Patents Examined by Gregory H Curran
  • Patent number: 11714151
    Abstract: Techniques of prospectively compensating for motion of a subject being imaged by an MRI system, the MRI system comprising a plurality of magnetics components including at least one gradient coil and at least one radio-frequency (RF) coil, the techniques comprising: obtaining first spatial frequency data and second spatial frequency data by operating the MRI system in accordance with a pulse sequence, wherein the pulse sequence is associated with a sampling path that includes at least two non-contiguous portions each for sampling a central region of k-space; determining a transformation using a first image obtained using the first spatial frequency data and a second image obtained using the second spatial frequency data; correcting the pulse sequence using the determined transformation to obtain a corrected pulse sequence; and obtaining additional spatial frequency data in accordance with the corrected pulse sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Hyperfine Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Carole Lazarus, Rafael O'Halloran, Hadrien A. Dyvorne
  • Patent number: 11714026
    Abstract: A vibration detection apparatus applied to a nuclear magnetic resonance while drilling instrument, including a vibration table. The vibration table is configured to horizontally clamp the nuclear magnetic resonance while drilling instrument and further includes a graduated barrel that contains a detection liquid; the graduated barrel is configured to be suspended at the upper side of the vibration table and be spaced apart from the nuclear magnetic resonance while drilling instrument; when the vibration table performs vibration, the graduated barrel keeps stationary, and the nuclear magnetic resonance while drilling instrument preforms high-pressure emission and measurement by means of the graduated barrel. Therefore, the nuclear magnetic resonance while drilling instrument can obtain the echo signal of the graduated barrel during vibration, thereby more accurately detecting the performance thereof and shortening a detection time length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignees: CHNA OILFIELD SERVICES LIMITED, CHINA NATIONAL OFFSHORE OIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jiawei Zhang, Fang Sai, Zhibo Xue, Guangwei Wang, Yu Cheng, Xiangxin Chen, Jingzhi Chen
  • Patent number: 11709451
    Abstract: A transporting member includes: a first transporting section that has flexibility and that has a first shaft and a blade existing helically on a surface of the first shaft and transporting a transport object; a second transporting section having a second shaft that extends from a first end of the first shaft and that has higher rigidity than the first shaft, and also having a coil that exists helically on a surface of the second shaft, is movable toward and away from the surface of the second shaft, and transports the transport object; and a drive section that is attached to an end of the second shaft opposite the first shaft or to a third shaft having higher rigidity than the first shaft by being connected to the end and that is driven by receiving a rotational force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Keita Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11703775
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging member, an electrostatic image forming portion, a developing member, a transfer member, a transfer voltage source, a brush member, a brush voltage source, and a controller capable of executing a cleaning operation. The controller carries out control so that the cleaning operation includes a first operation in which a potential difference is formed between the transfer member and the photosensitive member so that toner charged to a normal charge polarity is moved from the transfer member toward the photosensitive member, and a second operation in which a potential difference is formed between the brush member and the photosensitive member so that the toner charged to the normal charge polarity is moved from the photosensitive member toward the brush member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsuke Kobayashi, Kensuke Umeda, Ai Suzuki, Kazuhiro Funatani, Shuichi Tetsuno, Toshihiko Takayama, Jun Hara
  • Patent number: 11703557
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for MRI. The system may obtain MRI scan data of a subject by directing an MRI scanner to perform an MRI scan on the subject according to a first gradient waveform. The system may also determine a second gradient waveform based on the first gradient waveform and a gradient waveform determination model. The gradient waveform determination model may have been trained according to a machine learning algorithm. The system may further generate a target reconstruction image of the subject based on the second gradient waveform and the MRI scan data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qi Liu, Yuan Zheng
  • Patent number: 11703795
    Abstract: There are demands for stable connections of contact points between a process cartridge, including a development device, and an image forming device. A development contact point, a first contact point, and a second contact point are disposed in this order on the inside in a perpendicular direction with respect to an insertion direction in which a development device is inserted into an image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nosho, Toru Oguma, Tetsuya Numata
  • Patent number: 11698428
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit acquires a measurement field corresponding to a spatial distribution of a predetermined physical quantity in a subject of measurement. The processing circuit calculates an unknown quantity in the subject of measurement based on a first equation between the measurement field and the unknown quantity having spatial dependence, and on the acquired measurement field. The first equation is one that is acquired based on a second equation expressing a dual field divergence of which can be expressed using the measurement field, by using the measurement field and the unknown quantity, and on the Helmholtz decomposition of the dual field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignees: The University of Tokyo, CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Nara, Motofumi Fushimi, Naohiro Eda, Seiichi Shin, Hitoshi Yamagata, Koji Yano, Hiroyuki Fujita
  • Patent number: 11686801
    Abstract: During obtaining a sensitivity distribution in a k-space, data based on which the sensitivity distribution is obtained is expanded with a mirror image to create an expanded image to prevent spectrum leakage, and the sensitivity distribution is stably calculated. During obtaining the sensitivity distribution in the k-space, image data based on which the sensitivity distribution is obtained is inverted as a mirror image to be made into the expanded image, the expanded image is transformed into k-space data, and a frequency component (frequency space data) of the sensitivity distribution is calculated. A region corresponding to the original image data is clipped from the calculated frequency space data, and the sensitivity distribution is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Healthcare Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Kurokawa, Yasuhiro Kamada, Toru Shirai, Takenori Murase, Hiroki Shoji
  • Patent number: 11687024
    Abstract: A developer supply container is detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus including a developer receiving portion provided with a receiving opening for receiving a developer, and a portion-to-be-engaged 11b integrally displaceable with the developer receiving portion. The developer supply container includes a discharging portion provided with a shutter opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion. An operation portion 21 displaces the developer receiving portion to bring the receiving opening into communication with the shutter opening by engagement between the engaging portion 21d and the portion-to-be-engaged 11b by a predetermined operation executed after the developer supply container is mounted to a predetermined position of the developer receiving apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusaku Makino, Nobuyuki Yomoda, Yohei Gamo
  • Patent number: 11686800
    Abstract: Disclosed is a medical imaging system (100, 300). The execution of machine executable instructions (120) causes a processor (104) to: receive (200) measured magnetic resonance imaging data (122) descriptive of a first region of interest (307) of a subject (318); receive (202) a B0 map (124), a T1 map (126), a T2 map (128), and a magnetization map (130) each descriptive of a second region of interest (309) of the subject; receive (204) pulse sequence commands (132); calculate (206) a simulated magnetic resonance image (136) of an overlapping region of interest (311) using at least the B0 map, the T1 map, the T2 map, the magnetization map, and the pulse sequence commands as input to a Bloch equation model (134); and reconstruct (208) a corrected magnetic resonance image from the measured magnetic resonance imaging data for the overlapping region of interest by solving an inverse problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Valvano, Elwin de Weerdt
  • Patent number: 11675029
    Abstract: Retrospective magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a deep neural network framework [102] to generate from MRI imaging data [100] acquired by an MRI apparatus using a predetermined imaging protocol tissue relaxation parametric maps and magnetic/radiofrequency field maps [104] which are then used to generate using the Bloch equations [106] predicted MRI images [108] corresponding to imaging protocols distinct from the predetermined imaging protocol. This allows obtaining a wide spectrum of tissue contrasts distinct from those of the acquired MRI imaging data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Lei Xing, Yan Wu
  • Patent number: 11668664
    Abstract: A method and device for detection of solid organic matter and fluids in a shale rock by means of low field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) in a single measurement, by submitting a rock sample to a 2D NMR assay comprising applying a 2D pulse sequence with a saturation-recovery, or inversion-recovery, in an indirect dimension and an FID-CPMG in a direct dimension. The method can be used as an analytical technique for rock samples from unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignees: YPF TECNOLOGIA S.A., CONSEJO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Y TECNICAS (CONICET), UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CORDOBA
    Inventors: Rodolfo Hector Acosta, Emilia Victoria Silletta, Gustavo Alberto Monti, Yamila Garro Linck, Paula Cecilia Bedini, Gabriela Soledad Vila, Diana María Masiero, Esteban Alejo Domené, Manuel Isaac Velasco
  • Patent number: 11668850
    Abstract: A method can include controlling radio frequency emission circuitry of a nuclear magnetic resonance unit to emit radio frequency energy according to a first set of parameters that comprises a first wait time for an even number of sequence repeats with positive and negative phases and to emit radio frequency energy according to a second set of parameters that includes a second wait time for a single sequence with a single phase, where the second wait time is greater than the first wait time; and acquiring, via antenna circuitry and analog-to-digital conversion circuitry, nuclear magnetic resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nicholas Heaton
  • Patent number: 11662677
    Abstract: A fixing belt and a fixing device suppress charging of the fixing belt and permit securing of a withstand voltage of secondary parts of the fixing belt are provided in addition to a heater. The fixing belt is formed of a tubular endless fixing film including, in order from an inner peripheral side of the film, abase layer, an elastic layer, and a release layer. A surface resistivity of the fixing belt measured from the base layer side is 7 [LOG ?/sq.] or more and 10 [LOG ?/sq.] or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryota Saeki
  • Patent number: 11656312
    Abstract: A method for correcting a magnetic resonance imaging error using a heart rate interval may include: measuring T1 of a stand-alone phantom for correcting the error; obtaining a T1 map generated by mapping a recovery time according to a reference recovery rate of protons in heart tissues of a subject inverted by a radio frequency (RF) pulse in pixel units into a two-dimensional space; calculating a correction function based on the measured T1 of the phantom; and correcting an error of the T1 map based on the calculated correction function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: PHANTOMICS INC.
    Inventors: Song Yi Lee, Jae Yoon Shim
  • Patent number: 11656311
    Abstract: A pulse-design unit for creating pulse data for controlling a magnetic resonance system includes a data interface configured for receiving an examination scheme, and a calculation module configured for generating pulse data based on an examination scheme. The pulse-design unit includes a data grid and/or parameter values created from map pairs of a plurality of patients and is configured to select and/or calculate pulse data using the data grid and/or parameter values and a provided examination scheme. A method and a control device for controlling a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and a related magnetic resonance imaging system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Liebig, Rene Gumbrecht, Jürgen Herrler, Armin Nagel
  • Patent number: 11656304
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) coil device is provided. The device includes a first receiver coil portion, a second receiver coil portion, and a locking mechanism. The second receiver coil portion is configured to fit with the first receiver coil portion to provide a receiver coil assembly. The second receiver coil portion is moveable relative to the first receiver coil portion. The locking mechanism is configured to limit relative movement between the first receiver coil portion and the second receiver coil portion when the first receiver coil portion and the second receiver coil portion are fit together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiangming Hou
  • Patent number: 11650278
    Abstract: A local coil for an MRI scanner, an MRI scanner and a method for operating the MRI scanner are provided. The local coil includes a plurality of n antenna coils and at least one analog-to-digital converter having a signal link to the antenna coils. The local coil includes a compression device configured to compress the n digital input data streams into m digital output data streams. The n digital input data streams are mapped to an m-dimensional space with m base vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Kartäusch
  • Patent number: 11644520
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable medium for magnetic resonance (MR) based thermometry. In one aspect, in accordance with one embodiment, a method for magnetic resonance based thermometry includes: acquiring, by a variable flip-angle T1 mapping sequence, MR data in an area of interest of a subject that is heated by the application of focused ultrasound (FUS) to the brain of the subject, where the MR data includes T1 values over time, and where the acquisition of the MR data includes applying an accelerated three-dimensional ultra-short spiral acquisition sequence with a nonselective excitation pulse; and determining, based at least in part on a mathematical relationship established by T1 mapping thermometry, a temperature change in the area of interest over time, and where the temperature change is caused at least in part by a change in the applied FUS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: University of Virginia Patent Foundation
    Inventors: Yekaterina K. Gilbo, Helen L. Sporkin, Samuel W. Fielden, John P. Mugler, III, Grady W. Miller, IV, Steven P. Allen, Craig H. Meyer
  • Patent number: 11635716
    Abstract: A device includes a rotator having a rotation axis, a belt, a nip forming member surrounded by the belt, a first stay surrounded by the belt and extending in a width direction parallel to the rotation axis, a holder holding the nip forming member, and an urging member urging the first stay toward the rotator. The nip forming member is configured to, with the rotator, pinch the belt to form a nip. The first stay includes a first end and a second end. The holder includes a first engaging portion positioned at a first end of the holder, and a second engaging portion positioned at a second end of the holder. The first engaging portion engages the first end of the first stay. The second engaging portion engages the second end of the first stay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Handa, Tomonori Watanabe, Shuhei Fukue, Kenji Takeuchi, Kazuna Taguchi, Tatsuo Ogasawara