Abstract: A technique for making a bulk isolated PN diode. Specifically, a technique is provided for making a voltage clamp with a pair of bulk isolated PN diode. Another embodiment provides for a voltage clamp with a pair of bulk isolated PN diodes in parallel with a pair of MOSFET diode-connected transistors. In addition, a method for manufacturing the bulk isolated PN diodes is recited.
Abstract: Data representative of operation of biomedical equipment in a medical facility is collected and stored in a centralized database. The information may be collected manually during the life of the equipment, or automatically by connection to the equipment. The data references equipment types, manufacturer, departments, locations, and other relevant information for the equipment. Based upon the collected and stored information, parameters representative of possible training needs is analyzed and reported. The parameters may include error, breakdowns, and the like. Detailed reports delivered to the medical institution may thus provide a basis for planning training to enhance performance and utilization of the equipment.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 20, 2000
Date of Patent:
June 10, 2008
Assignee:
GE Medical Technology Services, Inc.
Inventors:
Dorothy B. Franks, Michael C. Jones, John G. Jaeger
Abstract: A method of coating a ceramic matrix composite fiber is disclosed. The method includes passing the composite fiber through a reaction zone along a path substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the reaction zone. It also includes passing a flow of a fiber coating reactant through the reaction zone. Further, the method includes disrupting a portion of the flow of the fiber coating reactant from a path substantially parallel to a fiber path to create a mixing flow adjacent the composite fiber.
Abstract: One or more techniques are provided for adapting a reconstruction process to account for the motion of an imaged object or organ, such as the heart. In particular, projection data of the moving object or organ is acquired using a slowly rotating CT gantry. Motion data may be determined from the projection data or from images reconstructed from the projection data. The motion data may be used to reconstruct motion-corrected images from the projection data. The motion-corrected images may be associated to form motion-corrected volume renderings.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 21, 2007
Date of Patent:
June 3, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Peter Michael Edic, Maria Iatrou, Erdogan Cesmeli, Bruno De Man, Samit Basu
Abstract: System, method and computer product for baseline modeling a product or process. A service database contains process data. A preprocessor processes the data into a predetermined format. A baseline modeling component builds a baseline model from the preprocessed data, wherein the baseline model relates process performance variables as a function of process operating conditions.
Abstract: A method for identifying localized optical emission is disclosed. The method involves identifying a region, which corresponds to a plurality of scintillator units of a scintillator, on a position sensitive photodetector that is impacted by one or more photons. The method further involves identifying a readout channel of a pixellated photodetector array that corresponds to a pixel associated with a scintillator unit impacted by the one or more photons. The method, further involves, identifying the scintillator unit based on the region and the readout channel.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 4, 2005
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Kent Charles Burr, James Walter LeBlanc, Adrian Ivan, Donald Earl Castleberry
Abstract: In certain embodiments, a lamp is provided with an arc envelope including a ceramic, an end member including a material different from the ceramic, and a compliant seal disposed between the end member and the arc envelope. The compliant seal includes a plurality of layers having different thermal expansion characteristics in an order of gradual change between the arc envelope and the end member.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 29, 2005
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Bernard Bewlay, Bruce Knudsen, Mohamed Rahmane, James Vartuli, James Brewer
Abstract: A method for diagnosing and classifying faults in a system is provided. The method comprises acquiring operational data for at least one of a system, one or more subsystems of the system or one or more components of the one or more subsystems. Then, the method comprises analyzing the operational data using one or more diagnostic models. Each diagnostic model uses the operational data to determine a probability of fault associated with at least one of the one or more components or the one or more subsystems. Finally, the method comprises deriving an overall probability of fault for at least one of the system, the one or more subsystems, or the one or more components using the one or more probabilities of fault determined by the one or more diagnostic models and one or more hierarchical relationships between the subsystems and components of the system.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 29, 2005
Date of Patent:
May 27, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Daniel Joseph Cleary, LiJie Yu, Mark David Osborn
Abstract: A large area transducer array comprising a substrate having a front side and a backside, a plurality of transducers disposed on the front side of the substrate and patterned in the form of a two-dimensional transducer array in the X-Y plane, a plurality of connectors disposed on the backside of the substrate where the connectors are electrically coupled to the transducer elements. Further, a stacked transducer array comprising an electronic device disposed in a first layer, a substrate including a front side and a backside, an electrical interconnect layer disposed on the substrate and a plurality of transducers disposed in a third layer where the transducers are electrically coupled to the electronic device disposed in the first layer.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 3, 2004
Date of Patent:
May 20, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Rayette Ann Fisher, William Edward Burdick, Jr., James Wilson Rose
Abstract: Embodiments include an imaging system that includes a collimator support base and a detector assembly. The collimator support base is configured to interchangeably accept a slit aperture collimator and a pinhole aperture collimator. The slit aperture collimator has either a corresponding septa assembly or a corresponding crossed-slit collimator. The detector assembly is configured to detect collimated gamma rays emanating from a subject in a field of view of the imaging system and generate one or more signals in response to the detected gamma rays. Methods of adjusting performance of imaging systems are also provided.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 7, 2007
Date of Patent:
May 20, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
James William Hugg, Floribertus P. M. Heukensfeldt Jansen, Jorge Uribe
Abstract: A photovoltaic device comprising a photovoltaic cell is provided. The photovoltaic cell includes an emitter layer comprising a crystalline semiconductor material and a lightly doped crystalline substrate disposed adjacent the emitter layer. The lightly doped crystalline substrate and the emitter layer are oppositely doped. Further, the photovoltaic device includes a back surface passivated structure coupled to the photovoltaic cell. The structure includes a highly doped back surface field layer disposed adjacent the lightly doped crystalline substrate. The highly doped back surface field layer includes an amorphous or a microcrystalline semiconductor material, wherein the highly doped back surface field layer and the lightly doped crystalline substrate are similarly doped, and wherein a doping level of the highly doped back surface field layer is higher than a doping level of the lightly doped crystalline substrate.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 12, 2005
Date of Patent:
May 20, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Venkatesan Manivannan, Abasifreke Udo Ebong, Jiunn-Ru Jeffrey Huang, Thomas Paul Feist, James Neil Johnson
Abstract: One or more techniques are provided for identifying a period of minimal motion for an organ of interest, such as the heart or lungs. Motion data is acquired for the organ of interest and for one or more proximate organs using sensor-based and/or image-based techniques. The sensor-based techniques may include electrical and non-electrical techniques. The image-based techniques may include both pre-acquisition and acquisition image data. The motion data for the organ of interest and proximate organs may be used to generate a set of multi-input motion data that may be processed to identify desired periods, such as periods of minimal motion, within the overall motion of the organ of interest.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 26, 2003
Date of Patent:
May 6, 2008
Assignee:
GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company
Inventors:
Prathyusha K. Salla, Gopal B. Avinash, Cherik Bulkes
Abstract: A method for installing an offshore wind turbine system includes driving a cylindrical annular monopile or a substructure into the soil. The monopile includes a flanged portion configured to support a wind turbine tower or a superstructure. The flanged portion extends radially from a peripheral surface of the monopile. The method further includes mounting a wind turbine tower directly on to the monopile, wherein the wind turbine is supported by the flanged portion of the monopile.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 30, 2005
Date of Patent:
May 6, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Vasanth Srinivasa Kothnur, David Deloyd Anderson, Danian Zheng, Mohamed Ahmed Ali, Kenneth Bradley Leland
Abstract: An electromagnetic coupler comprising: a coupling waveguide adapted for receiving input modes along an input axis, propagating coupling modes along a coupling axis, and transmitting output modes along an output axis, the output axis being not parallel to the coupling axis; and an output waveguide disposed adjacent the coupling waveguide and adapted for receiving the output modes.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 16, 2005
Date of Patent:
May 6, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Min-Yi Shih, Kelvin Ma, Matthew Christian Nielsen, Samhita Dasgupta
Abstract: A system and method of repairing a pipe including securing a reinforcing material, such as a dry fiber structure (e.g., a carbon fibers) to the surface of the pipe. A polymeric material is placed on top of the reinforcing material, self-penetrating the dry fiber structure. The polymeric material substantially saturates the reinforcing material and cures to form a reinforced polymeric composite which may increase or restore the pressure rating or operating pressure capacity of the pipe. Optionally, an outer containment component, such as a sleeve, shell, box, wall, outer pipe, and so on, may be installed around the reinforcing material prior to introduction of the polymeric material. In this case, the polymeric material may be placed (i.e., poured) into the interior of the containment component on top of the reinforcing material.
Abstract: A data gathering apparatus comprises a power generation device configured to generate power via movement of the rail. The data gathering apparatus further comprises a sensing device configured to receive power from the power generation device and to sense at least one property of the rail, wherein the property of the rail is at least partially defined by a vehicle traveling on the rail.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 6, 2004
Date of Patent:
April 29, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Kenneth Brakeley Welles, II, John Erik Hershey
Abstract: A two dimensional (2D) collimator assembly and a detector system employing a 2D collimator assembly. More specifically, a collimator assembly is provided, having elements extending in the x and z-planes of a detector system. The 2D collimator assembly includes a number of blades arranged in parallel. Each of the blades includes fins extending from one or both sides of the body of the blade. The fins are coupled to each adjacent array to form the 2D collimator assembly.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 4, 2006
Date of Patent:
April 22, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Jonathan Short, Martin Lee, J. Eric Tkaczyk, David Hoffman, Brian David Yanoff
Abstract: In certain embodiments, there is provided a method of providing a first fuel injection schedule having one or more injections per cylinder per compression stroke at a first discrete power level selected from a plurality of discrete power levels of an engine. The method further includes providing a second fuel injection schedule having a plurality of injections per cylinder per compression stroke at a second discrete power level selected from the plurality of discrete power levels of the engine, wherein the first and second fuel injection schedules comprise different injection characteristics from one another.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 25, 2006
Date of Patent:
April 22, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Bhaskar Tamma, Jennifer Ann Topinka, Roy James Primus, Richard John McGowan
Abstract: The present technique relates to a method and apparatus for managing voltage buses. In a memory device, such as SRAM or DRAM, a periphery voltage bus may supply voltage to periphery circuitry and an array voltage bus may supply voltage to array circuitry. A bridge circuit may be utilized to isolate the buses from each other and couple the buses together, depending on the control signals are received by the bridge circuit. As such, the bridge circuit enhances the operation of the memory device by reducing duplicative circuits and equalizing the voltage that are applied to the buses. In addition, the bridge circuit isolates the buses from each other to protect sensitive circuitry in the array and periphery circuitry from noise on the other bus.
Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, the present technique includes a system for sealing a lamp including a thermal shield and a thermally susceptible enclosure disposed adjacent the thermal shield. The thermal shield has a first receptacle adapted to receive a first portion of the lamp. The thermally susceptible enclosure comprises a wall about a second receptacle adapted to receive a second portion of the lamp. The wall has a varying thickness in a desired sealing region between the first and second portions of the lamp.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 29, 2004
Date of Patent:
April 15, 2008
Assignee:
General Electric Company
Inventors:
Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Bruce Alan Knudsen, James Anthony Brewer