steering techniques with a multi-pole cardiac lead implanted near the cardiac tissue. The techniques may include current-controlled sources in an IMD to provide current regulation to the pacing pulses allowing direct stimulation through multiple electrode contacts with known current delivery to the tissue. This current steering techni...