Patents Represented by Attorney Jason K. Klindtworth
  • Patent number: 8054594
    Abstract: An apparatus to detect arc is presented. The apparatus includes a fiber sensor to detect characteristics of an arc flash and a processor to process at least two characteristics of the arc flash. The processor is further configured to generate an arc fault signal. A protective device is configured to mitigate the arc flash based on the arc fault signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Juntao Wu, Renato Guida, Hua Xia, Chun Zhan, John Thomas Garrity
  • Patent number: 8054135
    Abstract: An amplifier comprises a power source, a load network comprising a load and a resonance circuit, an input branch having a first end electrically coupled to the power source and a second end electrically coupled to the load network, and an active switch having one terminal electrically coupled to the second end of the input branch. The input branch including at least one parallel-LC-circuit configured to provide an infinitely large impedance at harmonics of a determined order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yingqi Zhang, Jianwu Li, Yunfeng Liu, Wuhua Li
  • Patent number: 8047166
    Abstract: A machine includes a piston disposed in a housing and configured to reciprocate in the housing. At least one valve is coupled to the housing. A magnetically-geared valve actuation system is coupled to the at least one valve. A plurality of sensors is configured to detect a plurality of parameters related to the machine. A control system is coupled to the plurality of sensors and the magnetically-geared valve actuation system. The magnetically-geared valve actuation system is configured to actuate the at least one valve in response to reciprocation of the piston in the housing, signals originating from the sensors or control system, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Herbert Kopecek, Michal-Wolfgang Waszak
  • Patent number: 8050734
    Abstract: A method for performing patient specific analysis of disease relevant changes of a disease in an anatomical structure of interest is provided. The method comprises determining a percentage of the anatomical structure that is encompassed by a diseased tissue region using a patient specific healthy tissue model. The method then comprises determining the amount or spatial distribution or a combination thereof of tissue volume variation due to the disease in the anatomical structure based on the percentage of the anatomical structure encompassed by the diseased tissue region and an estimated original amount of tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Vradenburg Miller, Paulo Ricardo dos Santos Mendonca
  • Patent number: 8045771
    Abstract: A method of imaging comprises performing a scout image of an object and aligning major regions of interest within the object by comparing the scout image with a pre-determined atlas image. In a further embodiment, a method of imaging using a computed tomography (CT) scanner is provided and comprises performing a scout image of a subject and aligning major anatomical regions of interest within the subject by comparing the scout image with a pre-determined atlas image. Further, an imaging system for us with a computed tomography (CT) imaging device is provided and comprises a processor configured to perform aligning major anatomical regions of interest within a subject by comparing a scout image with a pre-determined atlas image, and wherein the major anatomical regions are used for automated localization for Scan Range and/or Exam split.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaodong Tao, James Vradenburg Miller, Mukta Chandrashekhar Joshi, Robert Franklin Senzig
  • Patent number: 8041003
    Abstract: A modular sensor assembly comprises: sensor arrays electrically coupled to a sensor substrate; a plurality of integrated circuits with sensor signal processors electrically coupled to a package substrate; and an interconnect assembly including electrical paths configured to electrically couple analog output signals from a first sensor array to a first integrated circuit and from a second sensor to a second integrated circuit, the first sensor disposed adjacent to the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Oliver Richard Astley, Naveen Chandra, James Rose
  • Patent number: 8038347
    Abstract: An imaging system includes a portable litter including a structural housing and a digital detector positioned in the structural housing to detect X-ray signals corresponding to a region of interest to be imaged. The imaging system further includes at least one X-ray source for generating the X-ray signals, the at least one X-ray source positioned above the portable litter on an open gantry arrangement and configured to generate X-rays from different focal spot locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph John Manak, David Allen Langan, Bernhard Erich Hermann Claus
  • Patent number: 8009805
    Abstract: A rotating union for an X-ray target is provided. The rotating union for the X-ray target comprises a housing, a coolant-slinging device comprising a rotating shaft having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a proximal end and a distal end, and a bore therein, one or more slingers coupled to a proximal end of the rotating shaft; a drain annulus coupled to the one or more slingers, wherein the one or more slingers are configured to direct a coolant to the drain annulus and the drain annulus is configured to direct the coolant through a primary coolant outlet; and a stationary tube having a first end and a second end, wherein at least a portion of the stationary tube is disposed within the bore of the rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Walter John Smith, Vance Scott Robinson, Aniruddha Dattatraya Gadre, Mark Alan Frontera
  • Patent number: 8009946
    Abstract: A patient monitoring system includes a plurality of diffraction gratings integrated along the length of an optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber and each grating are together configured to alter either the effective refractive index or grating periodicity of the respective grating at its corresponding location along the fiber in response to at least one desired external stimulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Xia, David Michael Davenport, Daniel Francis Strauch, Steven Mitchell Falk, Mark Lyman Kelly, Marilyn Ruth Lapidus, Lynn Elizabeth Lynam, Lawrence Guy Ten Eyck, Clayton Ming Young
  • Patent number: 7995864
    Abstract: A method for performing image registration is provided. The method comprises obtaining a reference image dataset and a target image dataset and defining an image mask for a region of interest in the reference image dataset. The method further comprises registering a corresponding region of interest in the target image dataset with the image mask, using a similarity metric, wherein the similarity metric is computed based on one or more voxels in the region of interest defined by the image mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rakesh Mullick, Sohan Rashmi Ranjan
  • Patent number: 7977943
    Abstract: A method for reconstructing an image in a magnetic resonance imaging system is provided. The method includes steps of acquiring magnetic resonance signals from a plurality of receiver coils placed about a subject, each receiver coil having a coil sensitivity, iteratively polling each acquired magnetic resonance signal for determining one or more significant wavelet components of each acquired magnetic resonance signal by utilizing a coil sensitivity function of each receiver coil for each acquired magnetic resonance signal, iteratively determining one or more coefficients based on the one or more significant wavelet components to generate a plurality of coefficients for each acquired magnetic resonance signal, reconstructing an image utilizing a corresponding plurality of coefficients corresponding to each acquired magnetic resonance signal, and generating a composite image by combining the reconstructed images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Luca Marinelli, Christopher Judson Hardy, Daniel James Blezek
  • Patent number: 7950849
    Abstract: A technique is provided for geometrical analysis and calibration of a volumetric imaging system. The technique includes computing a projection error between estimated locations of a set of markers of a phantom based on a estimated imaging geometry and observed locations of the respective markers for at least one projection image, decomposing the computed projection error into one or more error components corresponding to respective geometric parameters of the imaging geometry, and updating at least one parameter of the estimated imaging geometry based on the one or more error components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernhard Erich Hermann Claus, Joseph John Manak
  • Patent number: 7932722
    Abstract: A gradient coil comprising: a pair of gradient coil units disposed so as to enclose a gradient axis, each gradient coil unit including: a gradient coil substrate with a primary coil section, a shield coil section, and first and second return path sections, the primary coil section disposed between the gradient axis and the shield coil section, the primary coil section configured to produce a magnetic gradient field at the gradient axis when conducting an electrical current; the first return path section foldably connected between the primary coil section and the shield coil section, and the second return path section foldably connected between the shield coil section and the primary coil section such that the gradient coil substrate forms a cylindrical surface having a longitudinal axis substantially aligned with the gradient axis; and a plurality of substantially parallel conductive paths disposed across the cylindrical surface in a direction transverse to the gradient axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Campbell Amm, Bulent Aksel, Kristen Ann Wangerin
  • Patent number: 7916836
    Abstract: A CT detector includes a direct conversion material configured to generate electrical charge upon reception of x-rays, a plurality of metallized anodes configured to collect electrical charges generated in the direct conversion material, at least one readout device, and a redistribution layer having a plurality of electrical pathways configured to route the electrical charges from the plurality of metallized anodes to the at least one readout device. A plurality of switches is coupled to the plurality of electrical pathways between the plurality of metallized anodes and the at least one readout device, wherein each of the plurality of switches includes an input line electrically coupled to one of the plurality of metallized anodes, a first output node electrically coupled to the at least one readout device, and a second output node electrically coupled to at least one other switch of the plurality of switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Eric Tkaczyk, James Wilson Rose, Wen Li, Jonathan D. Short, Yanfeng Du
  • Patent number: 7915992
    Abstract: A transformer includes a flex or printed circuit board consisting of a substrate material having a desired permittivity, and at least one primary winding and at least one secondary winding. Each winding is integrated with the flex or printed circuit board such that one or more respective transformer parasitic elements and the substrate permittivity between the primary and secondary windings together are tuned to a desired parallel resonant frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Andrew de Rooij, William Hullinger Huber, William Edward Burdick, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7903432
    Abstract: A power generation system comprises a power source, a transformer module for converting a low voltage from the power source into a higher voltage, and a voltage-multiplier module for amplifying higher voltage from the transformer module. The transformer module comprises a number N of transformer units. Each transformer unit comprises at least one transformer, and each transformer comprises a magnetic core, a primary winding, and a secondary winding. Primary windings of the transformers in the transformer module are electrically coupled in parallel to the power source, secondary windings of the transformers of each transformer unit comprise a pair of output terminal, and N is equal to or greater than two. The voltage-multiplier module comprises the number N of multipliers. Each multiplier module comprises a positive and a negative input terminal, and a positive and a negative output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jing Luo, Saijun Mao, Yunfeng Liu, Denis Perrillat-Amede, Philippe Ernest, Xiaoming Yuan
  • Patent number: 7903786
    Abstract: A target assembly for generating x-rays includes a target substrate, and an emissive coating attached to the target substrate, the emissive coating including a textured material including a plurality of granular protrusions arranged to increase gray body emissive characteristics of the target assembly above that of the target substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dalong Zhong, Dennis M. Gray, Michael Hebert, Thomas Raber, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney
  • Patent number: 7902826
    Abstract: A transverse gradient coil for an MRI system is provided. The transverse gradient coil comprises a first coil layer; and an insulation layer made of thermoplastic insulation resin which has a thermal conductivity greater than 1.5 W/m·K, the insulation layer having one side bonded to the first coil layer. A method for manufacturing the transverse gradient coil by injection molding or compression molding is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Weijun Yin, Bruce Campbell Amm, Kathleen Melanie Amm, Tunc Icoz, Yogen Vishwas Utturkar, Wensen Wang
  • Patent number: 7898905
    Abstract: A method for dynamically reconfiguring elements in an ultrasound transducer array is provided. The method includes defining two or more groups of the elements in the array, wherein each element individually comprises a first switch, and a second switch; providing boundary definitions information to the elements in the array to define boundaries for the two or more groups; and locally determining switch configuration state within the array for the first and second switch of one or more elements based on the boundary definitions. Further, a switch matrix configured to locally determine switch settings is provided. Furthermore, a system comprising an array of ultrasonic transducer subelements is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Gideon Wodnicki, Scott Daniel Cogan
  • Patent number: 7892176
    Abstract: An ultrasonic monitoring system is formed with a probe unit. In one example an array of transducer cells is arranged in rows and columns formed along a first plane with a first pitch along a first direction. An integrated circuit including an array of circuit cells is formed along a second plane parallel to the first plane. The circuit cells are spaced apart along the first direction at a second pitch smaller than the first pitch. A first of the transducer cells is vertically aligned, along a direction normal to one of the planes, with a first of the circuit cells and having a connection thereto. A second of the transducer cells is offset from vertical alignment with respect to the position of a second circuit cell so as to not overlie the second circuit cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Gideon Wodnicki, David Martin Mills, Rayette Ann Fisher, Charles Gerard Woychik