DR. STEVEN HAYS, M.D.
Osteopathic Medicine at Washington Ave, Dallas, TX

6423974, Jul 23, 2002

May 28, 1999

09/321862

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX
Alex Freeman - Plano TX

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

H05G 164

25037014, 25037001

A solid state X-ray detector ( ) is disclosed which is comprised of a plurality of Spherical ICs ( )-( ) disposed on a substrate (210). The Spherical ICs each have a plurality of detector picture elements (pixels) ( ) disposed on the surface thereof. Each of the pixels ( ) is formed from a layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon ( ) with a heavy metal layer ( ) of molybdenum (Mo) disposed thereon as the cathode and a metal layer ( ) disposed on the lower surface thereof. The cathode is reverse biased and X-rays impinging thereon will cause a transfer of electron-holes to the lower plate, which are stored on a capacitor ( ). The electrons are accumulated over a predetermined period of time and then sampled and processed for output on a display ( ) in real time or for storage of a digital value in a memory ( ).

6546268, Apr 8, 2003

Jun 2, 2000

09/586200

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX
Kevin Nelson - Arlington TX

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

A61B 505

600345, 600347, 600365, 20440301

A biochemical sensor based on ball integrated circuit technology which is designed to be biocompatible for implantation within a human or animal body. A sensor media is mounted to the ball integrated circuit, the sensor media operable for sensing biochemical molecules. An onboard communication link transmits data sensed by the sensor media from the ball integrated circuit.

6447448, Sep 10, 2002

Dec 30, 1999

09/475820

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Samuel S. Ahn - Los Angeles CA
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX
F. Andrew Gaffney - Nashville TN

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

A61B 500

600300, 600373, 600377, 128899

A substantially spherical semiconductor ball implanted in orthopedic structures for sensing and/or stimulation. In one embodiment, a vertebral column ( ) having a number of intervertebral discs ( ) interspersed among respective vertebral bodies ( ), material placed in intervertebral discs ( ) allows for a semi-synthetic vertebral disc ( ) to be constructed. The artificial intervertebral disk ( ) contains one or more ball sensors ( ) located within the body of the disk ( ) in order to monitor the compression forces. Conventionally, the semi-synthetic disc ( ) is monitored only retrospectively, and visualized on x-ray. In this particular embodiment, any of a number of semi-synthetic intervertebral discs ( ) can be implanted with one or more ball sensors ( ) such that stress and compression forces can be monitored to assure proper alignment of vertebrae ( ) in the vertebral column ( ), and to monitor the development of any nonphysiologic forces due to vertebral degeneration, disk malfunction, and so on.

6254548, Jul 3, 2001

Nov 24, 1999

9/448638

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Samuel S. Ahn - Los Angeles CA
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX
F. Andrew Gaffney - Nashville TN

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

A61B 500

600549

A miniature spherical-shaped internal temperature transponder. A temperature sensor (25) is fabricated in a spherical integrated transponder circuit (15) which may be placed in the human body by ingestion, implantation, or injection. In one aspect of the invention, a passive system is disclosed whereby an external monitoring station (13) generates an energy field using a magnetic field generator (19) which is coupled to a power coil (21) of the transponder (15). The power coil (21) passes power to a power regulator (23) to provide regulated power to all transponder (15) circuits. Temperature data obtained by the temperature sensor (25) is passed to a voltage controlled oscillator (27) for conversion into an RF signal. A mixing circuit (31) receives the RF temperature signal and modulates the temperature data signal onto an oscillator frequency from an RF oscillator (29). An RF amplifier (33) receives the modulated RF signal from the mixing circuit (31) and transmits it via an antenna (35) to the external monitor station 13 which is proximate to the transponder (15).

6324904, Dec 4, 2001

Aug 18, 2000

9/641480

Akira Ishikawa - Royse City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

F21B 4712, F21B 4710, F21B 4500

7315203

Sensor modules are provided which are pumped into a well by first being pumped downhole within a drill string, then passing through the drill bit and being circulated uphole in the annulus between the drill string and the borehole of the well. The sensors take measurement readings as they are being pumped uphole through the annulus. The sensors are preferably separated from the mud returns from the well, and then read at an inductive read unit. The sensor modules are provided by semiconductor substrates which measure downhole well parameters, and then store the date for retrieval at the surface. The semiconductor substrates preferably have a plurality of sides on which measurement sensors and circuitry may be formed, allowing the circuitry and the sensors to be made of smaller sizes. Such sensors include temperature sensors, three-dimensional stain gauges, which are also useful as pressure transducers, inductive pressure transducers, inclination sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes and radiation detectors. The sensors and circuitry are preferably provided on spherically shaped semiconductor substrates.

6266567, Jul 24, 2001

Jun 1, 1999

9/323585

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

A61N 1375

607 36

An implantable epicardial lead (13) is provided which is comprised of two spherical ICs (25) and (26) disposed at opposite ends of a supporting structure and separated by a predetermined distance. These spherical ICs comprise an anode and a cathode, each having connections thereto. The epicardial lead (13) includes circuitry for allowing inductive coupling of power into the epicardial lead (13) for storage in a capacitor (926). A switch (928) allows for selective discharge of the capacitor (926) to the surrounding myocardium into which it is implanted. The epicardial lead (13) also includes a receive/transmit device (942) for receiving command information for storage in a memory (939) to provide operation information therefor and also for receiving sensed information therefrom. The sensed information is sent via a switch (930).

6264611, Jul 24, 2001

Nov 24, 1999

9/448644

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Samuel S. Ahn - Los Angeles CA
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX
F. Andrew Gaffney - Nashville TN

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

A61B 502

600486

A ball-shaped semiconductor monitoring device (150) having one or more transducer functions for use with an instrument that is insertable into a human body. In one disclosed embodiment, a needle (130) and modified stylet (140) are inserted into intraluminal body cavities for measuring fluid pressure. The modified stylet (140) has the monitoring device (150) attached to one end. The stylet (140) has a metal annulus (142) extending throughout its length and a communication wire (144) disposed therein. The wire (144) is surrounded by an insulator (146) to electrically isolate it from the stylet (140). A recessed cavity (148) is provided at the distal end of the stylet (140) to accommodate the ball monitoring device (150). A transducer (152) is integrated on the ball device (150) to measure such quantitative conditions as pressure. The ball (150) has a ground terminal (154) and a data terminal (156).

6295466, Sep 25, 2001

Jan 6, 2000

9/478320

Akira Ishikawa - Royce City TX
Nabuo Takeda - Richardson TX
Suzanne I. Ahn - Dallas TX
Samuel S. Ahn - Los Angeles CA
Steven R. Hays - Dallas TX
F. Andrew Gaffney - Nashville TN

Ball Semiconductor, Inc. - Allen TX

A61B 50402

600509

A wireless electrocardiogram monitor utilizing a cooperative association of miniature semiconductor balls. A side view of a surface mount cardiac monitor system (200) shows three semiconductor electrode balls (202), (204), and (206) contacting a central communication ball (208) for electrical communication therebetween. Each of the electrode balls (202), (204), and (206) have fabricated thereon a respective electrode (210), (212), and (214) for receiving electrical signals from the heart. The electrode signals are passed to the central communication ball (208) for processing, filtering, digital conversion, and transmission therefrom to a remote control system being operated by a medical technician. The data can then be displayed to medical personnel.