Patents Examined by Allen C. Ho
  • Patent number: 11959865
    Abstract: A method for operating a measurement system (100) comprises: generating a beam of electromagnetic radiation (25) directed along a central ray (27) using a radiation source (19); moving the radiation source (19) relative to an object region (35) so that the central ray (27) is directed onto a radiation detector (31) during the movement; wherein the moving of the radiation source (19) relative to the object region (35) comprises: rotating the radiation source (19) about a first axis of rotation (D1), wherein the radiation source (19) is disposed eccentrically to the first axis of rotation (D1); rotating the radiation source (19) about a second axis of rotation (D2), wherein the first axis of rotation (D1) and the second axis of rotation (D2) together enclose an acute angle (?) amounting to at most 80°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: RAYSCAN TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Christoph Sauerwein, Michael Krumm
  • Patent number: 11957501
    Abstract: Evaluating dose performance of a radiographic imaging system with respect to image quality using a phantom, a channelized hotelling observer module as a model observer, and a printer, a plaque, or an electronic display includes scanning and producing images for a plurality of sections of the phantom using the radiographic imaging system, wherein the plurality of sections represent a range of patient sizes and doses and wherein the sections of the phantom contain objects of measurable detectability. Also included is analyzing the images to determine detectability results for one or more of the contained objects within the images of the plurality of sections of the phantom, wherein the analyzing includes using a channelized hotelling observer (CHO) module as a model observer; and displaying, via the printer, the plaque, or the electronic display, a continuous detectability performance measurement function using the determined detectability results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TIP IMAGING, LLC
    Inventors: David P. Rohler, Thomas L. Toth, Steven H. Izen, Arjun K. Maniyedath
  • Patent number: 11940395
    Abstract: A chopper wheel assembly includes a collimator configured to narrow an x-ray beam, a chopper wheel has a planar surface configured to face in a direction of the collimator and a housing configured to receive the chopper wheel. The chopper wheel includes a central axis, a plurality of slits in the planar surface, a first projection extending from the planar surface in a direction of the collimator and a second projection extending from the planar surface in the direction of the collimator. The slits extend in radially-outward direction relative to the central axis. The first projection is located radially outward of the plurality of slits and the second projection is located radially inward of the plurality of slits. Each projection is provided for 360 degrees about the central axis. The housing includes an interior wall including a first groove configured to receive the first projection and a second groove configured to receive the second projection with the chopper wheel received within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Videray Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Paul Bradshaw
  • Patent number: 11940396
    Abstract: A method for improving the quality/integrity of an EBSD/TKD map, wherein each data point is assigned to a corresponding grid point of a sample grid and represents crystal information based on a Kikuchi pattern detected for the grid point; comprising determining a defective data point of the EBSD/TKD map and a plurality of non-defective neighboring data points, comparing the position of Kikuchi bands of a Kikuchi pattern detected for a grid point corresponding to the defective data point with the positions of bands in at least one simulated Kikuchi pattern corresponding to crystal information of the neighboring data points and assigning the defective data point the crystal information of one of the plurality of neighboring data point based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Bruker Nano GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Radu Goran, Thomas Schwager
  • Patent number: 11933744
    Abstract: A method including: manufacturing a standard transmission object; simulating a transmission measurement process using simulation calculation method, to establish a database with respect to a transmission thickness, an equivalent water density, an original reconstruction density of the standard transmission object, a space angle cosine of the transmission source and an energy of a ? ray, fitting a corresponding relationship of the space angle cosine of the transmission source with respect to parameters of the standard transmission object and the energy of the ? ray based on the database; selecting a corresponding standard transmission object for transmission measurement for a transmission source to be characterized, to obtain an original reconstruction density of the standard transmission object; reading the space angle cosine of the transmission source to be characterized from the database according to fitted corresponding relationship of known parameters of the standard transmission object and the energy of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: China Institute of Atomic Energy
    Inventors: Zhongqi Wang, Lei Bai, Jiewen Shao, Qiang Miao
  • Patent number: 11927552
    Abstract: An apparatus for cosmogenic neutron sensing to detect moisture includes a thermal neutron proportional counter. A housing is formed at least partially from a moderating material, which is positioned around the thermal neutron proportional counter. A proportional counter electronics unit is within the housing and has a preamplifier and a shaping amplifier. The preamplifier and shaping amplifier are directly connected to the thermal neutron proportional counter. At least one photovoltaic panel provides electrical power to the thermal neutron proportional counter. A data logger is positioned vertically above the thermal neutron proportional counter and proportional counter electronics unit. A signal from the thermal neutron proportional counter is transmitted through the proportional counter electronics unit and is received by the data logger. The signal indicates a moisture content within a measurement surface of the thermal neutron proportional counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: QUAESTA INSTRUMENTS, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Shifflett, Gary Womack, Steven Hamann
  • Patent number: 11904186
    Abstract: The invention provides a radiotherapeutical or radiosurgical system comprising at least two high-intensity radiation sources configured to rotate around a common rotation axis and a ring-shaped imaging device. A three-source configuration is considered as the most cost-effective and will be used as an example for illustration. The configuration of these high-intensity radiation sources and use of a unique compact MLC for each of the radiation sources make it possible for the system to rapidly deliver high-conformal non-coplanar stereotactic radiation treatment in one gantry rotation without any couch rotation. Therefore the invention can deliver high precision and high-conformal non-coplanar stereotactic radiation treatment to any part of the body in an extremely short time (0.1-20 seconds), which may exhibit numerous advantages over the prior art, such as reduction of radiation damage to the circulating immune cells in blood and mitigation of patient motion-induced problems, among others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignees: Capital Medical University, The University of Hong Kong—Shenzhen Hospital
    Inventors: Jianyue Jin, Fengming Kong
  • Patent number: 11903749
    Abstract: A nuclear medicine tomography system including: a detector carrier; a detector carrier housing including an inner space; a plurality of detector units, coupled to the detector carrier, each detector unit comprising: a detector camera; a cooling channel which guides air to the detector camera from the inner space; an exhaust channel which guides air from the detector camera to the inner space; a heat pump configured to cool air within the inner space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Spectrum Dynamics Medical Limited
    Inventors: Yoel Zilberstien, Nathaniel Roth, Idan Fogel
  • Patent number: 11898971
    Abstract: A method and a device for determining the material properties of a polycrystalline, in particular metallic, product during production or quality control of the polycrystalline, in particular metallic, product by means of X-ray diffraction using at least one X-ray source and at least one X-ray detector. In this case, an X-ray generated by the X-ray source is directed onto a surface of the polycrystalline product and the resulting diffraction image of the X-ray is recorded by the X-ray detector. After exiting the X-ray source, the X-ray is passed through an X-ray mirror, wherein the X-ray is both monochromatized and focused, by the X-ray mirror, in the direction of the polycrystalline product and/or the X-ray detector, and then reaches a surface of the metallic product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignees: SMS group GmbH, IMS Messsysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Klinkenberg, Ulrich Sommers, Helmut Klein, Alexandre Lhoest, Olivier Pensis, Horst Krauthäuser
  • Patent number: 11896848
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for patient setup and registration for the irradiation of target tissue regions. A method for positioning a patient for radiation therapy may include acquiring an image of a first patient target region and a second patient target region. A first set of patient position-shift vectors may be calculated based on the acquired image and a treatment planning image of the first patient target region. A second set of patient position-shift vectors may be calculated based on the acquired image, a treatment planning image of the second patient target region, and the first set of patient position-shift vectors. The patient may be positioned according to the first set of patient position-shift vectors in a first location. The patient may be moved to a second location and positioned according to the second set of patient position-shift vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: RefleXion Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Jayakrishnan Janardhanan, Michael Kirk Owens
  • Patent number: 11872071
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for processing energy spectra of radiation transmitted by an object irradiated by an ionising radiation source, in particular X-ray radiation, for medical imaging or non-destructive testing applications. The method uses a detector comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel being capable of acquiring a spectrum of the radiation transmitted by the object. The method makes it possible, based on a plurality of detected spectra, to estimate a spectrum, referred to as the scattering spectrum, representative of radiation scattered by the object. The estimation involves taking into account a spatial model of the scattering spectrum. Each acquired spectrum is corrected taking into account the estimated scattering spectrum. The invention makes it possible to reduce the influence of the scattering, by the object, of the spectrum emitted by the source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, INSTITUT NATIONAL DES SCIENCES APPLIQUEES DE LYON
    Inventors: Odran Pivot, Joachim Tabary, Clarisse Fournier, Jean Michel Letang, Simon Rit
  • Patent number: 11867645
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system and a method for inspecting a substance to detect and identify predetermined foreign element(s) in the substance. The foreign element may carry X-ray responding material compositions, emitting X-ray signals in response to primary exciting X-ray or Gamma-ray radiation. The inspection is performed during a relative displacement between the substance and an inspection zone, defined by an overlap region between a solid angle of emission of an X-ray/Gamma-ray source and a solid angle of detection of X-ray radiation, along a movement path, as the substance moves along the movement path, the detected X-ray radiation includes X-ray response signals from successive portions of the substance propagating towards, through, and out of the overlap region. Measured data indicative of X-ray response signals is analyzed to identify a signal variation pattern over time indicative of a location of at least one foreign element carrying an X-ray responsive marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventors: Yair Grof, Dmitrijs Docenko, Mor Kaplinsky, Haggai Alon, Yifat Bareket, Michal Firstenberg, Avital Trachtman, Nachum Holin, Nadav Yoran
  • Patent number: 11862357
    Abstract: An example adjustable collimator includes a housing having an aperture through which radiation is to be directed from an inlet to an outlet of the housing, a first shutter and a second shutter within the housing, a first link coupled to the first shutter, and a first yoke coupled to the housing at a pivot point and configured to pivot with respect to the housing. The first yoke may be configured to reduce an effective width of the aperture by moving the first shutter toward the second shutter via the first link when the first yoke is rotated in a first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Svetlana Zigelman, Brett Muehlhauser
  • Patent number: 11857805
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide a radiotherapy treatment by focusing an electron beam on an x-ray target (e.g., a tungsten plate) to produce a high-yield x-ray output with improved field shaping. A modified electron beam spatial distribution is employed to scan the x-ray target, such as a 2D periodic beam path, which advantageously lowers the temperature of the x-ray target compared to typical compact beam spatial distribution. As a result, the x-ray target can produce a high yield x-ray output without sacrificing the life span of the x-ray target. The use of a 2D periodic beam path allows a much colder x-ray target functioning regime such that more dosage can be applied in a short period of time compared to existing techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Anuj Purwar, Dragos Constantin, James Clayton
  • Patent number: 11860113
    Abstract: Provided is a tube weld X-ray inspection device for inspecting an abnormality, such as a tube welding part crack, of a heat exchanger by using X-rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DIGIRAY CORP.
    Inventors: Sang Sub Kong, Young Ho Kang, Nam Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 11846593
    Abstract: A ball-mapping system connectable to an X-ray diffraction apparatus, for collecting X-ray diffraction data at measurement points located on a ball-shaped sample is provided. The ball-mapping system includes a sample stage, including a sample-contacting surface and a guide assembly cooperating with the sample-contacting surface for guiding the sample-contacting surface along a first axis and along a second axis unparallel to the first axis. The ball-mapping system includes a sample holder for keeping the ball-shaped sample in contact with the sample stage and a motor assembly in driving engagement with the guide assembly, the motor assembly driving the sample-contacting surface in translational movement along the first axis and the second axis, the translational movement of the sample-contacting surface causing the ball-shaped sample to rotate, on the sample-contacting surface along the first axis and the second axis. A method for mapping the ball-shaped sample is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: PROTO PATENTS LTD.
    Inventors: James Pineault, Alec Iskra, Bogdan Levcovici, Michael Brauss
  • Patent number: 11844959
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for planning radiosurgical treatments for neuromodulating a portion of the renovascular system may be used to plan radiosurgical neuromodulation treatments for conditions or disease associated with elevated central sympathetic drive. The renal nerves may be located and targeted at the level of the ganglion and/or at postganglionic positions, as well as preganglionic positions. Target regions include the renal plexus, celiac ganglion, the superior mesenteric ganglion, the aorticorenal ganglion and the aortic plexus. Planning of radiosurgical treatments will optionally employ a graphical representation of a blood/tissue interface adjacent these targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Maguire, Edward Gardner
  • Patent number: 11839777
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a medical system. The medical system may determine a working phase of the medical system. The working phase of the medical system may include a positioning phase, a scanning phase, and/or a scanning completion phase. The medical system may determine a position of a target portion of an object in the medical system based on one or more images associated with the object captured by an imaging sensor. The medical system may further control an operation of a positioning lamp of the medical system based on the working phase of the medical system and the position of the target portion of the object in the medical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shenghua Sang, Xinyue Zhou, Yangyang Lin, Yiqi Huang
  • Patent number: 11839505
    Abstract: A medical imaging device includes an x-ray source disposed at a first end of an arm, and an x-ray detector disposed at a second end of the arm opposite of the x-ray source. At least one of the x-ray source, the x-ray detector, and a portion of the arm are selectively adjustable with respect to the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Hologic, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Keil, Daniel Santos, Mark Guetersloh, Kevin Wilson, Tri Pham, Aleksey Danilkin
  • Patent number: 11841335
    Abstract: A nondestructive inspection apparatus makes a neutron beam incident on an inspection target, detects a specific gamma ray deriving from a target component in the inspection target, among gamma rays generated by the neutron beam, and determines a depth at which the target component exists, based on a result of the detecting. The nondestructive inspection apparatus includes a neutron source that emits a neutron beam to a surface of the inspection target, a gamma ray detection device that detects, as detection intensities, intensities of a plurality of types of specific gamma rays whose energy differs from each other, and a ratio calculation unit that determines a ratio between the detection intensities of a plurality of types of the specific gamma rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: RIKEN
    Inventors: Yasuo Wakabayashi, Yoshie Otake, Yujiro Ikeda