Patents by Inventor Thomas Michael Ernst

Thomas Michael Ernst 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: 20210186353
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system that adaptively compensates for subject motion in real-time in an imaging system. An object orientation marker (30), preferably a retro-grate reflector (RGR), is placed on the head or other body organ of interest of a patient (P) during a scan, such as an MRI scan. The marker (30) makes it possible to measure the six degrees of freedom (x, y, and z-translations, and pitch, yaw, and roll), or “pose”, required to track motion of the organ of interest. A detector, preferably a camera (40), observes the marker (30) and continuously extracts its pose. The pose from the camera (40) is sent to the scanner (120) via an RGR processing computer (50) and a scanner control and processing computer (100), allowing for continuous correction of scan planes and position (in real-time) for motion of the patient (P).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Thomas Edmund Prieto, Brian Stewart Randall Armstrong
  • Patent number: 10869611
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system that adaptively compensates for subject motion in real-time in an imaging system. An object orientation marker (30), preferably a retro-grate reflector (RGR), is placed on the head or other body organ of interest of a patient (P) during a scan, such as an MRI scan. The marker (30) makes it possible to measure the six degrees of freedom (x, y, and z-translations, and pitch, yaw, and roll), or “pose”, required to track motion of the organ of interest. A detector, preferably a camera (40), observes the marker (30) and continuously extracts its pose. The pose from the camera (40) is sent to the scanner (120) via an RGR processing computer (50) and a scanner control and processing computer (100), allowing for continuous correction of scan planes and position (in real-time) for motion of the patient (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignees: The Queen's Medical Center, The University of Hawaii, The Medical Collene of Wisconsin, Inc., UWM Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Thomas Edmund Prieto, Brian Stewart Randall Armstrong
  • Patent number: 10663553
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for intra-scan motion correction to compensate not only from one line or acquisition step to the next, but also within each acquisition step or line in k-space. The systems, methods, and devices for intra-scan motion correction can comprise updating geometry parameters, phase, read, and/or other encoding gradients, applying a correction gradient block, and/or correcting residual errors in orientation, pose, and/or gradient/phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Kineticor, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Oliver Speck
  • Patent number: 10660541
    Abstract: The systems, methods, and devices described herein generally relate to achieving accurate and robust motion correction by detecting and accounting for false movements in motion correction systems used in conjunction with medical imaging and/or therapeutic systems. In other words, in some embodiments of the systems, methods, and devices described herein can be configured to detect false movements for motion correction during a medical imaging scan and/or therapeutic procedure, and thereby ensure that such false movements are not accounted for in the motion correction process. Upon detection of false movements, the imaging or therapeutic system can be configured to transiently suppress and/or subsequently repeat acquisitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignees: The University of Hawai'i, The Queen's Medical Center
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Brian Keating, Aditya Singh, Maxim Zaitsev, Michael Herbst
  • Patent number: 10653381
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for tracking motion of a patient or object of interest during biomedical imaging and for compensating for that motion in the biomedical imaging scanner and/or the resulting images to reduce or eliminate motion artifacts. In an embodiment, a motion tracking system is configured to overlay tracking data over biomedical imaging data in order to display the tracking data along with its associated image data. In an embodiment, a motion tracking system is configured to overlay tracking data over biomedical imaging data in order to display the tracking data along with its associated image data. In an embodiment, one or more detectors are configured to detect images of a patient, and a detector processing interface is configured to analyze the images to estimate motion or movement of the patient and to generate tracking data describing the patient's motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignees: Kineticor, Inc., The University of Hawaii, The Queen's Medical Center
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Yu, Thomas Michael Ernst
  • Publication number: 20190059779
    Abstract: The systems, methods, and devices described herein generally relate to achieving accurate and robust motion correction by detecting and accounting for false movements in motion correction systems used in conjunction with medical imaging and/or therapeutic systems. In other words, in some embodiments of the systems, methods, and devices described herein can be configured to detect false movements for motion correction during a medical imaging scan and/or therapeutic procedure, and thereby ensure that such false movements are not accounted for in the motion correction process. Upon detection of false movements, the imaging or therapeutic system can be configured to transiently suppress and/or subsequently repeat acquisitions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Brian Keating, Aditya Singh, Maxim Zaitsev, Michael Herbst
  • Publication number: 20180249927
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system that adaptively compensates for subject motion in real-time in an imaging system. An object orientation marker (30), preferably a retro-grate reflector (RGR), is placed on the head or other body organ of interest of a patient (P) during a scan, such as an MRI scan. The marker (30) makes it possible to measure the six degrees of freedom (x, y, and z-translations, and pitch, yaw, and roll), or “pose”, required to track motion of the organ of interest. A detector, preferably a camera (40), observes the marker (30) and continuously extracts its pose. The pose from the camera (40) is sent to the scanner (120) via an RGR processing computer (50) and a scanner control and processing computer (100), allowing for continuous correction of scan planes and position (in real-time) for motion of the patient (P).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Thomas Edmund Prieto, Brian Stewart Randall Armstrong
  • Patent number: 10004462
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for removing prospective motion correction from medical imaging scans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignees: KinetiCor, Inc., The University of Hawai'i, The Queen's Medical Center
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Benjamin Anton Zahneisen, Jeffrey N. Yu
  • Patent number: 9943247
    Abstract: The systems, methods, and devices described herein generally relate to achieving accurate and robust motion correction by detecting and accounting for false movements in motion correction systems used in conjunction with medical imaging and/or therapeutic systems. In other words, in some embodiments of the systems, methods, and devices described herein can be configured to detect false movements for motion correction during a medical imaging scan and/or therapeutic procedure, and thereby ensure that such false movements are not accounted for in the motion correction process. Upon detection of false movements, the imaging or therapeutic system can be configured to transiently suppress and/or subsequently repeat acquisitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: The University of Hawai'i, The Queen's Medical Center
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Brian Keating, Aditya Singh, Maxim Zaitsev, Michael Herbst
  • Publication number: 20180070904
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for tracking motion of a patient or object of interest during biomedical imaging and for compensating for that motion in the biomedical imaging scanner and/or the resulting images to reduce or eliminate motion artifacts. In an embodiment, a motion tracking system is configured to overlay tracking data over biomedical imaging data in order to display the tracking data along with its associated image data. In an embodiment, a motion tracking system is configured to overlay tracking data over biomedical imaging data in order to display the tracking data along with its associated image data. In an embodiment, one or more detectors are configured to detect images of a patient, and a detector processing interface is configured to analyze the images to estimate motion or movement of the patient and to generate tracking data describing the patient's motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Yu, Thomas Michael Ernst
  • Patent number: 9867549
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system that adaptively compensates for subject motion in real-time in an imaging system. An object orientation marker (30), preferably a retro-grate reflector (RGR), is placed on the head or other body organ of interest of a patient (P) during a scan, such as an MRI scan. The marker (30) makes it possible to measure the six degrees of freedom (x, y, and z-translations, and pitch, yaw, and roll), or “pose”, required to track motion of the organ of interest. A detector, preferably a camera (40), observes the marker (30) and continuously extracts its pose. The pose from the camera (40) is sent to the scanner (120) via an RGR processing computer (50) and a scanner control and processing computer (100), allowing for continuous correction of scan planes and position (in real-time) for motion of the patient (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignees: The Queen's Medical Center, The University of Hawaii, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc., UWM Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Thomas Edmund Prieto, Brian Stewart Randall Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20170303859
    Abstract: An optical marker apparatus or device for tracking and compensating for patient motion during a medical imaging scan can comprise one or more optical markers, one or mounts, and a substrate. The one or more optical markers can be adapted to be detected by one or more detectors and/or cameras of a medical imaging scanner and/or motion tracking system. One or more mounts can be configured to attach the one or more markers to the substrate. The substrate, in turn, can be configured to be attached to one or more regions of a subject patient's body. For example, in some embodiments, a substrate can be adapted to be placed or otherwise attached over a nose bridge of a patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Trent Victor Robertson, Thomas Michael Ernst, William Herman Alameida, JR., Aditya Singh
  • Patent number: 9782141
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for tracking motion of a patient or object of interest during biomedical imaging and for compensating for that motion in the biomedical imaging scanner and/or the resulting images to reduce or eliminate motion artifacts. In an embodiment, a motion tracking system is configured to overlay tracking data over biomedical imaging data in order to display the tracking data along with its associated image data. In an embodiment, a motion tracking system is configured to overlay tracking data over biomedical imaging data in order to display the tracking data along with its associated image data. In an embodiment, one or more detectors are configured to detect images of a patient, and a detector processing interface is configured to analyze the images to estimate motion or movement of the patient and to generate tracking data describing the patient's motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignees: KINETICOR, INC., THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, THE QUEEN'S MEDICAL CENTER
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Yu, Thomas Michael Ernst
  • Publication number: 20170276754
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for intra-scan motion correction to compensate not only from one line or acquisition step to the next, but also within each acquisition step or line in k-space. The systems, methods, and devices for intra-scan motion correction can comprise updating geometry parameters, phase, read, and/or other encoding gradients, applying a correction gradient block, and/or correcting residual errors in orientation, pose, and/or gradient/phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Oliver Speck
  • Patent number: 9606209
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for intra-scan motion correction to compensate not only from one line or acquisition step to the next, but also within each acquisition step or line in k-space. The systems, methods, and devices for intra-scan motion correction can comprise updating geometry parameters, phase, read, and/or other encoding gradients, applying a correction gradient block, and/or correcting residual errors in orientation, pose, and/or gradient/phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KINETICOR, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Oliver Speck
  • Publication number: 20170032538
    Abstract: The systems, methods, and devices described herein generally relate to achieving accurate and robust motion correction by detecting and accounting for false movements in motion correction systems used in conjunction with medical imaging and/or therapeutic systems. In other words, in some embodiments of the systems, methods, and devices described herein can be configured to detect false movements for motion correction during a medical imaging scan and/or therapeutic procedure, and thereby ensure that such false movements are not accounted for in the motion correction process. Upon detection of false movements, the imaging or therapeutic system can be configured to transiently suppress and/or subsequently repeat acquisitions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Brian Keating, Aditya Singh, Maxim Zaitsev, Michael Herbst
  • Publication number: 20160166205
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system that adaptively compensates for subject motion in real-time in an imaging system. An object orientation marker (30), preferably a retro-grate reflector (RGR), is placed on the head or other body organ of interest of a patient (P) during a scan, such as an MRI scan. The marker (30) makes it possible to measure the six degrees of freedom (x, y, and z-translations, and pitch, yaw, and roll), or “pose”, required to track motion of the organ of interest. A detector, preferably a camera (40), observes the marker (30) and continuously extracts its pose. The pose from the camera (40) is sent to the scanner (120) via an RGR processing computer (50) and a scanner control and processing computer (100), allowing for continuous correction of scan planes and position (in real-time) for motion of the patient (P).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Thomas Edmund Prieto, Brian Stewart Randall Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20150366527
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for tracking motion of a patient or object of interest during biomedical imaging and for compensating for that motion in the biomedical imaging scanner and/or the resulting images to reduce or eliminate motion artifacts. In an embodiment, a motion tracking system is configured to overlay tracking data over biomedical imaging data in order to display the tracking data along with its associated image data. In an embodiment, a motion tracking system is configured to overlay tracking data over biomedical imaging data in order to display the tracking data along with its associated image data. In an embodiment, one or more detectors are configured to detect images of a patient, and a detector processing interface is configured to analyze the images to estimate motion or movement of the patient and to generate tracking data describing the patient's motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Yu, Thomas Michael Ernst
  • Publication number: 20150265220
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for removing prospective motion correction from medical imaging scans.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Benjamin Anton Zahneisen, Jeffrey N. Yu
  • Patent number: 9138175
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system that adaptively compensates for subject motion in real-time in an imaging system. An object orientation marker (30), preferably a retro-grate reflector (RGR), is placed on the head or other body organ of interest of a patient (P) during a scan, such as an MRI scan. The marker (30) makes it possible to measure the six degrees of freedom (x, y, and z-translations, and pitch, yaw, and roll), or “pose”, required to track motion of the organ of interest. A detector, preferably a camera (40), observes the marker (30) and continuously extracts its pose. The pose from the camera (40) is sent to the scanner (120) via an RGR processing computer (50) and a scanner control and processing computer (100), allowing for continuous correction of scan planes and position (in real-time) for motion of the patient (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignees: The Queen's Medical Center, The University of Hawaii, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc., UWM Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Ernst, Thomas Edmund Prieto, Brian Stewart Randall Armstrong