Patents by Inventor F. William Mauldin, JR.
F. William Mauldin, JR. 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).
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Patent number: 11364011Abstract: An apparatus can be used to generate acoustic imaging pulse sequences and receive corresponding echoes elicited by the acoustic imaging pulse sequences. An acoustic radiation force (ARF) pulse sequence can be generated to agitate a contrast medium in a tissue region between the acoustic imaging pulse sequences. A decorrelation between images corresponding to the received echoes can be determined. A weighting map can be applied to an image to weight a region of the image corresponding to a spatial location of the contrast medium using the determined decorrelation. In an example, the receiving of corresponding echoes elicited by the acoustic imaging pulse sequences can include receiving acoustic energy having a range of frequencies offset from a fundamental frequency associated with the acoustic imaging pulse sequences. An acoustic imaging pulse sequence can include a pulse having an inverted amplitude envelope with respect to another pulse included in the sequence.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2017Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: University of Virginia Patent FoundationInventors: Elizabeth Bronwyn Herbst, John A. Hossack, Shiying Wang, F. William Mauldin, Jr.
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Patent number: 10368834Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer element can configured to generate ultrasonic energy directed into tissue of a subject and configured to receive a portion of the ultrasonic energy reflected by a target located within the tissue. The ultrasonic transducer can include a surface configured to provide or receive the ultrasonic energy, the surface including an area of greater than or equal to about 4?2, or the ultrasonic transducer element can be included in an array having a spacing between at least two adjacent ultrasound elements of less than or equal to about ½?, and the array comprising an aperture that is at least approximately symmetrical in two axes. A three-dimensional representation of one or more of a location, shape, or orientation of at least a portion of the target can be presented via the display.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2012Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: University of Virginia Patent FoundationInventors: F. William Mauldin, Jr., John A. Hossack, Kevin Owen
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Patent number: 9949722Abstract: An ultrasound system and method that can include: a receive beamformer configured to receive signals from a transducer; a processor coupled to the receive beamformer, the processor configured to: analyze echo data reflected from a region of interest, the echo data elicited by a transmitted pulse sequence; using the echo data, determine a central tendency of a signal magnitude from regions of adherent microbubbles over time within the region of interest; determine a time series of the signal magnitude; using the time series, determine an initial signal magnitude parameter; obtain a saturated signal parameter and a residual signal parameter using the time series; and determine a relative indication of information indicative of the residual signal magnitude versus the saturated signal magnitude.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: University of Virginia Patent FoundationInventors: F. William Mauldin, Jr., Shiying Wang, John A. Hossack, Alexander L. Klibanov
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Patent number: 9924923Abstract: Ultrasound apparatus or techniques can include obtaining reflected ultrasound echo information, which can be used to construct a two-dimensional or three-dimensional representation of an at least approximately specular reflected target, such as bone. In an example, echo information can be obtained from spatially-overlapping tissue regions, such as using one or more of an array of ultrasonic transducers, or mechanically-scanning one or more ultrasonic transducers. In an example, one or more of a deformable housing or a deformable coupling pad can be used, such as to couple ultrasonic energy between one or more transducers and a tissue region.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2013Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: University of Virginia Patent FoundationInventors: F. William Mauldin, Jr., John A. Hossack, Kevin Owen
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Publication number: 20180035979Abstract: An apparatus can be used to generate acoustic imaging pulse sequences and receive corresponding echoes elicited by the acoustic imaging pulse sequences. An acoustic radiation force (ARF) pulse sequence can be generated to agitate a contrast medium in a tissue region between the acoustic imaging pulse sequences. A decorrelation between images corresponding to the received echoes can be determined. A weighting map can be applied to an image to weight a region of the image corresponding to a spatial location of the contrast medium using the determined decorrelation. In an example, the receiving of corresponding echoes elicited by the acoustic imaging pulse sequences can include receiving acoustic energy having a range of frequencies offset from a fundamental frequency associated with the acoustic imaging pulse sequences. An acoustic imaging pulse sequence can include a pulse having an inverted amplitude envelope with respect to another pulse included in the sequence.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2017Publication date: February 8, 2018Inventors: Elizabeth Bronwyn Herbst, John A. Hossack, Shiying Wang, F. William Mauldin, JR.
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Patent number: 9579120Abstract: A hand-held apparatus can be used to assist in guiding a probe or locating a particular anatomical target in a subject. The apparatus can include an ultrasonic transducer located on or within a housing and configured to generate ultrasonic energy directed into tissue of a subject and configured to receive a portion of the ultrasonic energy reflected by a target located within the tissue. In an example, the apparatus can include a motion tracking circuit configured to provide information indicative of a motion of the hand-held apparatus to the processor circuit, and a display configured to present information about a location of the target with respect to a portion of the hand-held apparatus, the information about the location determined by the processor circuit using the obtained information indicative of the ultrasonic energy reflected by the target and the information indicative of the motion of the hand-held apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2011Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: University of Virginia Patent FoundationInventors: F. William Mauldin, Jr., Francesco Viola, William F. Walker
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Publication number: 20150150534Abstract: An ultrasound system and method that can include: a receive beamformer configured to receive signals from a transducer; a processor coupled to the receive beamformer, the processor configured to: analyze echo data reflected from a region of interest, the echo data elicited by a transmitted pulse sequence; using the echo data, determine a central tendency of a signal magnitude from regions of adherent microbubbles over time within the region of interest; determine a time series of the signal magnitude; using the time series, determine an initial signal magnitude parameter; obtain a saturated signal parameter and a residual signal parameter using the time series; and determine a relative indication of information indicative of the residual signal magnitude versus the saturated signal magnitude.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2014Publication date: June 4, 2015Inventors: F. William Mauldin, JR., Shiying Wang, John A. Hossack, Alexander L. Klibanov
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Patent number: 9043156Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for monitored application of mechanical force to samples using acoustic energy and mechanical parameter value extraction using mechanical response models can be used for determining mechanical property parameters of a sample. An exemplary method includes applying acoustic energy to a sample to apply a mechanical force to the sample, measuring a response by the sample during the application of the acoustic energy, measuring a recovery response of the sample following cessation of the application of the acoustic energy, and determining a value for at least one additional mechanical property parameter of the sample based on the response measured during application of the acoustic energy and the recovery response measured following cessation of the application of acoustic energy.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2009Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILLInventors: Caterina Gallippi, Olgha Davis, F. William Mauldin, Jr., Elizabeth Loboa, Mansoor Haider
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Publication number: 20150133788Abstract: Ultrasound apparatus or techniques can include obtaining reflected ultrasound echo information, which can be used to construct a two-dimensional or three-dimensional representation of an at least approximately specular reflected target, such as bone. In an example, echo information can be obtained from spatially-overlapping tissue regions, such as using one or more of an array of ultrasonic transducers, or mechanically-scanning one or more ultrasonic transducers. In an example, one or more of a deformable housing or a deformable coupling pad can be used, such as to couple ultrasonic energy between one or more transducers and a tissue region.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2013Publication date: May 14, 2015Inventors: F. William Mauldin, JR., John A. Hossack, Kevin Owen
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Patent number: 9002080Abstract: Apparatus or techniques can include obtaining information indicative of energy, such as ultrasonic energy, reflected from a tissue region, forming respective input matrices representative of the obtained information, the input matrices respectively comprising an ensemble-of-interest and at least one ensemble corresponding to a spatial location nearby a spatial location corresponding to the ensemble-of-interest, performing respective singular value decompositions on the respective input matrices to obtain respective sets of singular values corresponding to respective sets of singular vectors, obtaining respective output matrices including weighting a respective projection of a respective ensemble-of-interest onto at least one of the singular vectors included in a respective set of singular vectors, and, using the respective output matrices, at least one of determining a characteristic, or constructing an image, of at least a portion of the tissue region.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2012Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: University of Virginia Patent FoundationInventors: F. William Mauldin, Jr., John A. Hossack, Abhay V. Patil
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Publication number: 20140046186Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer element can configured to generate ultrasonic energy directed into tissue of a subject and configured to receive a portion of the ultrasonic energy reflected by a target located within the tissue. The ultrasonic transducer can include a surface configured to provide or receive the ultrasonic energy, the surface including an area of greater than or equal to about 4?2, or the ultrasonic transducer element can be included in an array having a spacing between at least two adjacent ultrasound elements of less than or equal to about ½?, and the array comprising an aperture that is at least approximately symmetrical in two axes. A three-dimensional representation of one or more of a location, shape, or orientation of at least a portion of the target can be presented via the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: University of Virginia Patent FoundationInventors: F. William Mauldin, JR., John A. Hossack, Kevin Owen
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Publication number: 20130094729Abstract: Apparatus or techniques can include obtaining information indicative of energy, such as ultrasonic energy, reflected from a tissue region, forming respective input matrices representative of the obtained information, the input matrices respectively comprising an ensemble-of-interest and at least one ensemble corresponding to a spatial location nearby a spatial location corresponding to the ensemble-of-interest, performing respective singular value decompositions on the respective input matrices to obtain respective sets of singular values corresponding to respective sets of singular vectors, obtaining respective output matrices including weighting a respective projection of a respective ensemble-of-interest onto at least one of the singular vectors included in a respective set of singular vectors, and, using the respective output matrices, at least one of determining a characteristic, or constructing an image, of at least a portion of the tissue region.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2012Publication date: April 18, 2013Applicant: University of Virginia Patent FoundationInventors: F. William Mauldin, JR., John A, Hossack, Abhay V. Patil
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Publication number: 20120296213Abstract: A hand-held apparatus can be used to assist in guiding a probe or locating a particular anatomical target in a subject. The apparatus can include an ultrasonic transducer located on or within a housing and configured to generate ultrasonic energy directed into tissue of a subject and configured to receive a portion of the ultrasonic energy reflected by a target located within the tissue. In an example, the apparatus can include a motion tracking circuit configured to provide information indicative of a motion of the hand-held apparatus to the processor circuit, and a display configured to present information about a location of the target with respect to a portion of the hand-held apparatus, the information about the location determined by the processor circuit using the obtained information indicative of the ultrasonic energy reflected by the target and the information indicative of the motion of the hand-held apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2011Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: University of Virginia Patent FoundationInventors: F. William Mauldin, JR., Francesco Viola, William F. Walker
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Publication number: 20100138163Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for monitored application of mechanical force to samples using acoustic energy and mechanical parameter value extraction using mechanical response models. One aspect of the subject matter described herein includes a method for determining mechanical property parameters of a sample. The method includes applying acoustic energy to a sample to apply a mechanical force to the sample. The method further includes measuring a response by the sample during the application of the acoustic energy to determine a value for a first mechanical property parameter of the sample. The method further includes measuring a recovery response of the sample following cessation of the application of the acoustic energy to determine a value for at least one second mechanical property parameter of the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2009Publication date: June 3, 2010Inventors: Caterina Gallippi, Olgha Davis, F. William Mauldin, JR., Elizabeth Loboa, Mansoor Haider