Patents by Inventor Alexander Suppes

Alexander Suppes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240102947
    Abstract: A method for scanning a target object is provided. The method includes generating a scanning path including source poses at which a target object is scanned by a scanning source. The method also includes moving the target object along the scanning path and emitting a beam towards a region of interest (ROI) on the target object at each source pose. The method further includes receiving data characterizing the ROI based on the emitted beam and generating scanning data representing a geometrical position and an orientation of the ROI of the target object for each source pose. Pose information can be extracted based on the source poses and a 3D model of the target object can be reconstructed using the pose information and the scanning data and provided for display. Related systems and non-transitory computer readable mediums are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Nils Rothe, Alexander Suppes
  • Publication number: 20230237634
    Abstract: A method for detecting structures is provided. The method can include receiving inspection image data characterizing a region of interest of an object being inspected. The regions of interest can include one or more structures of the object. The method can also include determining, using a computer vision algorithm, a structure within the region of interest with respect to photometric properties of pixel data in the inspection image data. The structure can be determined using a predictive model trained to determine image filter parameter values for image filters of the computer vision algorithm based on applying optimization techniques using training image data and annotation data. An indication of the structure can be provided, for example for display or storage in memory. Systems and computer-readable mediums implementing the method are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Dang Hai Tran Vu, Alexander Suppes
  • Patent number: 11585767
    Abstract: Systems and methods for non-destructive testing by computed tomography are provided. The system can include a stationary radiation source, a stage, and a plurality of stationary radiation detectors. The source can be configured to emit, from a focal point, a beam of penetrating radiation having a three-dimensional geometry and to direct the beam in a path incident upon a target. The stationary radiation source can be positioned with respect to the plurality of stationary radiation detectors and the stage such that, a first plurality of beam segment paths is defined between the focal point and respective sensing faces of the plurality of radiation detectors and at least one second beam segment path is defined between the focal point and a predetermined gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Eberhard Neuser, Alex Sawatzky, Nils Rothe, Alexander Suppes
  • Patent number: 11493458
    Abstract: Scatter correction for tomography: for each position, two images are acquired, a first image without and a second image with a scatter reducing aperture plate (50). A scatter image is calculated by subtracting the second image from the first image. The apertures (48) in the scatter reducing plate (50) are arranged hexagonally in order to optimise the packaging density of the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Suppes, Nils Rothe
  • Publication number: 20210356411
    Abstract: Systems and methods for non-destructive testing by computed tomography are provided. The system can include a stationary radiation source, a stage, and a plurality of stationary radiation detectors. The source can be configured to emit, from a focal point, a beam of penetrating radiation having a three-dimensional geometry and to direct the beam in a path incident upon a target. The stationary radiation source can be positioned with respect to the plurality of stationary radiation detectors and the stage such that, a first plurality of beam segment paths is defined between the focal point and respective sensing faces of the plurality of radiation detectors and at least one second beam segment path is defined between the focal point and a predetermined gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Eberhard Neuser, Alex Sawatzky, Nils Rothe, Alexander Suppes
  • Patent number: 11016042
    Abstract: Systems and methods for non-destructive testing by computed tomography are provided. The system can include a stationary radiation source, a stage, and a plurality of stationary radiation detectors. The source can be configured to emit, from a focal point, a beam of penetrating radiation having a three-dimensional geometry and to direct the beam in a path incident upon a target. The stationary radiation source can be positioned with respect to the plurality of stationary radiation detectors and the stage such that, a first plurality of beam segment paths is defined between the focal point and respective sensing faces of the plurality of radiation detectors and at least one second beam segment path is defined between the focal point and a predetermined gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: GE SENSING & INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES, GMBH
    Inventors: Eberhard Neuser, Alex Sawatzky, Nils Rothe, Alexander Suppes
  • Publication number: 20210131980
    Abstract: Scatter correction for tomography: for each position, two images are acquired, a first image without and a second image with a scatter reducing aperture plate (50). A scatter image is calculated by subtracting the second image from the first image. The apertures (48) in the scatter reducing plate (50) are arranged hexagonally in order to optimise the packaging density of the apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Alexander Suppes, Nils Rothe
  • Publication number: 20210048397
    Abstract: Systems and methods for non-destructive testing by computed tomography are provided. The system can include a stationary radiation source, a stage, and a plurality of stationary radiation detectors. The source can be configured to emit, from a focal point, a beam of penetrating radiation having a three-dimensional geometry and to direct the beam in a path incident upon a target. The stationary radiation source can be positioned with respect to the plurality of stationary radiation detectors and the stage such that, a first plurality of beam segment paths is defined between the focal point and respective sensing faces of the plurality of radiation detectors and at least one second beam segment path is defined between the focal point and a predetermined gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Eberhard Neuser, Alex Sawatzky, Nils Rothe, Alexander Suppes
  • Patent number: 10746671
    Abstract: A method for imaging an object is presented. The method includes acquiring a first projection image of the object using a source and a detector, positioning a scatter rejecting aperture plate between the object and the detector, and acquiring a second projection image of the object with the scatter rejecting aperture plate disposed between the object and the detector. A scatter image of the object is generated based on the first projection image and the second projection image, and stored for subsequent imaging. A volumetric CT system for imaging an object is also presented. The system is configured to acquire a plurality of projection images of the object from a plurality of plurality of projection angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Suppes, Nils Rothe
  • Patent number: 10539515
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for calibration or verification of accuracy specification of a computed tomographic system. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a base structure, a first set of test objects arranged along a first axis and coupled to the base structure, and a second set of test objects arranged along a second axis and coupled to the base structure. The first set of test objects and the second set of test objects have a first geometry. The apparatus can also include a third set of test objects and a fourth set of test objects. The third set of test objects, and the fourth set of test objects have a second geometry different from the first geometry. Locations of the first, second third and fourth set of test objects are spatially fixed with respect to the base structure. The apparatus is a test specimen adapted for calibration or accuracy verification of computed tomography system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: GE Inspection Technologies, LP
    Inventors: Andreas Fischer, Nils Rothe, Alexander Suppes, Eugen Trapet
  • Publication number: 20190302036
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for calibration or verification of accuracy specification of a computed tomographic system. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a base structure, a first set of test objects arranged along a first axis and coupled to the base structure, and a second set of test objects arranged along a second axis and coupled to the base structure. The first set of test objects and the second set of test objects have a first geometry. The apparatus can also include a third set of test objects and a fourth set of test objects. The third set of test objects, and the fourth set of test objects have a second geometry different from the first geometry. Locations of the first, second third and fourth set of test objects are spatially fixed with respect to the base structure. The apparatus is a test specimen adapted for calibration or accuracy verification of computed tomography system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Andreas Fischer, Nils Rothe, Alexander Suppes, Eugen Trapet
  • Patent number: 10194874
    Abstract: A method of using computed tomography for determining a volumetric representation of a sample, involving a first reconstruction for reconstructing first reconstructed volume data of the sample from first x-ray projection data of the sample taken by an x-ray system, a second reconstruction for reconstructing second reconstructed volume data of the sample from second x-ray projection data of the sample taken by an x-ray system, characterized by calculating first individual confidence measures for single voxels of the first reconstructed volume data, calculating second individual confidence measures for single voxels of the second reconstructed volume data, and calculating, in a subsequent step, at least one resulting set of individual values for each voxel based on the first individual confidence measures and the second individual confidence measures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: GE SENSING & INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Eberhard Neuser, Alexander Suppes, Nils Rothe, Michael Hoetter, Anja Frost
  • Publication number: 20180266970
    Abstract: A method for imaging an object is presented. The method includes acquiring a first projection image of the object using a source and a detector, positioning a scatter rejecting aperture plate between the object and the detector, and acquiring a second projection image of the object with the scatter rejecting aperture plate disposed between the object and the detector. A scatter image of the object is generated based on the first projection image and the second projection image, and stored for subsequent imaging. A volumetric CT system for imaging an object is also presented. The system is configured to acquire a plurality of projection images of the object from a plurality of plurality of projection angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Alexander SUPPES, Nils ROTHE
  • Patent number: 9146327
    Abstract: A method and system for determining geometric imaging properties of a flat panel detector in an x-ray inspection system are described herein. The method can include arranging a calibration phantom between an x-ray source and the flat panel detector, the calibration phantom including at least one discrete geometric object. Additionally, the method can include recording at least one x-ray image of the calibration phantom with the flat panel detector. At least one discrete geometric shape is generated in the x-ray image by imaging the at least one discrete geometric object of the calibration phantom. Further, the method can include determining a location-dependent distortion error of the flat panel detector from the at least one x-ray image on the basis of at least one characteristic of the at least one discrete geometric shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Suppes, Pavel Pokutnev, Eberhard Neuser, Nils Rothe
  • Patent number: 9042634
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a solution for analyzing an object, such as a part of a turbo machine. A planar surface is generated using a curved reformat function based on a surface of a three-dimensional (3D) image of an object. A peel of the 3D image that is adjacent to the surface is determined. Based on the peel, a second planar surface is generated. These two, and/or other similarly generated planar surfaces can be analyzed to determine characteristics of the original object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sheri George, Haribaskar Govindasamy, Utkarsh Madhav Kulkarni, Pavel Pokutnev, Marko Rosenmueller, Alexander Suppes
  • Patent number: 8977022
    Abstract: A computed tomography method for determining a volumetric representation of a sample comprising reconstruction initial volume data of the sample from x-ray projections of the sample taken by an x-ray system, determining a part of the reconstructed initial volume data to be updated, and executing an iterative update process configured to generate, using an iterative reconstruction method, updated volume data only for the part of the volume data determined to be updated. Determining the part of the sample volume to be updated comprises individually evaluating every single voxel in the reconstructed initial volume data, based on available quality information for the reconstructed initial volume data, whether or not the voxel fulfils a predetermined condition indicating that an update is required for the voxel, and the iterative update process generates the updated volume data only for the voxels which have been determined that an update is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Eberhard Neuser, Alexander Suppes, Nils Rothe, Michael Hötter, Anja Frost
  • Patent number: 8861827
    Abstract: A method for determining confidence values for volume units includes acquiring real projections of an object in a tomography system, reconstructing an image of the object from the real projections, generating artificial projections, for each volume unit comparing the real projections with the artificial projections and generating a confidence measure for each of the volume units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alexander Suppes, Eberhard Neuser, Nils Rothe, Anja Frost, Michael Hoetter
  • Publication number: 20140270059
    Abstract: Embodiments of the systems and methods of this disclosure utilize different positions, or poses, of a target object to collect images that can result in high-resolution volumetric models of the target object. In one embodiment, the object poses define a lateral position and an axial position (also “angular orientation”) of the target object relative to components of an imaging system, e.g., the source of the x-ray beam. The imaging system captures an image of the target object in the object poses. Further processing of the image data that relates to the images generates a volumetric model of the target object at higher resolution, or with fewer artifacts, as compared to similar volumetric models that arise from conventional scanning of these large parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alexander Suppes, Eberhard Neuser, Nils Rothe
  • Publication number: 20140198946
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a solution for analyzing an object, such as a part of a turbo machine. A planar surface is generated using a curved reformat function based on a surface of a three-dimensional (3D) image of an object. A peel of the 3D image that is adjacent to the surface is determined. Based on the peel, a second planar surface is generated. These two, and/or other similarly generated planar surfaces can be analyzed to determine characteristics of the original object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Sheri George, Haribaskar Govindasamy, Utkarsh Madhav Kulkarni, Pavel Pokutnev, Marko Rosenmueller, Alexander Suppes
  • Publication number: 20140185897
    Abstract: A method of using computed tomography for determining a volumetric representation of a sample, involving a first reconstruction for reconstructing first reconstructed volume data of the sample from first x-ray projection data of the sample taken by an x-ray system, a second reconstruction for reconstructing second reconstructed volume data of the sample from second x-ray projection data of the sample taken by an x-ray system, characterized by calculating first individual confidence measures for single voxels of the first reconstructed volume data, calculating second individual confidence measures for single voxels of the second reconstructed volume data, and calculating, in a subsequent step, at least one resulting set of individual values for each voxel based on the first individual confidence measures and the second individual confidence measures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: GE SENSING & INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Eberhard Neuser, Alexander Suppes, Nils Rothe, Michael Hoetter, Anja Frost