4 patents currently held
161 more in force are now held by other companies
Held is read from USPTO's recorded assignments; a transfer never recorded there does not appear.
The next term ends in May 2031. from the record
Of the 161 now held by other companies, 136 name Covidien LP as their current owner, and 25 more name another party. Each row says which.
Free plan: 3 watched companies. Pro: unlimited.
Alerts on its grants, lapses and transfers.
0
Ending by 2030
May 2031
Next term end
4
Patent families
When these terms end
Held patents by the year their term ends
notable patents
all others
Updated Nov 14, 2026 · includes USPTO assignment & status data published Nov 14, 2026 and grant & fee data published Nov 10, 2026 (weekly) · how we know
Notable: the highest-ranked patents in this portfolio by citations and family size.
Notable patents
Ranked by citations and family size, against patents of the same kind granted the same year. How we rank
Notable
Ends May 2033 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends May 2031 · High confidence
Also notable
Ends May 2032 · High confidence
Electrosurgical Tissue Ablation Systems Capable of Detecting Excessive Bending of a Probe and Alerting a User
US 8,945,113
The most cited patent in this portfolio, cited by 40 later US patents, top 25% of utility patents granted in 2015 in our data. Protection runs to 2033.
Automated Probe Placement Device
US 8,672,923
Cited by 27 later US patents, top 25% of utility patents granted in 2014 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2031.
Peripheral Switching Device for Microwave Energy Platforms
US 9,271,792
Granted 2016 and renewed at every maintenance window due so far. Protection runs to 2032. A terminal disclaimer caps this term to an earlier patent's.
Formerly held, still cited
Notable
Ends May 2029 · High confidence
Cited by 366 later US patents, top 1% of utility patents granted in 2013 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2029.
now held by Covidien LP
Also notable
Ends May 2031 · High confidence
Cited by 113 later US patents, top 5% of utility patents granted in 2012 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2031.
now held by Covidien LP
Also notable
Ends Feb 2032 · High confidence
Cited by 174 later US patents, top 5% of utility patents granted in 2015 in our data, and renewed at 3 of 3 maintenance windows. Protection runs to 2032.
now held by Covidien LP
Fee deadlines
Maintenance fees fall due 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years after grant. A missed fee ends a patent at the end of the six month grace period that follows, not on the due date.
- 1 fee due Sep 1, 2027The maintenance fee for Peripheral Switching Device for Microwave Energy Platforms (US 9,271,792) comes due Sep 1, 2027. Unpaid by Mar 1, 2028, it lapses early.
Recent changes
- 7 terms have ended since Aug 16, 2026
What they patent
The 2 largest of its 4 families, grouped by real patent family and labeled by the earliest filing in each. No technology classification is inferred from titles.
| Electrosurgical Tissue Ablation Systems Capable of Detecting Excessive Bending of a Probe and Alerting a User | 1 in force | to May 2033 |
| Peripheral Switching Device for Microwave Energy Platforms | 1 in force | to May 2032 |
Patents held now
Soonest term end first.
Showing 1 to 4 of 4
| Patent | Title | Status | Expires | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 8,672,923 | Automated Probe Placement Device held by Vivant Medical LLC In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 9,271,792 | Peripheral Switching Device for Microwave Energy Platforms held by Vivant Medical, Inc. In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 8,945,113 | Electrosurgical Tissue Ablation Systems Capable of Detecting Excessive Bending of a Probe and Alerting a User held by Vivant Medical LLC In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence | |
| US 12,691,972 | Electric Vehicle Including an Interchangeable Cargo and Battery Submodule held by Vivant Cycleworks Incorporated In force · High confidence | In force | High confidence |
Also on record, not counted in the 4: 161 patents in force now held by others · 201 patents ended · 1 application pending · 56 applications abandoned. List them
Sources and methods
Compiled from USPTO application file histories, grants and recorded assignments, with the company's own names reviewed by hand. How this record was built
Portfolio grouped automatically from ownership conveyances to the names matched to this company, usually every name that begins with its own, so it counts patents an affiliate holds; each list row names the holder of record. Security interests are excluded and ambiguous records are not reviewed by hand.
Computed patent terms end on the dates shown. Related patents and pending applications may cover overlapping subject matter.